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| Acupuncture And The Treatment Of Depression |
Melanie Cherng
07/06/2017
Sponsored by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care’s Eastern Harmony program
The Center of Disease Control and Prevention estimates that “1 in 10 adults report depression†in the United States.[i] Although feeling sadness on occasion is part of the normal range of human emotions, for those experiencing depression, the intensity is magnified and can persist for more than two weeks at a time, severely impairing a person’s ability to function in daily life.[ii] While there are many contributing factors that lead to major depression, studies have shown that major depression greatly impacts a person’s neurotransmitter levels and the hippocampus, an area of the brain that regulates mood. According to Understanding Depression: a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, an FMRI study published in the Journal of Neuroscience revealed that “on average, the hippocampus was 9% to 13% smaller in depressed women compared to those who were not depressed…Stress, which plays a role in depression, may be a key factor, since experts believe that stress can suppress the production of new neurons in the hippocampus.â€[iii] Not only do persons suffering from major depression have lower levels of neurotransmitters, it appears that the size of the hippocampus is also smaller.
For most patients, traditional treatment (a combination of medication such as antidepressants and therapy) has been very effective in alleviating symptoms and improving quality of life. In fact, research has shown that the use of antidepressants can both elevate neurotransmitter levels and increase neuronal growth in the hippocampus, resetting the body on a neurological level.[iv] However, some patients who are more sensitive to the side effects of antidepressants often need non-pharmaceutical treatment options.
In recent years, more studies have been done to show the effectiveness of alternative therapies such as acupuncture in the treatment of depression. Not only does research suggest that acupuncture also can affect a person on a neurological level by “stimulating the hypothalamus†and “changing the release of neurotransmitters and neurohormones†in the brain[v], studies also show that on a experiential level, patients with major depression feel significant relief after receiving acupuncture for a period of time. A randomized controlled study published by the University of York in the UK “showed that patients who suffer from depression may benefit more from acupuncture or counseling alongside their usual care, compared to usual care alone.â€[vi] In 2012, a research study conducted at the School of Chinese Medicine at the University in Hong Kong involving electro-acupuncture stimulation of the scalp demonstrated that those who received electro-acupuncture scalp stimulated showed “greater improvement in both clinical depression assessment and self-rating depression scale.â€[vii] While more research and investigation is always necessary, these findings should encourage those who are looking for non-pharmaceutical treatment options to seek out acupuncture as an effective alternative.
Before patients suffering from depression arrive at the doorstep of an acupuncturist, they often have some basic questions such as how the etiology and pathology of depression is understood in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), what a typical treatment entails, and how long a course of treatment will take before they feel symptom alleviation.
According to Chinese Medicine, the root causes of depression can vary greatly from case to case. Sometimes the source of depression is a deficiency, either in “Qi†(life force energy), “Yang†(life force energy that is more active) or blood. Other times the root issue stems from stagnation or blockages in the Qi, either from lack of physical movement or emotional blockages most often associated with the liver. If deficiency is present, acupuncturists stimulate points that nourish either “Qiâ€, “Yang†or blood. If stagnation is present then points that move “Qi†and smooth the Liver will be stimulated. Either way, acupuncture points that calm the mind are always used to help induce a state of calm. Chinese herbal remedies and supplements such as Vitamin D and K2 are often used to reinforce treatments.
Treatment plans will vary from patient to patient but most patients will begin with 2-3 treatments per week for 3 weeks and then as symptoms improve, patients decrease visits to 1 to 2 per week. Patients should start to experience some relief by the second or third treatment and should feel a significant shift in mood around the tenth treatment.
For more information about depression visit www.harvardpilgrim.org/healthandwellness
click link for Health Education. For Eastern Harmony, please call 617-509-8015.
Melanie Cherng or Eastway Wellness can be reached at 617-792-2136, 781-688-0138, www.eastwaywellness.com.
The content of this article represents the views of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting a new treatment or discontinuing an existing treatment, or if you have questions regarding your medical condition.
[i] "An Estimated 1 in 10 U.S. Adults Report Depression." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31 Mar. 2011. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
[ii] "Major Depressive Disorder Among Adults." NIMH RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1mdd_adult.shtml>.
[iii] "New Releases." What Causes Depression? N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2014. <http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/what-causesdepression.htm>.
[iv] IBID
[v] "Acupuncture." Johns Hopkins Medicine, Based in Baltimore, Maryland. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/complementary_and_alternative_medicine/acupuncture_85%2CP00171/>.
[vi] "Studies: Acupuncture Effective For Depression." Studies: Acupuncture Effective For Depression. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32819>.
[vii] IBID
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