In our over-scheduled world, stress is a fact of life, and most days, that works to our advantage. The right amount of stress enables us to get things done or make decisions quickly in high pressure situations.
If left unmanaged however, stress can disrupt the body’s energetic balance, affecting the immune system or causing painful body responses like head and body aches, digestive problems and reproductive issues . Over time, stressed out body systems give in, leaving you feeling overly fatigued, depressed, anxious and even physically ill.
As a public, we spend a lot of time trying to relieve our stress. Methods include exercise, counseling, and massage — all great ideas — and often, prescription medications, that may relieve symptoms temporarily, but don’t necessarily solve the problem.
It might be time to try acupuncture. As a stress mana
gement therapy, acupuncture works to clear energy blockages caused by stress and allows the life energy, also called Chi or Qi, to flow smoothly throughout the body.
Through the use of ultra thin needles, the Chinese healing art of acupuncture involves painlessly targeting specific points just below the surface of the skin to stimulate those parts of the body that affect the Chi. Used to treat everything from asthma to lower back pain, acupuncture is extremely effective at relieving stress, often the cause of a patient’s physical pain and discomfort.
There are several signs that you might be overstressed, including:
- anxiety or panic attacks
- irritability or moodiness
- insomnia
- addictive habits toward food, alcohol or other substances
- stomach problems, headaches, and tightness in the chest
- allergic reactions
If you suspect your stress level is too high, try acupuncture as a stress management tool.