Acupuncture
for Depression
by John McManamy
Karen had been taking Zoloft for three years, but was having trouble
with its side effects. Serzone didn't help, and Paxil (40 mg) only
seemed to get her right back where she started - grateful to feel
human again, but not at all happy with her excess sleep, weight
gain, and loss of sexuality. Karen had originally turned to acupuncture
for her flu and bronchitis, and found it worked wonders. Now she
wondered if acupuncture could help her depression.
What We Know About Acupuncture
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Acupuncture originated in China at least 2,000 years ago, and
moved to the west in the 1970s as part of a greater awakening that
included yoga, meditation, new diets, and other so-called alternative
fare. At first, its availability was limited by the scarcity of
practitioners, but now there are an estimated 20,000 certified
acupuncturists in the US. According to FDA figures from 1993, Americans
are making 9 to 12 million visits a year and spending as much as
$500 million to have needles strategically placed along the invisible
latitude and longitude lines of their skins.
To paraphrase from the National
Institutes of Health:
There are more than 2,000 acupuncture points on the body connecting
with 12 main and eight secondary pathways called meridians, which
conduct energy - chi or qi - between the surface of the body and
the internal organs.
According to the NIH:
"Qi regulates spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical
balance. Qi is influenced by the opposing forces of yin and yang.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, when yin and yang are
balanced, they work together with the natural flow of qi to help
the body achieve and maintain health. Acupuncture is believed to
balance yin and yang, keep the normal flow of energy unblocked,
and restore health to the body and mind."
A western interpretation would be that the acupuncture points
stimulate the central nervous system, releasing chemicals into
the muscles, spinal cord, and brain, promoting the body's natural
healing abilities. In the words of the NIH: "Studies have
shown that acupuncture may alter brain chemistry by changing the
release of neurotransmitters and neurohormones in a good way."
An NIH consensus panel of scientists, researchers, and practitioners
in 1997 determined that acupuncture has been clinically proven
to be effective against nausea from surgery and chemotherapy, addiction,
headaches, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial
pain, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome,
and asthma, and to assist in stroke rehabilitation. Since then,
other studies have looked at pain, ADHD, pregnancy complications,
and other diseases and conditions.
Acupuncture for Depression
Fine, but does acupuncture work for depression?
In 1998, the NIH's Office of Alternative Medicine funded a study
at the University of Arizona. Working with acupuncturist Rosa Schnyer,
John Allen PhD devised a 16-week trial on 34 seriously depressed
women. First the two worked up a standard treatment plan that targeted
certain "depression points" on the body. Then they devised
a dummy treatment calling for needles in nonspecific places. The
acupuncturists administering the treatment had no idea whether
they were using the real plan or the dummy plan.
Then the subjects were divided into three groups. The first group
received the depression-specific acupuncture, the second group
got the dummy treatment, and the third group was put on a wait
list before being placed on eight weeks of the real thing.
Following the treatment, the depression-specific groups experienced
a 43 percent reduction in their symptoms compared with a 22 percent
reduction for the dummy group. More than half no longer met the
criteria for clinical depression. Only five people dropped out
of the study - two who moved away, one who became pregnant, and
two who didn't like the needles. The dropout rate was much lower
than for studies using medications.
Two advantages of acupuncture, Dr Allen told a seminar at the
National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association Conference
in Boston, include no language barrier (a factor for patients who
have difficulty speaking English), and its low cost compared to
conventional treatment.
Something better than low cost was an inducement for Karen. She
was able to swap free sessions by giving piano lessons to the acupuncturist's
son. On the advice of Dr Chen, her acupuncturist, she did not quit
her medication. She began the treatment in May - never going more
than once a week - and gradually, she says, she began to recover. "For
a few days I felt a little better," she recounts, "then
after that I felt bad days. But the better days got better oh so
gradually and the bad days less bad."
Karen would lie on a table as Dr Chen put some needles into her
ear, arm, and leg - always on the right side (except for a few
needles in the other leg). One time he put the needles in similar
areas on the left side. He would also point a heat lamp where he
left needles in the leg. The needles prick, according to Karen, "just
the littlest bit." Then she would remain on the table while
Dr Chen left the room for 20 minutes. Finally, Dr Chen would take
out the needles and rub some areas of the back and neck.
Karen thinks the first few visits were critical, but her follow-up
visits were important, too.
In July, Karen switched to St John's wort before slowly reducing
her Paxil in August (she is now down to 10 mg). According to Karen: "I
believe both acupuncture and St John's wort have helped me. I think
the acupuncture enabled the Saint John's wort to work more effectively.
I like the idea of making the body work its best with acupuncture."
She goes on to say: "I have always had to take higher doses
of any antidepressant in order to get the best results. Why not
get my immune system working better so that I might not need such
a high dose or, even better, take St John's wort instead with minimal
side effects?"
Dr Chen, says Karen, works on the principle that it's all about
helping the body's immune system function in an optimal way so
that it keeps the disease in check, resulting in fewer bad symptoms.
