Mobile Menu

  • Home
  • About
    • About Jim Stegenga
    • Success Stories
    • FAQ
    • Insurance Coverage
    • Patient Forms
    • Submit Online Payments
  • Services
    • Acupuncture
    • Exstore
    • Trigger Point/Dry Needling
    • Pain Neutralization Technique
    • Herbal Medicine
    • Nutrition
  • Conditions Treated
    • Pain Management
    • Allergies
    • Stress, Anxiety & Mental Health
    • Digestive Health
    • Sports Injury/Performance
    • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Search
1728 State Ave NE, Olympia, WA 98506
(360) 943-0306
  • Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

1728 State Ave NE, Olympia, WA 98506 - (360) 943-0306

Olympia Acupuncture Logo

Jim Stegenga, Olympia Acupuncturist

  • Home
  • About
    • About Jim Stegenga
    • Success Stories
    • FAQ
    • Insurance Coverage
    • Patient Forms
    • Submit Online Payments
  • Services
    • Acupuncture
    • Exstore
    • Trigger Point/Dry Needling
    • Pain Neutralization Technique
    • Herbal Medicine
    • Nutrition
  • Conditions Treated
    • Pain Management
    • Allergies
    • Stress, Anxiety & Mental Health
    • Digestive Health
    • Sports Injury/Performance
    • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Search
You are here: Home / Stress / Acupuncture and Natural Therapies for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Acupuncture and Natural Therapies for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a commonly misunderstood condition that currently affects around 5 million Americans.

Acupuncture, along with a variety of natural treatment approaches, can often offer profound benefit to people diagnosed with PTSD or share a similar constellation of symptoms.

Acupuncture can treat PTSD by harmonizing the underlying energetic imbalances that cause the condition. In acupuncture theory, PTSD is treated as a state of shock that must be cleared out of one’s nervous system and body. Shock can linger long after the triggering event occurred, often for many years. There are a number of acupuncture treatment strategies that effectively take someone out of a state of shock. This is accomplished by clearing the underlying energetic imbalance that is causing the shock to persist. Another important factor is to stabilize the pulse, as almost all patients in shock exhibit unstable pulses that show continuous deviation in rate, rhythm, intensity, or amplitude.

Acupuncture works by regulating the flow of Qi or life force in the body.

In the case of PTSD, there is often what is called a Qi wild condition, in which one’s life force/vital energy have become chaotic, disturbed, or grossly inconsistent. Acupuncture is a powerful way to settle such energetic disturbances and return the body and mind to a state of balance and peace.  Acupuncture along with micro current stimulation can have a profound effect on the fight or flight mechanism by balancing hormones and neurotransmitters.

Chinese herbs can also offer a deep level of support in treating PTSD. The herbal formulas yunnan paiyao and sheng mai san are a first line of defense in clearing shock and trauma, as the are primarily indicated to stabilize the pulse. These formulas are typically taken for one month, at which time noticeable changes are often detected in pattern of the PTSD. After this initial course of treatment, there are a variety of other herbal formulas that can be chosen from depending on the patient’s unique needs.

Listed here are a few examples:

  • Calm Spirit by Health Concerns: Used for anxiety, stress, irritability, emotional fluctuations, and worry
  • Peaceful Spirit by Golden Flower: Same indications as Calm Spirit
  • Bupleurum and Dragon Bone: Helps with chronic anger issues, nervous tension, addictions, and bipolar tendencies
  • Tian Wan Bu xin Dan: Useful for restless sleep, irritability, sadness, excessive stress

Along with Chinese herbs, it is also important to implement the following nutritional strategies:

  • Reduce or eliminate caffeine, refined sugar, and alcohol
  • Eat plenty of protein and healthy fats, and reduce carbohydrate intake.
  • Drink 8 glasses water daily
  • Supplement with phosphatidyl serine, B complex, fish and flax oil, L-theanine, Relora

Many of my patients who have had PTSD have also benefited from a technique called EFT, which stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques. This is considered an emotional form of acupuncture that involves tapping on specific acupuncture points while specific phrases are repeated. This is a powerful technique to recondition the nervous system and reroute the neural patterning that perpetuates trauma. It is simple to learn and easy to implement into one’s life. Many people find that this simple technique offers much more immediate benefit than medications or therapy. I am certified by the originator of EFT, Gary Craig.

Meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, and a variety of deep breathing exercises can also be extremely helpful, especially if they are practiced on a daily basis.

PTSD can be a debilitating and difficult condition to treat.

This is why I recommend a combination of therapies: acupuncture, herbs, EFT, meditation, and nutrition offer a tremendous collection of resources that can substantially reduce or eliminate many of the symptoms of PTSD.

Treatment for most patients is twice a week for 4-6 visits, at which time we will assess for progress. Many patients find it helpful to commit to more long-term care for this condition.

Call Jim at 360.943.0306 to set up your first appointment today!

Jim Stegenga, L.Ac.
Olympia Acupuncture
360.943.0306
Serving Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater, and the South Puget Sound

//  by Jim Stegenga, Olympia Acupuncturist Filed Under: Stress Tagged With: acupuncture for PTSD, Chinese herbs, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

6 Time Tested Ways to Dissolve Stress

Previous Post: « The 5 Foundations of Optimal Health
Next Post: Acupuncture and Natural Therapies for Sciatica »

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

Acupuncture is natural

Acupuncture for Anxiety

Acupuncture for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Weight Loss for the Long-Term: No More Diets and Gimmicks

6 Time Tested Ways to Dissolve Stress

Categories

  • Anxiety
  • Back Pain
  • Chronic Pain
  • Depression
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches/Migraines
  • Health & Wellness
  • IBS/IBD
  • Neck Pain
  • Nutrition
  • Stress
  • Women's Health

Footer

Hours

Monday: 9am-1pm & 2pm-6pm
Tuesday: 9am-1pm & 2pm-6pm
Wednesday: 9am-1pm & 2pm-6pm
Thursday: 9am-1pm & 2pm-6pm
Friday: 9am-1pm & 2pm-6pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Contact

Address:

1728 State Ave NE, Olympia, WA 98506

Phone:
(360) 943-0306

  • About Jim Stegenga
  • Acupuncture
  • Allergies
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Digestive Health
  • Disclaimer
  • Electro-Acupuncture
  • Exstore
  • FAQ
  • Herbal Medicine
  • Home
  • Insurance Coverage
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • New Patients
  • Nutrition
  • Pain Management
  • Pain Neutralization Technique
  • Privacy Policy
  • Services
  • Sports Injury/Performance
  • Stress, Anxiety & Mental Health
  • Submit Online Payments
  • Success Stories
  • Terms of Use
  • Trigger Point Therapy

Copyright © 2019 · All Rights Reserved · Jim Stegenga, Olympia Acupuncture
1728 State Ave NE, Olympia, WA 98506, (360) 943-0306
Serving Olympia, Tumwater, Lacey, Centralia, Chehalis, Shelton, Dupont and surrounding areas
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Disclaimer
WEBSITE CREATED BY VIRTUAL DESIGN, LLC