{"id":51893,"date":"2020-07-10T17:13:23","date_gmt":"2020-07-10T22:13:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mpacupuncture.com\/?p=51893"},"modified":"2020-09-29T18:57:47","modified_gmt":"2020-09-29T23:57:47","slug":"5-reasons-to-try-acupuncture-for-stress-and-anxiety-relief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.com\/5-reasons-to-try-acupuncture-for-stress-and-anxiety-relief\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Reasons to Try Acupuncture For Stress and Anxiety Relief"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m so stressed out!\u201d \u201cI\u2019m under a deadline at work all the time, and I can\u2019t shut off at the end of the day.\u201d \u201cI feel anxious all the time and can\u2019t relax.\u201d \u201cMy doctor warned me to reduce stress&#8211;she\u2019s worried about my heart.\u201d<br><br>These statements are all too common in today\u2019s frenetic culture. With so much mental strain and pressure in our daily lives, using acupuncture for stress and anxiety relief is the foundation for emotional balance and physical health.<br><br>You may stop into Merriam Park Acupuncture to treat your stress symptoms, but our treatment approach extends so much further than symptom relief. We care deeply about your healing story and dedicate ourselves to building holistic health and balance in every patient we treat.<br><br><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.janeapp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><u>Book today<\/u><\/a> for an appointment to reduce the effects of stress and anxiety, and to build balance, relaxation, and peace of mind in your busy life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stress: A fine line between motivation and overload<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Stress is a normal part of \u201chuman-ing.\u201d Our innate stress responses like increased heart rate and blood pressure, mental acuity, and heightened focus help us respond in emergencies and deliver results quickly in a time of high demand.<br><br>Stress can make us feel \u201calive\u201d and engaged, essential, and accomplished in small doses. However, when stress is a constant companion, the stress chemicals our bodies release (<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.huffpost.com\/entry\/adrenaline-cortisol-stress-hormones_n_3112800#:~:text=\" target=\"_blank\"><u>cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine<\/u><\/a>) can cause harm over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Common effects of chronic stress could include the following. Can you spot any of your mental or physical symptoms in the list below?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, heartburn, or other gut issues<\/li><li>Rapid heart rate or chest pain<\/li><li>Trouble sleeping<\/li><li>Loss of sexual desire or reduced sexual function<\/li><li>More colds or seasonal illness than usual<\/li><li>Clenched jaw or teeth grinding<\/li><li>Sore, tense muscles, especially in the neck and shoulders<\/li><li>Constant worry<\/li><li>Always seeing the \u201cworst case scenario\u201d<\/li><li>Racing thoughts<\/li><li>Feeling frazzled and unfocused<\/li><li>Disorganization and forgetfulness<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When stress is chronic, your risk increases for depression and anxiety, heart attack and heart disease, obesity, and eating disorders, and more severe gut problems like GERD, colitis, and IBS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Acupuncture proactively reduces stress. Here\u2019s how.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Acupuncture is part of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/nccih.nih.gov\/health\/whatiscam\/chinesemed.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><u>Traditional Chinese Medicine<\/u><\/a> and has helped countless persons reduce stress and improve overall well being for centuries. Below are five of many reasons to try acupuncture for stress and anxiety relief.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><strong>Yes, there are needles, and they don\u2019t hurt<\/strong>. To restore the body\u2019s stress equilibrium, we use very fine needles inserted just under the skin to stimulate our body\u2019s acupressure points and meridians and improve the flow of Qi (pronounced \u201cchee\u201d), or vital energy in our systems. After an extensive evaluation, your practitioner will determine the best points to place the needles on your body. You\u2019ll lay on a padded table, and your acupuncturist will begin placing needles with a light tap at each site. The needles are so fine that you\u2019ll barely feel it. There may be one that feels &#8220;strong&#8221; or like a mosquito bite.<\/li><li><strong>Acupuncture sessions provide relaxation time. <\/strong>In addition to the healing effects the needles offer, the session itself calms and relaxes you. After placing the needles, you\u2019ll rest for about 30 minutes and allow the treatment to unfold. During this time, you can listen to soft music, rest your eyes, or even fall lightly asleep.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>There are no side-effects with acupuncture. <\/strong>Since acupuncture is a drug-free treatment modality, you won\u2019t have to worry about the side effects that many drugs carry. Further, you can also rest assured there will not be any adverse drug interactions with your current medications. Your acupuncturist will recommend a treatment frequency to help you achieve your desired stress-reduction objectives.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Acupuncture uses your body\u2019s internal mechanisms to bring relief. <\/strong>When the fine needles stimulate nerves under the skin, the nerve sends a message to the brain, telling it to release our natural pain killers, called endorphins. These natural brain chemicals cause us to relax and feel euphoric or happy. Acupuncture also helps our bodies naturally reduce inflammation and pain as well, which can both increase with chronic stress.<\/li><li><strong>Going to your appointment means taking much needed time for self-care. <\/strong>Unlike popping a pill and soldiering on, scheduling and attending an acupuncture appointment adjusts your focus back on yourself. Part of reducing stress is changing our mindsets and habits. Not only is acupuncture effective in changing your internal stress-induced chemistry but maintaining a consistent treatment schedule helps you make time for yourself and re-prioritize your stressful habits.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">You are unique&#8211;your treatment should be too<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Trying something new can feel a little daunting at first. At Merriam Park Acupuncture, we take that to heart. Your first appointment includes an extensive evaluation and Q and A session.<br><br>You can share with us a detailed history of your symptoms and lifestyle, and we\u2019ll discover where and how to conduct treatment based on your precise needs and concerns.<br><br>We\u2019ll also make a recommendation for follow-up care with your best interests, budget, and whole-person wellness in mind.<br><br><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.janeapp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><u>Book today<\/u><\/a> to set up your first appointment, and make chronic stress and anxiety a dim and distant memory as you embrace a new life of tranquility and balance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cI\u2019m so stressed out!\u201d \u201cI\u2019m under a deadline at work all the time, and I can\u2019t shut off at the end of the day.\u201d \u201cI feel anxious all the time and can\u2019t relax.\u201d \u201cMy doctor warned me to reduce stress&#8211;she\u2019s worried about my heart.\u201d These statements are all too common in today\u2019s frenetic culture. With [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":51112,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,608],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51893"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51893"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51893\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mpacupuncture.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}