Acupuncture Stories Shared
Acupuncture works by stimulating points on the body where nerve endings and blood vessels come together. The stimulation moves our energy, "qi" or life force. A significant part of healing comes from the dynamics of energy. At the core of acupuncture is the goal to move energy blockages and stagnation, so that the energy of our life force may move and flow, toward harmony with the universe.
When there is "imbalance" in our lives, the unfavorable energy flow may manifest as physical symptoms in our bodies. And with time, these physical symptoms may become recognizable disease. Thus, acupuncture not only helps to holistically improve the health of our bodies, but it can also help to prevent the actual manifestation of illness.
Anxiety Disorder
Meet Sarah, a 31-year-old marketing assistant who struggled with generalized anxiety disorder. Her primary care doctor had prescribed medication, and she had been seeing a therapist for the past 6 months. She had tried yoga and even had down-loaded a guided meditation app. Despite this, she experienced persistent anxiety and sleep disturbance. Sarah had used up all of her sick days, and was desperate. She had always believed that acupuncture was for pain relief, but a close friend convinced her to give acupuncture a try.
A systematic review in the Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice (Amorim, 2018)reported good scientific evidence for acupuncture's effectiveness at treating anxiety-related disorders, with fewer side-effects than conventional therapies. Sarah began her acupuncture journey with weekly 50 min sessions. After her first session, Sarah felt more calm. After a month of gradual improvement, Sarah noted that her sleep quality got better, and that her anxiety levels had improved. For Sarah, acupuncture has been a life saver.
Migraines
John, a 42-year-old college professor, had been plagued by debilitating migraines for years. The headache part of the migraine was preceded by a classical migraine aura, where he would see zig-zag patterns in his vision, with missing areas of his sight for about 30 minutes. Initially, John's migraine attacks would occur a few times a year, and he would take the day off til they resolved. But over the past three years, John's migraine attacks increased in frequency, and now were occurring almost weekly. Conventional migraine medications provided by his internist gave him some temporary relief but failed to prevent the attacks. John found Seyhart on a Google search and decided to give acupuncture a try.
A review in Current Pain and Headache Reports (Natbony, 2020) revealed that although the mechanism of acupuncture in the migraine setting is not clearly understood, acupuncture itself is a validated technique for the prevention of migraine. In addition, acupuncture has been demonstrated to reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines. John experienced a remarkable decrease in the frequency of his migraines after several sessions focusing on headache-related acupoints. In order to keep his migraines at bay, John has a weekly acupuncture appointment at Seyhart. He has also noticed that a mild stiffness in his neck has resolved, and that his energy level has improved. For John, acupuncture has drastically improved the quality of his life.
Allergies/Rhinitis/Sinus Congestion
Emily, a 28-year-old graduate student, suffered from chronic allergic rhinitis, leading to persistent nasal congestion and sometimes sneezing. Sinus pain was unfortunately all too familiar to Emily, who had lived with these symptoms for years. She had tried antihistamine nasal sprays and over the counter pain medications as needed, with variable relief. She was tired of taking loratadine, which dried her mouth and sometimes made her tired. Her sister who sees an acupuncturist at Seyhart, got Emily an acupuncture gift card for her birthday.
A review in the European Journal of Medical Research (He, 2022) showed that acupuncture significantly improved nasal symptoms, and was as effective or better in some cases than taking antihistamines. Emily has been seeing a Seyhart acupuncturist weekly and has already noticed a decrease in sinus pain. She has not needed any over the counter medications to date. She shared that she did not ever consider a life without congestion, and is thrilled.
Insomnia
Michael, a 55-year-old lawyer, had chronic insomnia, impacting his overall well-being and energy. He would feel physically tired at the end of the day, but he could not fall asleep once he was in bed. He tried body scans, meditating, and lowering the temperature of his bedroom to promote better sleep, all to minimal effect. Prescription sleep aids offered limited relief, and left him feeling hung-over.
A review and meta-analysis of the published literature in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine (Kim, 2021) demonstrated that by week 3 of acupuncture treatment in patients with insomnia, there was a significant improvement in sleep. Also, acupuncture was found to be as effective as prescribed sleep medication. Michael reports that is weekly acupuncture sessions have resulted in being able to fall asleep, more restful sleep, and increased daytime alertness.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Emma, a 30-year-old nurse, suffered with irritable bowel syndrome, characterized by bloating and abdominal pain together with irregular bowel movements. She had worked on dietary improvements, yet her symptoms persisted. Acupuncture, as discussed in a review in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine (Yaklai, 2021) has shown to be effective in concert with other modalities to improve gut inflammation and motility, namely diet. Emma's gut dietician worked closely with her Seyhart acupuncturist and came up with a complementary protocol of acupuncture and diet modifications. Her gut motility and sensitivity to food improved. Furthermore, the acupuncture was able to address her "gut-brain axis" which improved her anxiety, thus optimizing her gut function in healthy digestion.
We hope that these client stories show that acupuncture's diverse applications go beyond pain relief. Our clients found relief and improvement in their health conditions. Is there something that is disturbing your health? Our Seyhart team is here to help.