Category: Anxiety and Stress

British researchers have found that acupuncture reduces anxiety in patients awaiting neurosurgery. After measurement of baseline anxiety scores, 128 patients were randomly allocated to receive either acupuncture or no intervention. After 30 minutes, median anxiety scores in the acupuncture group were significantly lower, with no change observed in the control group. There were no adverse events in either group.

(A randomised controlled trial examining the effect of acupuncture at the EX-HN3 (Yintang) point on pre-operative anxiety levels in neurosurgical patients. Anaesthesia, March 2017.)

A pilot study in London on men’s mental health has concluded that both acupuncture and counselling can help perceived stress and anxiety levels. Participants with depression at the start of the study, also showed statistically significant improvements.

A total of 102 men were referred to trial after their symptoms were identified during GP consultations at the Victoria Medical Practice. Patients were offered up to 12 counselling sessions and/or 6 acupuncture sessions. Acupuncture was given weekly according to an individualised traditional Chinese medical diagnosis. The researchers say their findings suggest that a service provided in this way, can engage men of widely diverging age, ethnicity and class, with positive outcomes for wellbeing, and cost savings to society.

(How do we improve men’s mental health via primary care? An evaluation of the Atlas Men’s Well-being Pilot Programme for stressed/distressed men. BMC Family Practice, online 2 February 2016.)

A pilot study undertaken in Germany, has shown that ear acupuncture can help to reduce pre-exam anxiety in medical students. Ten students were given a simple ear acupuncture treatment the day before their anatomy exams. The needles were of a special design such that they could be left in place, and only removed after the exam. Anxiety levels were found to have decreased by almost 20% after acupuncture. The authors comment that all of the students tolerated the needles well and stated they would wish to receive acupuncture again for exam anxiety in the future.

(Auricular acupuncture for pre-exam anxiety in medical students: a prospective observational pilot investigation. Acupuncture in Medicine, October 2015.)

A pilot study undertaken in Wales suggests that acupuncture may be a promising treatment for chronic anxiety which has been resistant to other interventions through their GP, such as CBT and medication. Forty patients were randomly allocated to one of two groups: one group received ten sessions of acupuncture for 10-12 weeks, whilst the other were held on a waiting list to act as a control. The waiting list group was then similarly given ten sessions of acupuncture. Both groups were followed up for ten weeks after treatment.

State anxiety (anxiety in response to specific situations) scores in the acupuncture group decreased from a mean 57.7 to 38.8, whilst in the waiting list group, the change was 61.5 to 60.6, a highly statistically significant difference. Trait anxiety (personality predisposition) scores showed similar changes. The control group exhibited similar improvements when they received acupuncture, and these improvements were maintained after ten weeks follow-up.

Qualitative comments by the authors of the paper, may be just as valuable in themselves: “Several participants obtained jobs, despite having been unemployed for several years, and some family members voluntarily came to the department specifically to report changes that had occurred. A further outcome not formally assessed, but generally reported by participants, was that those who suffered with insomnia or generalised disturbed sleep found they were sleeping better.”

(Randomised controlled trial on the use of acupuncture in adults with chronic, non-responding anxiety symptoms. Acupuncture in Medicine, online 16 January 2015.)