Stress Management
As a normal part of life, stress enables us to get things done and process feelings. Left unmanaged, however, stress can lead to difficult-emotional, psychological, and physical problems.
While it isn't always possible to remove the external forces causing stress, the ability to effectively deal with stress is a choice. Take time for yourself to cultivate the energy you need to handle your stress more skillfully and effectively.
Our Relaxation and Stress Reduction techniques have been shown to reduce stress, balance the immune response, manage acute and chronic pain, promote sleep and reduce fear and anxiety. These powerful techniques include:
Mind / body relaxation
Mind / body relaxation provides a powerful psychological strategy that enhances a person’s coping skills. It involves all the senses, as well as one’s whole body and emotions. It can stimulate changes in bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory patterns. It can help you tab inner strengths to find hope, courage and other qualities that can help you cope with a variety of conditions.
Acupuncture
According to Oriental medicine, stress, frustration and unresolved anger can play an important part in throwing the immune system off and allowing pathogens to affect the body. Through acupuncture, these energy blockages can be addressed. Acupuncture points can help energy flow smoothly and alleviate not only the symptoms of stress and anxiety, but the stress and anxiety itself. Acupuncture improves circulation of blood throughout the body, which oxygenates the tissues and cycles out stress hormones like cortisol and other waste chemicals. The calming nature of acupuncture also decreases heart rate, lowers blood pressure and relaxes the muscles. Read more about Acupuncture →
Auriculotherapy
Auriculotherapy can treat stress, control anxiety, calm the mind, release tension from the body, and relax the nervous system. It can reduce the tension, stress, and pain not fully relieved by other medical procedures. The overall effect of auriculotherapy is to create a more balanced condition throughout the body. Read more about Auriculotherapy →
Oriental medicine
Oriental medicine offers a wide range of tools and techniques that can be integrated into your wellness plan to keep stress in check. These tools include Tui Na, Qi Gong exercises, dietary therapy, meditations and acupressure that you can administer at home. Regular acupuncture treatments serve to nurture and nourish your kidney Qi, which can greatly enhance the body's ability to thrive in times of stress and aid in healing, preventing illness and increasing vitality.
Nutritional / herbal remedies
We will prescribe nutritional supplements or herbal remedies as a complement to your treatment plan. These products may ease the effects of stress, support the nervous system, or maintain emotional balance. Once your diagnostic procedures have been completed, and you have been fully assessed, we will make recommendations and provide the appropriate formula for you. We will work closely with you to manage your care and monitor your course of treatment.
Lifestyle changes
Lifestyle changes is an evidence-based practice of assisting individuals to adopt and sustain lifestyle behaviors that can reduce stress, improve your health and quality of life, such as eliminating tobacco use, improving diet, practicing stress relief techniques, and increasing physical activity. Poor lifestyle choices are the root cause of chronic diseases. Scientific evidence is clear - adults with chronic stress who adhere to a healthy lifestyle experience rapid, significant, clinically meaningful and sustainable improvements in their health.
About Stress
At the first sign of a threat, whether real or perceived, our sympathetic nervous system kicks in and facilitates what is called the "fight or flight" response. Our heart rate increases, our pupils dilate, and our digestion temporarily shuts down, directing blood to our extremities, so that if need be, we can either fight what is threatening us, or turn and run if the threat is too formidable.
More often than not, the stress in our lives is long-term, and as a result, we find ourselves in a constant state of "fight or flight", or stress. Over time, the constant state of stress takes its toll. Cortisol, the body's stress hormone elevates, blood pressure increases, and our immune function is suppressed. Over time, these symptoms become worse and can develop into anxiety, depression, fatigue, digestive problems, and tension headaches.
Signs of stress include:
- anxiety or panic attacks
- feelings of constant pressure, hassled and hurried
- irritability and moodiness
- physical symptoms such as stomach problems, headaches, or even chest pain
- allergic reactions, such as eczema or asthma
- problems sleeping
- overindulgence in food, alcohol, smoking, or drugs
- sadness or depression
All of this amounts to stress that, if left unchecked, can cause illness and deterioration of health. Finding a release valve for your stress can help you stay healthy.
As a normal part of life, stress enables us to get things done and process feelings. Left unmanaged, however, stress can lead to emotional, psychological, and even physical problems. Stress causes a disruption in the flow of vital energy, or Qi, through the body. This can throw off the immune system and cause new symptoms or aggravate already troublesome health conditions and, over time, more serious illnesses can develop.
