Acupuncture is a type of complementary medicine in which fine needles are inserted into the skin along what are thought to be lines of energy. The treatment is derived from ancient Chinese practice and is still widely used today, including within many NHS general practices and the majority of pain clinics and hospices throughout the UK.

It is thought that acupuncture helps to stimulate sensory nerves under the skin and within muscles, which then causes the body to produce natural substances, including pain-relieving endorphins. As such, acupuncture is often used as a treatment for those suffering from migraines and chronic tension-type headaches, anxiety, joint pain, dental pain, chronic pain, infertility and post-operative pain.

Acupuncture can also act on parts of the brain known for reducing sensitivity to stress and help promote relaxation and research has shown that acupuncture treatment may specifically benefit anxiety disorders and symptoms of anxiety and stress by:

• Acting on areas of the brain known to reduce sensitivity to pain and stress, as well as promoting relaxation and deactivating the ‘analytical’ brain, which is responsible for anxiety and worry
• Regulating levels of neurotransmitters and hormones such as serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine, GABA, neuropeptide Y and ACTH; hence altering the brain’s mood chemistry to help to combat negative affective states
• Stimulating production of endogenous opioids that affect the autonomic nervous system. Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, while acupuncture can activate the opposing parasympathetic nervous system, which initiates the relaxation response;
• Reversing pathological changes in levels of inflammatory cytokines that are associated with stress reactions.

Acupuncture is also well know for combatting other PTSD and C-PTSD symptoms such as sore joints, painful muscles, lack of energy, and disrupted sleep.

The research

One randomised controlled study of active duty US military service personnel in 2014 found that acupuncture could help to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, reduce pain, and improve mental and physical health functioning. They discovered that those who combined acupuncture with other kinds of treatments had a significantly better outcome than those who only received the usual care.

Researchers from the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Chengdu Military General Hospital conducted a similar study with people suffering from PTSD due to earthquakes. Examining 138 patients, they found that acupuncture was more effective than Paroxetine for its relief of PTSD symptoms, and it also helped reduce anxiety and depression in sufferers too.

Furthermore, a review that looked at the effects of combining brief psychological exposure with the manual stimulation of acupuncture points found evidence that this can quickly and permanently reduce fear responses to traumatic memories and related cues.

Acupuncture is a safe, non-stigmatising and therapeutic treatment that has proven to be effective in reducing PTSD and C-PTSD symptoms. Not everyone will always see the benefit of all therapies as treatment options vary for each person so they are best discussed on a one-to-one basis with a GP or medical professional. However, options such as acupuncture provide a drug-free, therapeutic option to explore with huge potential for positive results. It is a great option to utilise while waiting for treatment, and also in addition in between treatment and therapy sessions.