Is acupuncture for depression really effective?

Depression is a mental disorder that has a big enough impact on the quality of life of sufferers so they tend not to enjoy life. There are many therapies that can be done to overcome this problem, one of which is acupuncture. Are acupuncture treatments for depression really effective?

Check out the answer through the reviews below.

How acupuncture works

As a worldwide traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is believed to reduce some annoying symptoms, such as itching and pain.

The way acupuncture works is not as easy as it seems, namely sticking several needles into specific points on your body. Normally, the acupuncturist will insert the needles at certain acupuncture points.

Acupuncture points are seen in terms of "meridians" that flow throughout the body and are associated with specific organs. These meridians are channels of energy or commonly referred to as qi in the world of acupuncture.

After that, the needles will remove the obstruction that is clogging the drain qi this. As a result, people who do acupuncture feel a significant difference compared to before trying this traditional method.

Acupuncture treatment that can help with depression

Each acupuncture point has different properties because each point will relate to different organs. These points are all over your body, from your head, neck, to the soles of your feet.

Unfortunately, acupuncture cannot treat depression as a whole. However, this method can help reduce the symptoms of depression.

This is evidenced by a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. The study explores electro acupuncture or acupuncture that uses electricity.

In this study, this method was found to be as effective as fluoxetine (antidepressant) for reducing symptoms of depression.

The researchers said electronic acupuncture could inhibit elevated levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. They also concluded that acupuncture exerts a protective effect on a person's stress response.

Acupuncture can indeed help with depression, but….

In 2018 there was a study published in Cochrane Library about acupuncture treatment to help treat depression. The study divided several categories of depression treatment to find out which one was most effective.

The result, there is indeed a decrease in depressive symptoms in acupuncture therapy. In addition, these results were also seen in acupuncture treatment for depression compared to acupuncture therapy without the assistance of medical drugs.

However, the effects of acupuncture were likened to psychotherapy did not show that significant effect. Therefore, further research is needed to examine the effect of acupuncture on depression.

Also, keep in mind that this method is more effective when used in conjunction with other medical treatments, such as psychotherapy and consumption of anti-depressant drugs.

Side effects of acupuncture

Usually, acupuncture is safe for everyone if it is done by a certified and professional person. In fact, now there are also acupuncture specialists.

However, for some people, there are side effects that arise from acupuncture treatment for depression, such as:

• Feeling itchy at the pricked area
• Allergic reaction to needles
• Bleeding at the puncture site
• Tired
• Bruising around the puncture area

If you are interested in using acupuncture to help treat depression, it's best to find out in advance what the benefits and risks of this method are. You can also consult your psychiatrist, acupuncturist or therapist for other opinions.