Acupuncture is an ancient tradition of Chinese medicine that involves inserting fine needles into the skin at various points throughout the body. It is meant to treat pain, nausea, and migraines, and may even help with weight loss. Moreover, it can help eliminate stress, which provides numerous physiological benefits. Below is what you need to know about how this practice reduces stress. 

An Introduction to Stress and Acupuncture

What Are the Symptoms of Stress?

Stress usually arises from an inability to cope with external events or emotional pressure. It affects the body in many ways, including chronic fatigue, sleep difficulties, a loss of libido, and depression. It can manifest physically through headaches, muscle tension, outbreaks of acne, digestive problems, and even chronic pain. In fact, heavy stress over a prolonged time has been shown to shorten one's life span by 2.8 years, even more than the reduction caused by a lack of exercise. Thus, any steps you take to reduce stress can improve your quality of life and help you live longer.

How Can Acupuncture Help?

Acupuncture helps reduce stress by stimulating pressure points that lie on "meridians"—lines that supposedly carry life energy throughout the body. Acupuncture eliminates blockages along these lines and permits a greater flow of healing energy to reach muscles, organs, and other tissues. 

It releases endorphins, which are hormones that block pain receptors and boost feelings of well-being. Moreover, animal tests have shown that the practice lowers hypothalamus pituitary adrenal (HPA) blood hormone levels. This is crucial to helping control stress and regulating the immune system, digestion, and mood.

Generally, patients begin with several intensive sessions to bring stress levels under control and then spread out treatments during maintenance.

If you have considered acupuncture to reduce your stress levels, contact Mid Rivers Chiropractic in St. Peters, MO. They have served St. Charles County and the surrounding areas for more than 30 years. They specialize in treating tension; sciatica; and spinal, back, and neck pain through chiropractic adjustments and other therapies. They are known for their expertise, friendly service, and successful results. Call (636) 279-1400 to schedule an acupuncture appointment.