Feeling stressed has become so common in modern times that many people don’t even consider it an illness. Yet, stress can create some very real symptoms, both emotional (anxiety, irritability, worry) and physical (headache, tense muscles, shortness of breath). Long-term stress can contribute to ailments like high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, irritable bowel, asthma, infertility, and skin disorders.

Stress has its roots in the “fight or flight” response. Our prehistoric ancestors faced daily struggles for survival, which triggered chemical responses in the body. These reactions aided the body with conserving energy and reacting quickly to face the danger more successfully. Although in modern times we are not usually faced with daily crises, we still have an automatic response whenever our brain thinks we are in trouble—this becomes stress.

Regular acupuncture patients can attest that acupuncture can be very beneficial with treating stress disorders. Acupuncture needles signal the nervous system to release endorphins—our natural “feel good” chemicals– into the bloodstream. An hour of peace and quiet and a nice nap certainly help as well!

If you are coming into acupuncture with a main complaint of stress, here’s what you can do to help boost the effectiveness of your treatment.

Know your triggers: They may be people, places, or events. Whenever possible, avoid these triggers. In some instances, this may not be practical. While acupuncture still can help you to manage stressful situations, you will probably need more treatments at a greater frequency if you are constantly faced with your triggers. Unfortunately, your acupuncturist can’t force your boss to be nicer to you (though you might want to suggest s/he come in for a few treatments!).

Track your symptoms: Stress impacts everyone differently. Some people will have almost entirely emotional symptoms. Other people will respond purely physically. Don’t think that an absence of anxiety means you are not suffering from stress—those tight shoulder muscles may say otherwise. By keeping track of your symptoms you will be able to provide feedback to your acupuncturist about how well the treatment is working. You may also discover some formerly unknown triggers.

Do your homework: Self-help work that you do on your own is just as important as your acupuncture sessions. Here are some ideas for coping methods you can use to lower your stress levels.

Physical- Exercise is a great stress-buster. Go for a walk, take a yoga class, or just find time to do a few minutes of stretching during your day. Get regular massages.
Mental- Keep a journal, make time for a favorite hobby, play with your pets, listen to your favorite music, practice meditation, set aside some alone time.
Social- Make use of your support network— talk with friends and express your feelings. Go on fun outings. Try things that make you laugh. Get the help of a therapist if necessary.
Lifestyle- Practice time management; don’t over-schedule yourself or try to multi-task. Get enough sleep and eat a balanced diet.

What if you are too overwhelmed and don’t know where to start? Your acupuncture treatment is a great time to practice some deep breathing so that you can use it as a coping mechanism for the coming week. I suggest my patients try the following technique, which I can “reverse breathing.”

Inhale through the nose as you would normally do. As you exhale, focus on emptying your lungs as much as possible. When you have exhaled as much as is comfortable, allow yourself to inhale; the inhalation should happen normally and easily, without conscious thought. Repeat cycle.

Once you are comfortable with reverse breathing, you can use it anywhere—in traffic, at the grocery store, in a business meeting—just keep your eyes open and no one will know that you are doing anything differently.

Do you have other questions about how acupuncture can help with stress management? Contact us!

The Experience
Community acupuncture is done in a group setting. Patients remain fully clothed and are treated in reclining chairs, making the feel of the space less clinical and more like someone’s living room or community center. Because of the group setting, there is more appointment availability and many patients choose to come in with friends or family members. This makes the experience less isolating than being alone in a treatment room.

The group setting is closer to the way acupuncture is practiced traditionally in China. It also contributes to what we call “group Qi”: people seem to relax more deeply and experience better results from the treatment when they are treated in a room with other people.

Although the treatment rooms are quiet and relaxing, community acupuncture is a no-fuss process. Your practitioner will not spend much time chatting with you or offering extra services like massage. Since acupuncture stimulates the healing process of your own body, we believe that simplicity of both setting and treatment leads to better outcomes.

The Practitioner
Since your community acupuncturist performs many treatments each week and sees a wide variety of patients, you get the benefit of a practitioner with experience treating a broad range of conditions. The support of the Community Acupuncture Network enables practitioners to tap into the collective experience of hundreds of other acupuncturists to help with challenging cases.

Community acupuncturists see ourselves as part of the community, not as experts above our patients. Treating patients and helping them get better is our primary focus.

The Community
Community acupuncture means more than just group treatments. It means a practitioner and a business model that are committed to the growth and health of the community. Community acupuncturists actively seek out ways to be part of the community and support local programs through activities such as being a drop-off point for CSAs, displaying the work of local artists, and volunteering at veterans acupuncture programs.

Everyone benefits when more people have access to affordable acupuncture. Neighborhoods become physically healthier and more able to manage stress. Practitioners and patients work together to make the acupuncture experience better for the community.

The Financials
The current market rates for private acupuncture range from $50-$90, and sometimes higher. Community practices pledge to keep rates low, using a sliding scale of $15-$45 or a flat rate of less than $30.

Although many people could afford market rates for acupuncture every once in a while, if you have an ongoing health condition or one that is that is moderate or severe, you will need multiple acupuncture treatments. As with most healthy choices, frequency of acupuncture is important for it to be maximally effective (think: would you take a multivitamin once a week?). It is also the way acupuncture historically was designed to be used, and how it is currently used in China.

Most people, unless you are in the upper 10-15% income bracket, cannot afford to pay private rates for an extended period. Even in the rare case that insurance covers a portion of your acupuncture treatment, most companies won’t pay for a sufficient course of treatment.

Community Acupuncturists believe that “healing is not an elitist commodity.”* The sliding scale system is empowering to the patient, and its reliance on the honor system (no income verification is required) creates trust within community.

*The Remedy: Integrating Acupuncture Into American Health Care by Lisa Rohleder.

Acupuncture has been used to treat pain for thousands of years. It can be effective for a wide variety of conditions, ranging from ankle sprain to rheumatoid arthritis. If you are considering trying acupuncture for your pain condition, taking these simple steps can help you get the most out of your treatments.

· Track your symptoms: Your acupuncturist will want to know what situations cause the pain to flare up, and what things make it feel better. This helps us to formulate a diagnosis and treatment plan that is tailored to your needs. Pay special attention to your activities, postures, stress level, and the impact of the weather.
· Give it time: While some people start feeling improvement right away, acupuncture generally requires a course of treatment. Start with a trial of 5-6 treatments (generally 1-2 times per week) before you decide if it is right for you.
· Use other modalities as needed: Acupuncture works well in combination with physical therapy, therapeutic massage, and chiropractic care. Using multiple treatment modalities can enhance the treatment benefits.
· Don’t overdo it: Sometimes, when you start to feel pain relief you try to catch up on errands and projects around the house… and then feel worse the next day. Remember that healing is a process; don’t re-injure yourself by being overeager.

And finally, have fun! Acupuncture can be a very relaxing and enjoyable experience.

We have new art on display in our office! Local artist Linda Spencer has loaned us several beautiful oil and watercolor paintings of still-life and landscape subjects. Massachusetts residents will recognize views of Charlton, Spencer, and Cape Cod, among others.

Linda also does commissioned work of portraits, pets, homes, and vehicles and teaches private and group art classes.

Come into the office to see these lovely works of art!