Do you have a Chinese acupuncturist on speed dial? You might want to consider it, especially if you find yourself overwhelmed and without treatment for anxiety, fatigue, or pain. Outside of trying to get more sleep, popping a few more pain pills, or throwing down some serious money for an hour long aromatherapy massage, there’s not much that can be done about that stressful trifecta. Unless, of course, you consider acupuncture. Consider the following scenarios and how acupuncture is commonly used to treat the issues at hand.
A Stressful Week, or Month, or Year, or Life
It’s not uncommon for busy professionals to see a stiff drink as an ideal treatment for anxiety. However, besides the obvious risks of self medication, a big glass of wine is a very temporary fix to what could be an ongoing problem. People who have had acupuncture commonly report that they are either left feeling rejuvenated, or relaxed. Furthermore, when used over the course of several months, some studies indicate that acupuncture is a preventative therapy capable of reducing the frequency of tension headaches.
A Rough Week
Acupuncture is not just common as a treatment for anxiety, it can be an effective treatment for fatigue. It’s important to realize that an acupuncturist will do more than just look to treat your fatigue related symptoms. They may try to find the root cause of your fatigue, and treat those issues as well as the symptoms. If you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, you may need additional immune support through traditional Chinese medicine.
A Tough Sports Game
Whether it was a particularly boisterous game of tackle football, a game of tennis that you didn’t warm up for, or an overly competitive game of Twister, finding a treatment for neck pain or a treatment for back pain is known to be notoriously difficult. However, consider that since the 1970s acupuncture has been practiced in delivery rooms. If acupuncture can help with labor pain, then it is probably capable of addressing your back and neck pain.
The use of acupuncture is on the rise. In 2002, a National Health Interview Survey found that 8.2 million adults in America had used this alternative treatment, approximately 2.1 million more than had used it in 2001. Despite its growing acceptance, including the fact that the World Health Organization now recommends it for scores of conditions, Medicare will not cover an acupuncture treatment. If you have a private insurance plan, be sure to check and see if acupuncture is covered. Even if it’s not, the low cost (between $50 and $125 per session) might make it worth a try for finding relief from anxiety, fatigue, or pain.