Category: Anxiety and Stress

A systematic review of complementary medical treatments, carried out by researchers at Oregon Health and Science University in the USA, has shown acupuncture can alleviate the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They assessed 33 studies looking into the effects of various therapies on PTSD, and concluded there was good evidence for the usefulness of acupuncture, hypnotherapy, meditation and visualisation.

(Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms: A Systematic Review. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 27 March 2014, epub ahead of print.)

A study undertaken at Madigan Army Medical Center, Washington State, has shown how a holistic, multi-treatment approach can benefit patients with generalised anxiety disorders.

A total of 37 patients with generalised anxiety, received acupuncture once per week for six weeks, in conjunction with a structured self-care programme which included yogic breathing, massage, dietary changes and exercise. The participants showed significant reductions in anxiety, as well as reductions in pain levels and use of medication. The researchers conclude, “By expanding our understanding and acceptance of different types of medical theory and practices, such as TCM (traditional Chinese medicine), the potential to improve clinical outcomes and a patient’s quality of life, using fewer medications and medical resources, may be significantly higher than what is offered by our current options.”

(Treating generalized anxiety disorder using complementary and alternative medicine. Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine, September 2013.)

Researchers carrying out a systematic review of clinical trials on acupuncture for post-traumatic stress disorder, have found promising evidence for its effectiveness. Four randomised, controlled trials and two uncontrolled trials were included in the review.

– One high quality randomised, controlled trial found that acupuncture was superior to waiting list control, and similar in effect size to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
– One randomised, controlled trial showed acupuncture and SSRI anti-depressants to be equal in effect.
– One randomised, controlled trial found acupuncture in conjunction with CBT was more useful than CBT alone.

Where SSRI anti-depressant therapy is concerned, the researchers point out that during long-term SSRI therapy, the most troubling adverse effects can include sexual dysfunction (2 to 7% of patients), weight gain (average 10.8 kg for paroxetine), and sleep disturbance. Conversely, for acupuncture, mild adverse events such as bleeding and bruising, occurred at a rate of 6.8% (2,178 out of 31,822 sessions). According to two studies, no serious adverse events were reported in a total of 66,229 acupuncture sessions. Therefore for long-term therapy, acupuncture may be a relatively safe alternative to SSRIs.

(Acupuncture for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials & Prospective Clinical Trials. Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 2013.)

Researchers in the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Ankara Training and Research Hospital in Turkey, have found that a single session of acupuncture using one traditionally calming acupuncture point, can reduce preoperative anxiety in adult surgical patients. Fifty-two patients were randomly assigned to receive either acupuncture at the point Yintang, located on the forehead, or they were needled at a sham point. Anxiety levels decreased significantly in the treatment group, whilst no change was observed in the sham group.

(Acupuncture on Yintang Point Decreases Preoperative Anxiety. Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 7 May 2013.)

A study of Chinese earthquake victims suggests that electroacupuncture is more effective than anti-depressants for treating the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers identified 138 people who were suffering symptoms as a result of experiencing a magnitude 8.0 earthquake on the Richter scale, in May 2008. They randomly allocated people to receive either electroacupuncture treatment or anti-depressant medication (paroxetine). After treatment, both groups reported reduced symptoms, but the improvements in the electroacupuncture group were significantly greater, at all time points in follow-up to six months.

(Clinical Studies on Treatment of Earthquake-Caused Posttraumatic Stress Disorder using Electroacupuncture. Evidence-Based Complementary & Alter Medicine (Hindawi), 2012.)