Anxiety
Anxiety is more than just worrying about specific situations, such as passing an exam or being stuck in traffic while driving to the airport. Anxiety disorders are all-consuming issues where we are stuck in fight-or-flight mode, with our hearts racing and minds constantly thinking of the worst possible scenario (which may be extremely unlikely situations). It doesn’t switch off when our days become brighter, and in fact you may simply start thinking of new potential problems to worry about.
The conventional perspective of anxiety is that a chemical imbalance in the brain causes it. As a result, treatment includes medication when psychotherapy alone isn’t enough, but this causes a number of side effects and can be addictive.
The Chinese medical perspective does not see anxiety as an unchangeable disorder; instead, it is an imbalance that can be relieved by supporting the body’s own healing mechanisms. Sometimes, anxiety is the result of a Stagnation-related syndrome. In other cases, you could have a Spleen deficiency. The energetic functions of the Spleen in Chinese medicine include nutrient and water transport around the body. Anxiety disturbs this, but as Spleen deficiency causes anxiety through lack of nutritional support to the brain, it creates a harmful cycle.
Your Spleen is also responsible for a balanced immune system, so a person with anxiety may have other issues around chronic inflammation and poor protection against infections. Now, Western research has caught up with Chinese medicine, and came to the same conclusion. Studies show that anxiety can cause inflammation, and inflammation can cause anxiety. Chinese medicine can help you to relieve both anxiety and other issues that developed alongside it.
Many studies show that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for anxiety, including situational anxiety such as during dental procedures. When compared to conventional therapy, acupuncture was equally effective without negative side effects. Acupuncture did have beneficial “side effects”, however, such as a reduction in chronic inflammation.
Don’t despair if you are currently suffering from anxiety. Dr Dekhtyar and his team at Life Balance Clinic provide a comprehensive examination and a wide range of therapies, from stress management or natural supplements to several types of acupuncture, so you can feel like your best self again.
To learn more, call us at 847-724-1777.
What our patients say
"I have been seeing Dr. Dekhtyar for a couple of months now, and he has completely transformed my life. I initially came to him for migraine headaches, anxiety, and hip pain, and I am so much better in all these areas and am on lower prescription medications now too. He consults with you each visit, really listens, and combines acupuncture and massage which leave you in a state of bliss afterwards. His treatments are very thorough, his calming manner is soothing, and his fees are very reasonable. As a nurse practitioner myself, I would highly recommend Dr. Dekhtyar as an excellent provider."
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