Tag Archive for: anxiety

Transcranial current stimulation

Transcranial current stimulation

Transcranial direct current stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS Therapy) are a trending subject of current studies.

The newly discovered benefits of these therapies include pain relief, treatment for sleep disorders, depression, cognitive enhancement (including speeding up learning, creativity enhancement, and improving mathematical abilities, etc.).

Are these transcranial therapies really novel? These treatments are strikingly similar to a well-established treatment – scalp electroacupuncture.

Scalp electroacupuncture has been used safely and effectively for decades, with numerous studies supporting its benefits for conditions such as

But here’s the best part: scalp acupuncture is much more cost-effective than transcranial therapies.

Brain mapping techniques are becoming cheaper and more accessible. This leads to more studies and a better understanding of the human brain. This will open up opportunities for new treatments using transcranial current stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and even electro-acupuncture. So if you’re looking for an effective and affordable alternative treatment, give electroacupuncture a try!

The image: fibers of the White Matter

Acupuncture for stress

Acupuncture interferes with the mechanism of stress

Acupuncture is great at reducing stress. Even our patients who seek acupuncture for fertility report reduced anxiety. One of the first things they often notice is that sleep improves and they experience reduced irritability. They feel more relaxed both at work and at home.

Until recently, we didn’t fully understand how acupuncture helps with stress, we knew very little about what exactly happens on the cellular level. Researchers at the Georgetown University Medical Center made a breakthrough discovery. It turns out that acupuncture interferes with the very mechanism of stress by blocking the chronic, stress-induced elevations of the HPA axis hormones and the sympathetic NPY pathway.

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Insomnia acupuncture

Acupuncture for Insomnia

The largest study of acupuncture and insomnia to date found acupuncture to be more effective than orthodox sleeping medications at improving your sleep and relieving insomnia. The researchers also found that combining acupuncture with medication was more beneficial than medication alone. Acupuncture plus herbs also improved sleep better than herbs alone.

This study (meta-analysis) included 46 randomized trials and 3811 patients. It was published The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

The bottom line:

The most common solution your doctor will offer for insomnia is sleeping pills. Unfortunately the sleeping pills are addictive and their effect diminishes with time. Furthermore, sleeping pills don’t give you quality sleep and have a sedative effect, which may affect your performance during the day as well as driving.

Acupuncture offers a superior alternative to sleeping medications. Acupuncture does not have the side effects of the sleeping pills and it is more effective in the treatment of insomnia.