On the Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Depression

Even though what now called “western” medicine is the most dominant form of medical practice in the world today, there are many other ways to practice medicine. Many cultures and societies had their own ways of practicing medicine before they adopted the western style, and some of the more effective treatments are still in use today. In fact, some of the non-western practices have even been adopted into the western style. Such is the case of acupuncture, which comes from the traditional Chinese tradition of medicine. The practice is familiar to many modern people. It involves sticking very thin needles into different parts of the body and specific places. The needles are as thin as a human hair. The procedure is supposed to release the energy that is blocked in the body. This is done to keep the body in balance and ultimately promote health. In China, acupuncture has been around for thousands of years. Although it has a shorter tradition in the West, it has been growing in popularity during the last twenty to thirty years. Today it is used as an alternative treatment for many ailments. It is possible to use acupuncture for depression, to treat psychological disorders or for arthritis, to treat physiological disorders.

Theoretical basis for acupuncture for depression

Specialists use acupuncture for depression because of the theoretical underpinnings of the practice. The idea is that the human body has a life force called chi, which is in balance when the yin and yang are in balance, which is to say when the masculine and feminine aspects of each person are in balance. When the yin and yang are in balance, the chi flows through the body in a smooth way. If someone is unhealthy, either psychologically or otherwise, there is an obstruction in the flow of the chi and that situation must be corrected.

Needles used in acupuncture for depression

When specialists use acupuncture for depression, the person receiving the treatment lies on a table on their back. The needles may be inserted at a variety of different locations. Depending on the location of the needles, the patient may either be dressed or asked to disrobe, with cloths draped for modesty. The thin needles are inserted at angles from fifteen to ninety degrees. The precise angle is up to the practitioner. After the needles are in, they can be moved around, twisted, heated, cooled or even vibrated.

The results of acupuncture for depression

When patients get acupuncture for depression, they usually leave the session feeling relaxed. It is possible for the underlying imbalance that was causing the problem in the first place to get resolved after one session, or it could require the person to return for multiple sessions. If done properly, acupuncture should cause no pain, bleeding or bruising at all. You should always make sure you visit a specialist who attended a traditional Chinese medicine school in order to avoid having any of these problems. The studies on the effectiveness of these treatments in the West are mostly positive, especially for patients who have not responded to other treatments, such as traditional counseling.

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