Chinese Medicine Lends a Hand During Stress and Anxiety
by Carrie Elizabeth Sklar
Whether we know it or not, stress and anxiety can affect us everyday,
potentially causing serious health problems. However, studies
show that Chinese medicine, which includes acupuncture, massage,
Tai Chi and Qi Gong, can significantly help reduce stress.
Stress is a physical and psychological response to perceived
demands and pressures, which cause the body to generate distress
signals. Increased blood pressure and cortisol levels, as well
as lowered immune system function, result when stress begins to
affect the body. The symptoms often worsen to become depression,
fatigue, tension headaches, stomachaches, hypertension, migraines,
ulcers, heart attacks, or colitis. Eventually, stress can lead
to even more serious distress, such as cancer, diabetes or thyroid
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately
19.1 million American adults ages 18 to 54 have an anxiety disorder
in a given year, and the American Massage Therapy Association
(AMTA) states that as much as 80 percent of disease is stress-related.
According to the 2002 Tension Tracker survey, between 60 and 90
percent of visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related
problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, $300 billion,
or $7,500 per employee, is spent annually in the U.S. on stress-related
compensation claims, reduced productivity, absenteeism, health
insurance costs, direct medical expenses and employee turnover.
Furthermore, job burnout experienced by 25-40 percent of U.S.
workers is blamed on stress.
The Chinese medical view of stress is that excessive emotional
stimulation or suppression sets up an imbalance of Qi, thereby
injuring the body and producing disease. Chinese acupuncture and
massage, as well as Tai Chi and Qi Gong exercises, can alleviate
stress symptoms by releasing endorphins, the body's own natural
painkillers, and improving the circulation of blood and lymphatic
fluids, which brings fresh oxygen to body tissues. This increased
oxygen flow eliminates waste products from inside the body and
enhances recovery from diseases. Chinese medicine also decreases
the stress hormone cortisol, lowers blood pressure, reduces heart
rate, and relaxes muscle tissue.