Acupuncture for depression.

Did you know around 32% of Australians suffer from depression? If you’re one of the 32%, you’re not alone. The good news is, Kotan Acupuncture, Brunswick can help you!

For many, depression is managed through a combination of therapy, dietary & lifestyle changes, exercise and in some cases pharmaceutical medication. But gaining the strength to make these changes can be challenging. This is where acupuncture can assist- by helping you gain the energy and motivation to make a real change and improve your mental and physical wellbeing.

Depression from a Chinese Medicine perspective.

Chinese medicine and Japanese acupuncture take a different medical perspective on depression compared to western models. Chinese medicine looks at the inter-relationships of the internal organs, blood and ki. To put it simply, if the body’s Ki is out of whack, it can have a profound impact on the mind and manifest in depression. Acupuncture helps to circulate the Ki throughout the body giving you an instant rush of good endorphins and energy.

Acupuncture for people with Depression.

At Kotan Acupuncture we always start by getting a full view of the patient’s health. This includes the patient’s medical history, palpation of the Hara (abdomen), reading the pulses and palpating meridians. Once a complete Chinese Medicine diagnosis has taken place and acupuncture can begin. Treatment involves Japanese-style soft needling with moxibustion.

Research on depression and acupuncture.

Acupuncture has proven itself to be a worthy treatment option for depression. In one systemic study that looks at insomnia related to depression, the evidence is in favour of acupuncture treatments over Western medicine https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5329663/

In another systemic study looking at treating depression in women showed itself highly in favour of acupuncture treatment https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3689180/   “With respect to six reviewed studies, there is high-level evidence to support the use of acupuncture for treating major depressive disorder in pregnancy.”

One way in which acupuncture works on depression is by releasing endorphins according to one study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15135942