Acupuncture for Depression

Western people have accepted acupuncture, an ancient healing method from China, since three decades ago. As many people known that acupuncture is good for pain relief, it also has good results for depression these years though our experiences. We opened an Acupuncture Pain Relief Clinic in 1997. At beginning, people came to our clinic mostly for neck pain, shoulder pain or back pain. When they fill out charts many people also checked depression. It drew our more attention to research the relationship between the physical pain and the emotional pain. The study shows that pain and depression have the closest relationship, which can be both explained by Western and Chinese Medicine.

When we talk about the word "depression", it is not a name of a disease but it has many symptoms of discomfort and disorder, such as: lack of sleeping, fatigue, aches and pains, loosing the enjoyment of the life or overwhelmed by life; tears are more than laughs in daily life and you feel so depressed. We know that depression is not happened over night, but what changes to the body?

In the spring of 1977, scientists discovered that vital chemicals carry messages in the brain and the messages are delivered between brain cells. When the brain sends or receives information as a daily work, it secrets both chemical messengers: happy messengers and sad messengers. The happy messenger is called Biogenic Amine/Endorphin. As long as the input of happy messengers and sad messengers balanced everything is fine. If the brain secrets less happy messenger, the person suffer the brain imbalance know as - overstress. Happy Messengers are three types of chemicals recognized as Serotonin, Noradrenalin and Dopamine. Serotonin sets the body clock which plays three roles: the body temperature, stress fighting hormone and sleeping cycles. The Serotonin is located in Pineal Gland, in the center of the brain. Noradrenalin relates the energy level and it is a cousin of Adrenalin from adrenal glands. Dopamine controls the pleasure and the pain. It is clustered in the midbrain which is called Substantia nigra.

Western medicine uses a scientific method to explain precisely the cause of problems; Chinese medicine deals health problems with philosophy that is concentrated on the constitution of a person rather than the disease. Therefore, the treatment is not to cure a disease, it is a way to "adjust", "harmonize", "regulate", "benefit" or calm the imbalance of the organs. The concepts of the "Energy" and "Blood" or organs are wider and vaguer than Western medicine. Chinese medicine theory is based on Yin Yang balance and the Five Phases theory. Each phase indicates an organ with its categories and functions. If the Yin and Yang of each part is balanced, the person is health; if it is not, the imbalanced part can be considered either Yin or Yang deficiency or reacted excess.

In Chinese medicine kidneys are the most important organs that are the repositories of the basal Yin and Yang of the whole body. Methods of strengthening kidneys are commonly used for increasing vital energy and the maintenance of health. Kidneys are also responsible for growth, development, and the reproductive functions and correspond the Water phase, the emotion of fear, the colour black, the taste of salt, a rotten smell. They control the bones, marrow, and brain and their sensor organ is the ear. Any chronic physical or emotional disorder would cause the kidney deficiency to the body imbalanced.

Since acupuncture is based on the Chinese medicine and meridians, the treatments have to follow the individual health conditions. A treatment usually includes simple diagnosis before inserting very thin and fine point deposable needles to certain points of the body. The stimulation of the needles from the acupuncture points sends the signals to the brain. When brain catches the signals first of all it releases Endorphin to reduce pain and compensate the imbalance of the chemicals.

If the symptoms of depression are matched the deficiency of Kidneys then treat kidney meridian first. If the symptoms show the deficiency of other organs worse than kidney deficiency, treat other meridians first. For example, if the symptoms show the liver deficiency, it should enhance the liver function for detoxification first, and then eliminate the kidney deficiency. The reason is just like a car accident happened on a highway. The cars involved in the accident have to be removed to make the traffic go smoothly instead of speeding other cars by adding more gas.

Today, with our modern pressures and work stress, it is more important than ever to find inner health and balance. The preventive treatments and natural healing methods are more popular in the twenty-one century. There are four features:

(1) Balance the body with the environments

(2) Enhance the immune system and self healing system of the body

(3) Do not produce harmful side effects

(4) Not only eliminate the symptoms, but also change the body constitution of self detoxification, adjustment, healing, purification, and strengthen the vital energy.

Depression is a quite common but complicated problem in our society. It is formed by a variety of negative elements. Acupuncture is like other healing methods with their limitation. If the depression is at the first or second stage, acupuncture can definitely help; if depression affects the structure of the brain, acupuncture might not be a good choice at that time. Acupuncture is one of powerful natural method for improving the quality of life, but do not wait until too late. Our clinic also offers shiatsu, biofeedback, herbs and Qi Gong exercises for depression.  If you book an appointment with us, we will recommend the best method for you based on your individual condition.