Acupuncture Relieves Panic Disorder
February 18th, 2008
Ever felt intense fear with your heart pounding accompanied by shortness of breath at the office? You may have just experienced a panic attack.
A panic attack is a sudden, intense feeling of fear accompanied by physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a pounding heart, sweating, and rapid breathing. If you have repeated experiences such as the one described maybe even several times a month, you may have a panic disorder, which, mercilessly increases your anxiety about having another attack.
Statistics show that chronic panic disorder affects one in every 63 Americans and it is twice as prevalent in women. Further studies show that people who have regularly occurring panic attacks are also more susceptible to illness and injury. One Harvard study said that the human body is four times more likely to become ill if it is repeatedly under stress.
But acupuncture therapy can help. Typically, an illness such as panic disorder is related to a deficiency of the “Qi” (vital life force) in the kidney or spleen channels. Stimulation of acupuncture points along these channels will release endorphins that relieve anxiety and depression, alleviate neck and shoulder pain related to stress and promote an overall feeling of wellbeing. But the best part is that you can treat panic disorder through auricular acupuncture therapy.
It has been noted by acupuncture physicians that acupuncture points in the ear also lead to a great reduction in anxiety and panic attacks This is because it is thought that the ear lobe is related to wellness throughout the body, due to its shape. To ancient acupuncturists, the ear resembled the shape of a late term fetus, and therefore could lend access to many body points, including the kidney and spleen channels. Patients can come and sit down for a quick and relatively pain-free treatment.
Typically is takes a few visits but the results are lasting. For more information on how acupuncture can help reduce and relieve panic disorder, please call Dr. Richard Browne, licensed acupuncturist, at 305.595.9500.
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