Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine Treatments for Wellbeing & Stress

Stress & Wellbeing Care Clinic

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can effectively treat many stress related and emotional wellbeing disorders, using a holistic patient centered approach.

I regularly see a range of conditions that respond favourably to treatment, for example;

Wellness & Healthy Ageing

Maintaining optimal health and healthy ageing.

Acupuncture assists the body in its natural healing process by helping maintain your body’s equilibrium. Feeling more balanced is an excellent way to boost energy and vitality. The term ‘Yang Shen’ in Chinese Medicine refers to the concept of cultivating health and longevity, ‘living well, living long’.

Anxiety and Depression

Acupuncture helps manage stress and anxiety by balancing the nervous system, reducing pain sensitivity, and promoting relaxation. Balancing of the body’s homeostatic mechanisms can affect neurotransmitter messengers like serotonin, which can improve mood and combat negative emotions.

A safe and supportive non judgmental therapeutic space allows us to explore both the feelings and symptoms of a condition as well as looking at the roots of what may be causing the imbalance.

Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for Anxiety and Depression, particularly as an adjunct to conventional therapies.

Anxiety: Several systematic reviews and clinical studies indicate that acupuncture may reduce symptoms of anxiety. For example, a 2021 review found acupuncture potentially beneficial for generalised anxiety disorder, and a 2022 review reported similar findings. Acupuncture may help by modulating neurotransmitters (such as serotonin and GABA), reducing stress hormones, and promoting relaxation through effects on the nervous system. Clinical trials have shown significant reductions in anxiety scores compared to placebo or standard care.
Depression: Evidence supports acupuncture as a safe and potentially effective adjunct or alternative for depression, particularly when combined with standard treatments. A 2020 overview of meta-analyses found that acupuncture may reduce depression severity and can improve outcomes when used alongside antidepressant medication.
Mechanisms: Proposed mechanisms include regulation of neurotransmitters, activation of endogenous opioids, and modulation of the autonomic nervous system, contributing to improved mood and reduced anxiety.

A summary of the latest research studies supporting the use of Acupuncture for anxiety and depression type conditions is available here on the research page.

Insomnia & Sleeping Problems

Many sleeping problems like Insomnia can effectively be treated with Acupuncture and/or Chinese Herbal Medicine.

Gently balancing the autonomic and sympathetic nervous system whilst stimulating the release of endorphins and melatonin can address the underlying cause promoting relaxation and improved sleep.

Acupuncture is supported by moderate to high-quality evidence as an effective and safe treatment for insomnia and sleep disturbances. Improving sleep quality, increase total sleep duration, and reduce associated symptoms, with benefits often enhanced when combined with other therapies.

Multiple systematic reviews and clinical trials indicate that acupuncture is effective in improving insomnia and sleep disturbances. Acupuncture has been shown to improve sleep quality, increase total sleep time, reduce night-time awakenings, and alleviate associated symptoms such as anxiety and depression.
Meta-analyses demonstrate that acupuncture is superior to no treatment, and in some measures, standard medications for increasing sleep duration and improving sleep quality.
Combination therapy (acupuncture plus medication or herbal treatments) appears more effective than medication or herbs alone for enhancing sleep outcomes.

Clinical trials show that acupuncture improves subjective sleep quality, reduces fatigue, and alleviates cognitive and emotional symptoms related to insomnia, with minimal adverse events.
Acupuncture is considered safe for long-term use, with few side effects, making it an attractive alternative for those who wish to avoid medication-related adverse effects.

Individuals whose insomnia is linked to depression, menopause, or chronic pain may be especially likely to benefit from acupuncture.

A summary of the latest research studies supporting the use of Acupuncture for insomnia type conditions is available here on the research page.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Long COVID

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Long COVID type symptoms are responsive to Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine. This area of treatment is recently receiving much more attention following the COVID crisis.

Acupuncture is supported by evidence as an effective and safe option for managing chronic fatigue syndrome, especially for reducing fatigue and improving quality of life. While evidence for long COVID is still emerging, the symptomatic overlap with CFS suggests acupuncture may offer benefit, further research is currently on-going.

Multiple systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials indicate that acupuncture can help manage symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Studies consistently report improvements in fatigue severity, quality of life, mental and physical function, and pain sensation after acupuncture treatment.
A 2015 randomised controlled trial found that four weeks of body acupuncture in addition to usual care significantly improved fatigue symptoms, with patients’ fatigue scores approaching near-normal levels.
A 2022 network meta-analysis of 51 RCTs concluded that acupuncture is particularly effective and safe for CFS.
Direct high-quality evidence for acupuncture in long COVID is currently limited. However, given the overlap in symptoms between long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome (such as persistent fatigue, pain, and sleep disturbance), the positive findings for CFS suggest acupuncture may also benefit some long COVID patients.
Acupuncture is being explored for symptom management in long COVID, particularly for fatigue, pain, and sleep issues.

A summary of the latest research studies supporting the use of Acupuncture for these conditions is available here on the research page.

Digestive & Bladder Complaints

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can improve many Functional Urinary/Digestive type disorders such as;

Nausea, Vomiting, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Colitis, Gastritis, Reflux, Chronic Constipation, Prostatitis, Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s), Interstitial Cystitis, and mild forms of Incontinence.

Acupuncture can offer improvement in both symptom control and quality of life.

Studies suggest it can influence visceral sensation and motility by affecting the somatic and central nervous systems, as well as the brain-gut axis.

Nausea and Vomiting: There is consistent evidence for acupuncture’s effectiveness is in relieving nausea and vomiting, including postoperative and chemotherapy-induced nausea. Systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials confirm a positive effect.
Gastroparesis and Functional Dyspepsia: Clinical trials and meta-analyses show that acupuncture can improve symptoms of gastroparesis and functional dyspepsia, with some studies reporting better quality of life and symptom reduction compared to standard medications.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Earlier studies gave mixed results, but recent large, well-designed trials have found that acupuncture significantly reduces IBS symptoms and may be more effective than antispasmodic medications. Acupuncture also improves quality of life for IBS patients.
Constipation: Randomised trials indicate that electro-acupuncture increases the frequency of complete spontaneous bowel movements in patients with chronic constipation, with effects sustained during follow-up.
Mechanisms: Acupuncture is thought to modulate the gut-brain axis, vagus nerve, pain pathways, inflammation, and gastrointestinal motility, contributing to symptom relief in various digestive disorders.

Bladder Disorders

Acupuncture treatment for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, especially for pain and urinary symptoms is supported by moderate to strong evidence as an effective and safe treatment. Improvements from acupuncture appear to be sustained for several months after treatment. In a large study, over 60% of men reported significant symptom improvement at eight weeks, and these benefits persisted at 32 weeks.
Some evidence suggests that combining acupuncture with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbal therapies may further improve outcomes, but acupuncture alone is also effective.
Acupuncture is commonly used in clinical practice for overactive bladder, urinary incontinence, and interstitial cystitis, with some evidence from clinical studies suggesting benefit, particularly in reducing urinary frequency and urgency.

A summary of the latest research studies supporting the use of Acupuncture for these conditions is available here on the research page.

Let’s work together towards better health

If you’re interested in exploring how Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can support your health, get in touch to book a consultation at our London or Bath clinics. I’ll take time to understand your individual needs and help you move towards lasting wellbeing.

By telephone:

07985 918237

Book appointment online:

Click here to book

By email:

[email protected]