“Grace is a 37 year old female who used to love her work and was a riot at get-togethers. However, ever since her promotion, she has found that stress has increased to the point that she experiences strange feelings in her chest. Increased heart rate (palpitations) and shallow breathing left her terrified that she was having a heart attack! She wasn’t. She is experiencing what 1 out of 20 Canadians feel as a result of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).”
How Do I Know I Suffer From Anxiety?
If you have to ask this question to yourself, you have probably not experienced GAD or panic attacks. However, many people may be feeling mild symptoms and not realize that there is something that can be done about the strange sensations that you get when you squeeze yourself onto a packed subway car or get that extra assignment at work.
Common symptoms of GAD include:
- excessive worrying/thinking
- restlessness
- fatigue
- irritability
- insomnia
In those suffering Panic Disorder, people may experience:
- chest pain, pressure or discomfort (many feel this is the initial stages of a heart attack)
- palpitations (feels like your heart is pounding out of your chest)
- increased breathing rate
- dizziness
- excessive sweating
TCM and Anxiety
Chinese medicine has long seen the body holistically; the mind, body and spirit are interconnected and are dependent on each other for the individual to function optimally. When one area is out of balance, the other areas will eventually succumb to the pressures of supporting it and may become imbalanced themselves.
Within the realm of TCM theory, the Mind is said to reside in the Heart. Any imbalance in one will affect the other. For example, when the Heart is full of Yin and Blood (nourishing and grounding substances in TCM), the mind will be calm and relaxed. If the Heart fails to nourish the Mind, it will react by being overexcited or hyperactive. Common signs would be excessive thinking, irritability and dizziness. Since the Heart is located in the chest, people therefore may experience chest specific sensations like difficulty breathing and palpitations.
TCM Treatment of Anxiety
Since TCM has been treating symptoms like anxiety and panic disorders for thousands of years, there is much information regarding its treatment. Acupuncture can successfully calm the mind and relax those who feel stress is a trigger to their anxiety. Acupuncture has been found to encourage the body to release certain neurotransmitters and since anxiety is thought to be caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters, this could be a natural and safe way to correct it.1- 3
Chinese herbal medicine is also helpful when treating issues like anxiety and panic disorders. A common formula known as Suan Zao Ren Tang has been studied for its anxiolytic effects and is said to be a “promising anxiolytic remedy, without apparent adverse effects on the cardiovascular system, and appearing not to interact with other drugs”.4 The herbs can be very nourishing to the body and are thought to be quicker at supplying Blood and Yin than the acupuncture. The combination, however, is ideal; acupuncture to calm the mind and ease stress (endorphin and serotonin release), Chinese herbal medicine to supply the body with nourishing substances (i.e. Blood and Yin).
It’s Never too Late
If you are starting to notice the subtle signs of early anxiety, talk to a qualified TCM practitioner and consider a natural approach. Although acupuncture is not a substitute for medication, one can safely incorporate acupuncture as a complement and experience the relaxing benefits which acupuncture can provide. Talk to a qualified TCM practitioner today.
Drew Nesbitt is a Practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture as well as a Nutritional Consultant specializing in the treatment of infertility. As one can imagine, stress and anxiety often accompany this issue and much of his treatment is focused on reducing the negative effects they produce.
References
1. Kim H, Park HJ, Shim HS, Han SM, Hahm DH, Lee H, Shim I. The effects of acupuncture (PC6) on chronic mild stress-induced memory loss. Neuroscience Letters. 2011 Jan 25;488(3):225-8.
2. Pavão TS, Vianna P, Pillat MM, Machado AB, Bauer ME. Acupuncture is effective to attenuate stress and stimulate lymphocyte proliferation in the elderly. Neuroscience Letters. 2010 Oct 22;484(1):47-50.
3. Cheng RSS: Mechanism of Electro-acupuncture Analgesia as Related to Endorphins and Serotonin; An Intricate System is Proposed, thesis. Toronto, University of Toronto, 1981.
4. Hsieh MT, Chen HC. Suan Zao Ren Tang in cardiac patients with anxiety. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 1986;30(4):481-4.
