Stress, High Blood Pressure, And Acupuncture
Stress, High Blood Pressure, and Acupuncture
When a person is under stress, their body starts what is known as a stress response. A number of chemicals are released into the bloodstream, the heart beats faster, breathing becomes more rapid, and muscles tense up. If the person is planning on running away from a large animal, these are all very good responses. For the businessman at his desk taking a phone call, these are not good reactions. The body easily takes care of an occasional response like this, the chemicals are cleaned out, and the body becomes relaxed once again. However, when this reaction occurs a number of times a week, the stress starts to affect the resting state of the body. Muscles no longer entirely relax, and the frequent release of these chemicals create other problems. Chronic stress can cause such problems as sleeplessness, stomach and digestion problems, panic attacks, and pain of some sort (such as frequent headaches). Long term problems related to stress include strokes, high blood pressure, and colitis or other bowel problems.
A person may try to handle stress on his or her own, by finding something to mask it. Alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, and even lots of sugar can make the person feel better. One of the most common "pills" after a stressful moment is a cup of coffee and a doughnut, or possibly a cigarette. Physicians can also prescribe medications to combat some of these symptoms, both psychological and physical. Antidepressants, one of the more common medications for this, only offer short-term relief at best.
The obvious answer is to remove the source of stress. However, many times that simply is not possible. Is there another solution? One of the most successful results from acupuncture is the relaxation of the patient, followed by the removal of tension from the body. This relaxation response produces a decreased heart rate, lowered blood pressure, and increased energy and possible tissue regeneration. There is frequently a feeling of well being and self-confidence. As the acupuncture treatment stimulates and redirects the vital energy of the body, each muscle and organ system begins to function the way that it should. Acupuncture is not only used to relieve the stress response of a patient, but also in a number of cases it has made the doctor prescribed antidepressant unnecessary. With wider use of acupuncture, there could be a substantial reduction in the consumption of drugs such as Prozac.
Standard acupuncture techniques using needles are very effective to combat chronic stress. If this were more widely accepted by Americans under routine stress, we would have a much healthier population. In addition, acupuncture treatments that use low levels of electricity have been found to be even more successful in lowering blood pressure. Several researchers that use electric stimulation have been able to regrow tissue in animals, and this without any scars. The combination of using acupuncture therapy for blood pressure management and possible healthy tissue regrowth is a very exciting topic for people with heart and circulatory problems
Acupuncture is one of the most successful treatments for this American problem. Not only do the symptoms decrease, but the acupuncture treatment results in a healthier body as well.
More Articles
Acupuncture Explained Eastern And Western
Acupuncture And Women's Problems
The American Academy Of Medical Acupuncture
How The Acupuncture Practitioner Uses His Needles
Acupuncture's Acceptance In America
How Does An Acupuncture Practitioner Diagnose
Organs In Western And Eastern Medicine
The Development Of Acupuncture
Related Products And FREE Videos
More Articles
Acupuncture's Acceptance In America
... in an acupuncture office are regulated by the government to ensure safety of the needles. The FDA approves their use by licensed practitioners in acupuncture clinics. The requirements are that the needles are sterile needles and one time use only, so no one need be concerned about the problem with needle ...
A First Visit To An Acupuncture Clinic
... sometimes get paid as long as their client is healthy, rather than when their clients have symptoms. So, let us take a tour of a modern American acupuncture clinic to see what it is like. A typical clinic looks like any professional office, and you will be shown into a room where you are comfortably seated ...
Acupuncture Explained Eastern And Western
... actions. The vital energy flows from one organ system to another to maintain balance between Yin and Yang. When this energy (known as Qi) is blocked or depleted, the body no longer works well and symptoms begin to appear. Qi is assumed to regulate the well being of the entire person: physical, mental, ...
How The Acupuncture Practitioner Uses His Needles
... inserted are determined by an analysis of the client's symptoms, and the organs that are involved in those symptoms. Some change may be affected by simply using pressure on those points (a technique known as acupressure), but far superior results are obtained by being treated by an acupuncture practitioner. ...
How To Find An Acupuncture Practitioner
... start. Some symptoms only require a few treatments, whereas others may stretch over a series of weeks. Typically, physicians that are also trained in acupuncture will charge more than nonphysicians. Your insurance may cover visits to the acupuncture clinic, but you should contact them first and discuss ...