In Karen's words:
"The body takes time to heal and the acupuncture guides the
body to heal itself. Heal from what? I don't think our bodies are
working optimally. The body does its best under any circumstances
but after years of medications, ravages of depression and stress,
excesses in food and drink - sugar, chemicals, smog - acupuncture
helps the body recover from these assaults. I have more respect
for the working of the body now and the strength of it."
Now, after four and a half months, Karen feels ready to discontinue
treatment. As well as easing her depression, she also credits acupuncture
for helping her go off sugar. And there is the spiritual side: "I
really believe in meditating on God. It spiritualizes the mind
which in turn uplifts the mood. Regular meditation is important
to me."
Finally, if you are on medication, don't expect to flush your
pills down the toilet after your first visit. This is a matter
you will have to work out between you and your doctor or psychiatrist.
Fortunately, Karen had an acupuncturist who recognized this. In
her words: "I appreciated Dr. Chen's discretion in advising
me about the medication. He told me that since he's not a medical
doctor he couldn't tell me how much to take or when to quit. He
just made me feel comfortable that the acupuncture would still
do its job whether I went off the medication or not."
J: "Karen" is
clearly the "poster child" of the NIH's AZ study, as
she is cited in at least one other (derivative?) article. But what
did/do the other 33 patients think?
Beverly: I wonder how many with
Bipolar disorder have tried acupuncture. My 10-year-old daughter
was diagnosed by her therapist with depression (the rages and dissociative
episodes and bouts of irrational guilt have not yet been witness
during regular business hours). Thanks to folks sharing on
the Net, I'm putting the pieces together. Anyway, I swear
by acupuncture for everything...it balances body and mind and facilitates
natural healing like nothing else out there I've experienced...I
have it once a month and I had begun to take my daughter...but
I think she might need it more often...DON'T EXPECT THE MEDICAL
ESTABLISHMENT to back me up on this...it would definitely not be
to their benefit...but I have witnessed real healing and I urge
you to try it for yourselves.
Patti: I have been receiving
Acupuncture treatments for over six months for my Major Depression
and Agoraphobia. It has undoubtedly saved my life. At the
very worst of my depression I was taken to an Acupuncturist that
treated me every day for over a week. I stopped having the compulsive
thoughts of ending my life, and was thinking much clearer than
I had in nearly a year. Then I went once a week for several more
months, to ensure optimal effect and continue building up my system
that had fallen on its face. Now I go once a month for maintenance
and I recommend it to anyone with depression.
Jolie: I too have been seeing
an acupuncturist for the past 2 months. I am finally lowering my
doses of effexor from 300 mg. to 75 a day with my doctors supervision.
I hope with in the year I will be drug free and using my own body
to she treats me as a whole person not just my symptoms. I've noticed
that I sleep better as well! a bonus.
Justyna: My daughter is 16 and has
had severe depression since she was 10. She has had 3 weeks of
acupuncture and I think it has made a difference (4x week one,
3x week two and 2 times week 3). The problem is she hates it. She
dislikes the needles. I am hoping she keeps it up a little longer
until she can notice differences herself.
Reprinted courtesy of www.mcmanweb.com, McMan’s
Depression and Bipolar web.
Depression Lifted in Minneapolis
“Prior to my acupuncture treatments I was depressed with no energy or zest for life. Within 5 weeks of treatments I now have the energy to run around Lake Harriet (3 miles) without the need to stop and catch my breath. I’ve noticed physical changes in my body such as no more swelling in my ankles. Most importantly I’m noticing the beauty around me and again appreciate life as the depression has left.”
Jenny Halloran
Breakthrough for My Daughter
"I found Steven Sonmore when searching for alternative
mental health, and began bringing my 23-year-old daughter to
him about 2 months ago, after trying many different antipsychotic
medicines to treat her for symptoms of Schizoaffective Disorder.
With the antipsychotic medicines, she experienced many problems
like severe weight gain, interrupted menstruation, increased
blood pressure, fast heart rate, confusion, extreme tiredness,
slowed thinking, and blurred vision. None of these medications
cured the symptoms that had been upsetting her daily."
"Since she started acupuncture treatment with Steven,
she has become able to focus, remain calm, and tolerate the voices
she heard without becoming upset. With the twice weekly acupuncture
treatment and Chinese herbs she has been able once again to tolerate
going out in public settings like the mall or unfamiliar restaurants
for the first time since becoming ill four years ago. We can't
begin to express our gratitude for her improvement. She is in
a recovery process, and has now gone off all her antipsychotic
medication without any worsening of the voices. In fact, she
now considers the voices not bothersome. We look forward to continued
improvement in her functioning and well-being as she is now no
longer experiencing the side effects of the antipsychotic medications.
We just wish we would have tried the acupuncture before going
through four years of medication trials."
Sharon Fries
You can beat depression naturally without drugs. Call our Minneapolis Acupuncture Clinic today at 612-866-4000.
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