Stressful situations that last over a long period of time can create an ongoing low-level stress that puts continual pressure on the nervous system and can cause the overproduction of stress hormones such as cortisol. The extra stress hormones sustained over an extended period of time may wear out the body's reserves, leading to fatigue, depression, a weakened immune system, and a host of serious physical and psychological ailments.
Progressive relaxation
Progressive relaxation is a great technique for reducing overall body tension. As you practice tensing and relaxing all the muscle groups in your body, you can rapidly relax your whole body. As you reduce the tension you carry in your body, your whole being will feel less stress and you will enjoy increased physical and emotional health.
Breath therapy
Breath therapy is a natural healing method that uses high vibrational energy to reduce stored emotions and past trauma that may contribute to disease. This type of therapy allows the patient to re-introduce breathing as a way to heal and restore the body, mind and spirit and activate healing agents in our body and soul. Calm, soothing music with or without nature sounds may be used with any of these techniques.
If you or someone you know is experiencing stress or a related disorder, contact the Marino Clinic for more information about how we can help you regain peace of mind and stay healthy!
Meta Study Finds Acupuncture Provides Relief from Anxiety
Some anxiety is a healthy response to daily activity or new situations however random or excessive anxiety and can be debilitating. General anxiety, panic, social anxiety, separation anxiety and other phobias can present as mild worrying to more physical responses such as nausea, insomnia, shortness of breath and panic attacks.
A 2016 meta study published in the medical journal Revista Brasiliera de Enfermagem reviewed over 500 clinical trials from five international databases, including one from The Cochrane Library. The trials covered a wide variety of ages and socio-economic circumstances in which the feelings of anxiety, helplessness or apprehension remained as constant challenges in the patients' lives. Researchers noted that a chronic state of mental unrest could lead to secondary health problems such as heart disease or gastrointestinal issues.
After having acupuncture, subjects saw a reduction in anxiety levels, trauma, and an improvement in their quality of life. Researchers concluded that acupuncture, compared to just conventional pharmaceutical treatment, provides a statistically significant benefit for those suffering from anxiety. It was also discovered that auricular acupuncture, or ear acupuncture, also worked as well as regular acupuncture treatments.
Acupuncture provides relief from stressors that cause anxiety along with managing the symptoms and related health issues that develop as a result. The calming nature of acupuncture decreases the heart rate, lowers blood pressure and relaxes the muscles. Oriental medicine tools such as Qi Gong, Tai Chi, meditation, dietary therapy and acupressure may also be used to manage anxiety.
Anxiety disorders and mental health issues are best managed when health professionals work together. Find a practitioner near you today!
Source: Goyata, S. Avelino, C., dos Santos, S., et al. (2016). Effects from acupuncture in treating anxiety: integrative review. Rev. Bras. Enferm. vol. 69, no.3.
NEW DISCOVERIES ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF RELAXATION
As a result of our busy lifestyles, chronic health conditions, and work related stress, patients feel out of control, scared or overwhelmed, and seek ways to regain control over their lives.
Currently, more and more physicians are recommending relaxation techniques as a way to prevent, slow or at least control pain of chronic disease like heart conditions, AIDS, cancer, and infertility. It is also being used to restore balance in the face of such psychiatric disturbances as depression, hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder (ADD). Relaxation can bring about the state of mind and body most conducive to healing – deep relaxation and positive focus.
RESEARCH STUDIES ON RELAXATION TECHNIQUES
More than 200 research studies in the past 30 years have explored the role of mind-body techniques in helping people prepare for surgical and medical procedures and in helping them recover more rapidly. These studies show that mind / body relaxation techniques can dramatically counteract a loss of control, fear, panic, anxiety, helplessness and uncertainty. It can help people overcome stress, anger, pain, depression, insomnia and other problems often associated with illness and medical/surgical procedures.
Relaxation techniques in general has also been found to decrease side effects and complications of medical procedures, reduce recovery time, increase self-confidence and self-control, strengthen the immune system and enhance the ability to heal. In addition, some of these techniques help patients undergoing chemotherapy, dialysis, in-vitro fertilization and other treatment procedures.
Currently, more and more physicians are recommending relaxation techniques as a way to prevent, slow or at least control pain of chronic disease like heart conditions, AIDS, cancer, and infertility. It is also being used to restore balance in the face of such psychiatric disturbances as depression, hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder (ADD). Relaxation can bring about the state of mind and body most conducive to healing – deep relaxation and positive focus.
Relaxation techniques in general has also been found to decrease side effects and complications of medical procedures, reduce recovery time, increase self-confidence and self-control, strengthen the immune system and enhance the ability to heal. In addition, some of these techniques help patients undergoing chemotherapy, dialysis, in-vitro fertilization and other treatment procedures.