Acupuncture in the Treatment of Depression

Acupuncture, the traditional therapy that originated in China involves the insertion of some fine, threadlike needles into certain specific points on the human body. The term acupuncture comes from the Latin words, acus, meaning needle and pungere, meaning prick. It has been an integral part of Chinese traditional medicines since the ancient times, and is believed to date back to the stone age. However, scientific researches to find out the efficiency of this therapy began in the later half of the 20th century. The conclusions of these researches have been quite controversial.

According to Chinese traditional medical therapy, the acupuncture points are located on meridians, which channel the flow of the vital energy, known as chi or qi. Acupuncture therapy has been approved by World Health Organization (WHO) for more than twenty conditions, including depression, but in several others, it is cautious in its approach about the use of acupuncture, implying that only suggestive and not conclusive evidences have been found.

Acupuncture in the Treatment of Depression
Depression, a mental or emotional condition can be a disease or a syndrome. There can be many factors that lead to depressive conditions, some of which include deficiency, malnutrition, hormones, heredity, emotional stress and illness. Sometimes, it can also be an adaptation to particular situations like certain diseases, where depression induces inclination to take rest and thereby helps in recovery. However, severe depression can result in distressful conditions, which impair the normal social, occupational and other important functions of an individual.

Depression is usually treated with anti-depressant drugs. But, prolonged use of these medicines can produce several side effects, for which researchers are in search of some alternative medicines or herbal medicines. Many believe that the traditional Chinese therapy of acupuncture might be helpful in alleviating the root causes of depression. The therapy presumably activates the central nervous system (CNS), which in turn releases certain chemicals for promoting the natural healing power of the body.

Some researches have pointed out that acupuncture may induce the release of neurotransmitters and neurohormones that can change the chemistry of the brain. The decreased level of the neurotransmitter serotonin is found to be associated with anxiety, poor sleep, fatigue, etc., which can eventually lead to depression. The philosophy behind acupuncture is that the imbalance between the body and mind is the main cause of many diseases including depression. So, the therapy is based on restoring this essential balance between body and mind.

In acupuncture, the target areas of inserting the filiform needles are twelve main nerve pathways or tracts, known as meridians and eight minor or less important nerve pathways. Almost 2000 pressure points are supposed to be present along the major and the minor nerve pathways. All these points are thought to be the channels through which energy is transmitted to the different regions of the body. So, different illnesses or disorders require the use of different specific points.

Many experiments have shown positive effects of acupuncture on patients with depression, with a significant reduction in their symptoms. A particular study was carried out on 34 depressant females, in which they were divided into three groups. The first group received acupuncture treatment specially designed for their symptoms, while the second group received general treatment. The third group was kept waiting. The result of this study was, a significant reduction in symptoms in the first group, as compared to the second group.

To summarize, acupuncture therapy aims at empowering the body to deal with stress and anxiety by regulating the flow of the vital energy qi through the energy channels. Many health care providers recommend it along with the use of regular drugs for depression, while others think that it is suitable only for mild to moderate depression. Besides, its efficacy is found to be enhanced, if used along with psychotherapy and herbal treatments. However, more conclusive studies are required to prescribe it as an authentic alternative to anti-depressant drugs in the treatment of depression.