Acupuncture for PTSD

Acupuncture for PTSD

 An American study advocates the combined use of brief psychological exposure with manual stimulation of acupuncture points in the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other emotional conditions. Feinstien investigated two randomized controlled trials and six outcome studies using standardized pre- and post-treatment measures enlisting military veterans, disaster survivors, and other traumatized individuals. These studies support subjective reports and systematic clinical observations that stimulating selected acupuncture points during imaginal exposure quickly and permanently reduces fear responses to traumatic memories. This approach has been controversial, in part because the mechanisms underlying acupuncture point stimulation have not been established. The author suggests that adding acupuncture point stimulation to brief psychological exposure is extraordinarily effective in its speed and power by sending deactivating signals directly to the amygdala, resulting in rapid reduction of threat responses to harmless stimuli. This formulation, along with the preliminary evidence supporting it, could lead to more powerful exposure protocols for treating PTSD.

For the original research paper, click here.