Acupuncture for Stress and Anxiety in NYC
"The relaxing effects are immediate during and after the session...Regular sessions have helped me to manage physical symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, and stress long term.”
Using Acupuncture for Stress and Anxiety
When it comes to managing stress and anxiety in our everyday lives, acupuncture is often our first line of defense. Along with the proper traditional Chinese herbal medicine blends, acupuncture can help your body stay strong and resilient, even during times of great physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual stress.
Acupuncture works on several levels to support total body wellness. By taking a holistic approach to your health, we can identify which parts of your body are out of balance, and create an acupuncture treatment strategy that supports your unique constitution and brings every aspect of your health — from your mental, emotional, and physical well-being — back into balance.
Why you should take stress seriously even if you don’t “feel” it
Stress is a major health problem that we all need to take seriously. From emotional stressors to environmental stressors, we all experience some level of stress on a daily basis. It’s important to check in with yourself regularly to evaluate your stress levels and rein them in whenever they start to increase.
Most chronic illnesses can be attributed to stress as an underlying catalyst. Stress can act as a stumbling block, preventing the body from healing itself. By taking steps to consistently improve your well-being by utilizing acupuncture for stress and anxiety, you can maximize your health and longevity and support your whole self, mind, body, and spirit.
One of the most frequent comments I hear about stress is “I don’t feel stressed, how can my problem be caused by stress?”
This is where we need to gain some clarity about our health patterns and begin to shift our health paradigm to one that will support us and enhance the quality of our lives.
Trauma shows up in many forms. Left unresolved, it eventually comes to the surface. Culturally, we have been trained to react to a crisis, which means we often miss the many red flags that we should be paying attention to.
It’s about learning to recognize the warning signs
Often, it takes a giant pimple on the middle of our nose, digestive disturbances, or unexplainable aches and pains before we even notice that we have a problem. If we learn to recognize the warning signs early enough, then we can support our bodies and manage our stress levels before they get blown out of control and start to impact our physical health.
It’s not a news flash by now that stress, especially prolonged stress, can have negative effects on your health and well-being. High blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, stroke, depression, obesity, and insomnia are all medical conditions across the spectrum that can be related to, or directly influenced by high stress.
By using acupuncture for stress and anxiety, you can support your body’s ability to roll with the punches, no matter what life throws at you, so you can stay the happiest, healthiest version of yourself.
What are the signs that you are chronically stressed?
Remember, stress is normal, and a part of all of our lives. But when stress spirals out of control, it can lead to a number of debilitating symptoms. How can you tell if stress is influencing your health?
Here are a few signs and symptoms that indicate stress is already affecting your health and quality of life:
Insomnia (this is a big one)
Sugar imbalances and pre-diabetes
Poor concentration (not feeling so sharp and on your game)
A general feeling of wariness and burden
Can’t remember the last time you felt real joy and excitement
Headaches, especially on the weekends
Neck and back pain
Shortness of breath — feeling a need to sigh, or “air hunger”
Digestive problems (reflux, indigestion, gas, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea)
Irritability
Fatigue
Lack of motivation
Catching colds and viruses more easily (i.e. weakened immune system)
Craving sugar, caffeine, and other stimulants
Elevated blood pressure
Weight gain
While the above list may seem like temporary health problems that are completely unrelated, they all have the same underlying source. And, what’s more, they can turn into more serious conditions if left unaddressed.
If you find yourself identifying with more than one of the symptoms on this list, now is the time to pay attention to what your body is revealing to you so you can make the necessary adjustments to change the course of your health for the future.
The symptoms of stress are more than skin-deep
We all know that stress can hit the gas pedal when it comes to aging. You’ve probably noticed the development of fine lines and drooping skin during times of stress. If stress can do that to your skin, just imagine what it’s doing to the rest of your body.
Using acupuncture for stress and anxiety allows us to mitigate and even reverse the aging effects of stress. Not only can acupuncture improve skin elasticity but, because it supports collagen production, acupuncture can also be used to treat the tension and musculoskeletal pain many of us experience when we’re feeling overwhelmed.
It’s worth noting, too, that stress can seriously affect our fertility. If you’re hoping to start a family with your partner in the not-too-distant future, stress can throw a wrench in your plans. But with the help of acupuncture for stress and anxiety (and, in some cases, massage therapy), you can reduce your stress levels and increase your chance of getting pregnant.
Discover how acupuncture for stress and anxiety can help you
Just because you don’t feel stressed doesn’t mean it’s not taking its toll on your health. And if you do feel stressed, then now is a great time to start acupuncture treatments for stress and anxiety.
Get in touch with us at Integrative Healing Arts today to learn more about how acupuncture can enhance your well-being. We’re committed to empowering our patients to help them live the lives they’ve always dreamed of, and finally achieve total body wellness.