Depression is a widely experienced phenomenon. People with clinical depression report lack of interest in life and a disinterest in activities they would typically enjoy. Acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of fine needles through your skin at strategic points on your body. It is a key component of traditional Chinese medicine and is most commonly used to treat pain. It has been used more recently for overall wellness, including stress management and reduction. When a patient is suffering from symptoms of depression, using acupuncture as a treatment has become a reliable and widely used practice.

How Acupuncture Helps Ease Depression

Traditional Chinese Medicine treats depression as a disorder that stems from imbalances of energy. Depression can cause a sufferer to have a hard time visualizing a future for themselves, which can create a sense of isolation or hopelessness. Acupuncture treats depression by balancing body energy and imbalances. This form of healing has a positive effect on the mind as well. The technique restores balance using the acupoints located on an individual’s body. 

When using acupuncture to treat depression, therapists diagnose each client based on their unique acupoints in combination with other forms of therapy to create an individualized treatment plan. Research on the effects of acupuncture on depression is still new, but the results thus far are promising. A recent study in the Journal of Medical Acupuncture found that using mental and emotional connections along with acupuncture points based on unique symptoms of each client can effectively treat depression in most cases.

Where Did Acupuncture Come From?

For over 2,500 years, Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture has been used to stimulate specific areas to treat different conditions such as allergies, insomnia, stress, infertility, and even opioid addiction among many more. The practice has been more widely accepted as a treatment for aches and pains, including menstrual cramps and osteoarthritis. As it worked its way into Western medicine, the many benefits of using acupuncture in depression and anxiety were discovered. 

Western Medicine vs Chinese Medicine

Western research suggests that needles may activate natural painkillers in the brain whereas Chinese medicine believes the process improves functioning by correcting energy blocks or imbalances in the organs. Thumos Health Center specializes in acupuncture and Chinese herbology, optimizing the natural balance of the body and mind, while also using the Western ideals to help minimize physical and mental/emotional pain.

What Are the Major Advantages of Acupuncture?

The major advantage of acupuncture is the lack of side effects. With drug therapies, patients can suffer from a host of side effects, including weight loss or gain, nausea, loss of sexual desires, fatigue or drowsiness, insomnia, dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, and many other things. Potentially the worst side effect is that when patients start to feel better, they may stop taking their medications, which creates a rollercoaster of emotions that can be even more damaging to the patient and their loved ones. Acupuncture does not have that roller coaster side effect.

Ready To Get The Treatment You Need?

We believe that patient education and choice is a key component in successful treatment. We are happy to work with your primary care doctor and any specialists you might have to develop a fully integrated solution to your health challenges. Call us today at (310) 927-2792 to schedule an appointment. Find a location near you or contact us today with any questions you may have.

Acupuncture helps with depression in a variety of ways. It can help treat the underlying causes, reduce pain, and help you relax. But that’s not all that it does. Call the Thumos Health Center at (310) 438-1215 to schedule an appointment and discuss how acupuncture can fit into your integrated health care.