If You Have Depression Acupuncture Can Relieve The Symptoms
Depression Acupuncture
Depression acupuncture is a relatively new development from the age old Chinese system of medicine. There has been a resurgence in recent years of interest in all forms of complimentary medicine, but especially those which have been practiced in previous centuries. Acupuncture is one of the oldest of those disciplines, but it is now being looked at again in the light of recent developments. There are those who doubt that it really works, because they doubt the existence of the energy field it claims to treat, but there are also many who claim to have been healed by it.
Acupuncture is one of the most versatile treatments known to man, as it can deal with every bodily condition and many others as well. Because the needles which are used in acupuncture are inserted into meridian points which relate to areas of the human body, they can treat every ailment. Even cancer can be treated by acupuncture, although this should really be done in conjunction with other treatments. Treating mental conditions is more difficult, as a lot less is known about the chemical reactions of the brain.
The connection between depression and acupuncture is harder to make, because the exact causes of the condition are unknown. It is clear, though, from the results of drug treatments that chemical changes occur in the brain, and that if these can be blocked an improvement will be noticed in the condition of the patient. Many drug treatments have been developed which serve to temporarily block the chemical pathways of the brain and prevent the patient from feeling depressed. If the same can be achieved with acupuncture, there will be less risk and fewer side effects.
It is as well to mention, though, that acupuncture can never be 100% safe. Whenever needles are inserted into the human body, there is always a risk of infection. The law strictly states that these needles should be new, or that at the very least they should be sterilized. Even so, this law is difficult to police and incidents will happen. There have even been a few fatalities as a result of acupuncture treatments, and this risk needs to be factored in to your thought process.
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine, and many of the conditions in the modern world which are so prevalent were not known or identified in those distant days. This does not mean that they cannot be successfully treated, as one of the greatest features of Chinese medicine is that it can treat virtually anything. The theory of the energy field within the human body, which many in conventional medicine even dispute the existence of, has the ability to become stuck and cause blockages and illnesses, but it also has the ability to become free flowing and to heal.
Using acupuncture to treat depression is one way of giving hope to the sufferer, because it deals with this energy field that is not addressed with many other forms of treatment. Drug therapy is only a short term solution, as it is simply designed to block a chemical from being able to reach a certain part of the brain. It does nothing to treat the underlying condition, and when the dose of the drug is removed, the problem will simply resurface again. By shifting stuck energy, the acupuncture treatment gives a hope of a permanent solution.
It is vital not to discontinue drug treatments which have been prescribed by your physician without the right supervision, especially if you have suicidal tendencies. There is no reason why you cannot do what is recommended by your physician alongside the acupuncture treatments. It is true that without stopping the drugs you will never know whether the treatments have really worked, but they can be eased off gradually following the acupuncture treatments. This way, the risk will be low, and you can quickly increase the dose again if symptoms start. You can also use other parts of Chinese medicine to treat depression. If you have a phobia with needles, there are acupressure techniques which use the same points on the body but with no insertion. These treatments can provoke less fear in a depressed person, and are therefore a safer option.
If you are suffering from depression acupuncture will not be the most obvious solution, as it normally deals with physical ailments. There is no reason, though, why the energy field cannot be worked on with a view to releasing trapped energy within the area of the brain, which may be what is causing you to feel depressed. It is best to suspend drug treatments which the acupuncture is taking place, otherwise it will be impossible to ascertain whether or not the treatment is working. The relief could be from the drugs, or from the depression acupuncture.
