At AcuTy we have had hundreds of patients who have come to us with anxiety being one of the main issues they are suffering with. Please call for a no obligation chat about how acupuncture may help you.
Clinical Evidence
There is surprisingly little research with a primary focus on acupuncture for generalised anxiety disorder. Those studies published so far are mostly small and methodologically flawed, hence the reluctance of reviewers to draw conclusions (Pilkington 2010; Pilkington 2007). The best evidence for acupuncture’s effectiveness (Pikington 2010; Pilkington 2007) comes in specific acute anxiety situations such as around medical operations (Mora 2007; Wang 2007; Gioia 2006) or dentistry (Karst 2007).
There are also preliminary positive findings for treating chronic anxiety associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (Hollifield 2007), substance misuse (Chae 2008; Courbasson 2007; Grusser 2005), eating disorders (Fogarty 2010), hyperventilation (Gibson 2007), asthma (Scheewe 2008), insomnia (Nordio 2008), post-stroke ((Wu 2008), musculo-skeletal pain (Hansson 2007; He 2005) and various other conditions where anxiety has been measured as a secondary rather than primary outcome.
Acupuncture can be safely combined with conventional treatments such as medication or psycho-educational therapy, possibly enhancing their beneficial effects (Courbasson 2007) and reducing unwanted side-effects (Yuan 2007).
Although the overall evidence is patchy, it does lie promisingly in a positive direction, and, given the very low level of side effects and lack of demonstrably superior outcomes from other interventions, acupuncture could be considered as one possible therapeutic option alongside the existing repertoire. (See references).
Potential Mechanisms
In general, acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of neurochemical messenger molecules. The resulting biochemical changes influence the body’s homeostatic mechanisms, thus promoting physical and emotional well-being.
Research has shown that acupuncture treatment may specifically benefit anxiety disorders and symptoms of anxiety by:
- Acting on areas of the brain known to reduce sensitivity to pain and stress, as well as promoting relaxation and deactivating the ‘analytical’ brain, which is responsible for anxiety and worry (Hui 2010).
- Regulating levels of neurotransmitters (or their modulators) and hormones such as serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine, GABA, neuropeptide Y and ACTH; hence altering the brain’s mood chemistry to help to combat negative affective states (Lee 2009; Samuels 2008; Zhou 2008; Yuan 2007).
- Stimulating production of endogenous opioids that affect the autonomic nervous system (Arranz 2007). Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, while acupuncture can activate the opposing parasympathetic nervous system, which initiates the relaxation response.
- Reversing pathological changes in levels of inflammatory cytokines that are associated with anxiety (Arranz 2007)
- Reversing stress-induced changes in behaviour and biochemistry (Kim 2009).
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Research |
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Pilkington K. Anxiety, depression and acupuncture: A review of the clinical research. Auton Neurosci. 2010 Oct 28;157(1-2):91-5. |
Updated the 2007 anxiety review and located 3 further Chinese trials for generalised anxiety disorder. These found acupuncture to be similarly effective to drugs but had small sample sizes. Overall the review concluded that the trials are too heterogeneous and of insufficiently high quality to be able draw firm conclusions. There is promising evidence for acute, short-term anxiety but the relevance of this to chronic anxiety conditions is unknown. |
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Samuels N et al. Acupuncture for psychiatric illness: a literature review. Behav Med 2008; 34: 55-64. |
A literature review of acupuncture for psychiatric illness, which presents research that found acupuncture to increase central nervous system hormones, including ACTH, beta- endorphins, serotonin, and noradrenaline. It concludes that acupuncture can have positive effects on depression and anxiety. |
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Pilkington K et al. Acupuncture for anxiety and anxiety disorders – A systematic literature review. Acupuncture in Medicine 2007; 25: 1-10. |
A systematic review (search to July 2004) including 12 controlled trials that evaluated the evidence for the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of anxiety and anxiety disorders. Ten of the trials were randomised, four focused on acupuncture in generalised anxiety disorder or anxiety neurosis, and six focused on anxiety in the perioperative period. No studies were located on the use of acupuncture specifically for panic disorder, phobias or obsessive compulsive disorder. The reviewers concluded that there are positive findings for acupuncture in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder or anxiety neurosis but that there was insufficient evidence for firm conclusions, and that there was some limited evidence in favour of ear acupuncture for perioperative anxiety. |
Erik is a really likeable, genuine person who always takes the time to listen to my thoughts and feelings regarding my well being. He has never been fazed when tackling my numerous health issues, which include IBS and anxiety, among others. Asking about my conditions with tact and sensitivity, Erik responds with a calm and caring approach.
He works in a thoughtful manner and adjusts his treatments in response to my observations and views about my own health. On a practical level, both the times of his sessions and the location of his practice are very convenient for me.
During the time I have been receiving acupuncture treatments from Erik I have noticed a real improvement in a number of my health issues and, most importantly, my general quality of life.
Being a member of The British Acupuncture Council is the highest qualification for traditional acupuncture in the UK and the largest professional body for acupuncturists. You are guaranteed the highest standards in training and safety when using a member of this organisation. For more information go to http://www.acupuncture.org.uk
