According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is "a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event."

Research indicates that only 7% of the people with PTSD sought help from a primary care physician within the first year of illness. Side effects and symptoms of PTSD include, but are not limited to:

• Insomnia or other sleep problems

• Hyperarousal

• Irritability

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Intrusive memories and flashbacks

• Avoidance of trauma-related stimuli

Traditionally, Western medicine prescribes medication such as paroxetine (Paxil) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). However, because CBT requires the patient to reconstruct and re-experience the traumatic event, it can be detrimental to their mental state. Paroxetine also loses effectiveness over time and has side effects such as nausea and weight gain.

For those people who medication and therapy alone are unable to help, acupuncture is an alternative that has been proven to restore and maintain physical and mental health.

Acupuncture for PTSD

Acupuncture stimulates the nervous system directly to regulate production of dopamine and serotonin, which can relieve PTSD symptoms such as anxiety and depression. It also induces full-body relaxation of the muscles and stimulates the release of melatonin to ease the mind and help achieve better rest and ease insomnia.

In studies, PTSD patients receiving acupuncture along with psychiatric therapy showed greater clinical improvement than patients receiving therapy alone.

Electroacupuncture, a modern modality where a light electric current is passed into the needles for constant stimulation, has also been proven to be more effective than paroxetine (Paxil) at treating PTSD.

For the greatest effect in clinical studies, acupuncturists administered 10-12 treatments over the course of 5-6 weeks.

If you or a loved one are fighting to manage the symptoms of PTSD with therapy and medication alone, acupuncture can help you find natural relief! Call us at (321) 972-2940 to schedule an initial consultation today.

Sources:

HealthCMI. "Acupuncture for Military PTSD Found Effective." (December 15, 2014). Retrieved from http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1410-acupuncture-for-combat-ptsd-found-effective

Pacific College. "Acupuncture for PTSD." (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2015/01/08/acupuncture-ptsd

Wang, C. "Looking for a Natural Treatment for PTSD? Try Acupuncture." (March 2, 2017). Retrieved from https://www.amcollege.edu/blog/acupuncture-and-ptsd

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