Benefits of Acupuncture for Brain Health
Would you like to improve your memory, concentration, or ability to focus? Acupuncture treatments are just as beneficial for your brain as they are for the rest of your body.
How Acupuncture Can Help Boost Your Brain
Acupuncture keeps your body perfectly balanced and ensures that Qi, an essential life force flows freely. When Qi blockages occur, you're more likely to experience aches and pains, illnesses, brain fog, confusion, poor memory, and other issues.
During acupuncture treatments, your acupuncturist inserts hair-thin needles into your body to clear blockages. Once normal Qi flow is restored, your symptoms begin to improve.
Brain health advantages of acupuncture include:
- Better Memory. Memory problems are an unavoidable aspect of aging, even if you don't have dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Acupuncture treatments may help you avoid these frustrating aging effects. Animals that received acupuncture treatments demonstrated improved memory and ability to learn in a systematic review of animal studies published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies.
- Less Anxiety. It's difficult to focus on a task when you're feeling anxious or nervous. In one research study, college students who received acupuncture treatment improved their working memory and made 36 percent fewer math errors compared to a control group that did not receive the treatment. The students also reported lower levels of anxiety after treatment. The study appeared in the October 2013 issue of the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies.
- Improved Function in Alzheimer's Patients. Scalp acupuncture may improve memory, spatial learning, and brain glucose metabolism in people who have Alzheimer's disease, according to HealthCMi.
- Natural Treatment for ADHD Symptoms. Sitting still and concentrating on school work is difficult for children who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Adults who have ADHD may not struggle with restlessness but might still have difficulty focusing. No matter your age, acupuncture treatment may improve fidgeting and enhance focus and concentration.
- Balanced Hormones in Peri-Menopausal Women. Fluctuating hormones during peri-menopause can also affect brain function, causing memory issues and difficulty concentrating. Acupuncture helps women's bodies adjust to changing hormone levels and has a beneficial effect on memory, focus, and hot flashes.
- Fewer Chemo Brain Symptoms. Trouble multi-tasking, forgetfulness, and difficulty learning new things often occur after chemotherapy treatment. Commonly called "chemo brain," the condition can be very frustrating for people trying to carry out their normal activities during cancer treatment. Chemotherapy disrupts the balance of your body, causing these troubling symptoms. Restoring your natural balance with acupuncture may relieve chemo brain symptoms and also reduce nausea and vomiting.
- Reduced Stress and Pain. Relieving stress and pain indirectly improves memory and cognition. When you're overwhelmed by stress or distracted by pain, you may find that your ability to focus and remember names, facts, and figures suffers. Acupuncture treatment triggers the production of serotonin, a natural chemical that reduces stress and anxiety. Treatments also prompt your body to release endorphins, hormones that act as natural pain killers. Keeping pain and stress under control may help you improve your ability to make decisions, solve difficult problems, and remember important appointments.
Acupuncture offers a simple, completely natural way to improve your brain health. Contact our office if you would like to take advantage of the many benefits of this time-tested treatment.
Sources:
Acufinder: Boost Your Brain Power with Acupuncture
HealthCMI: Acupuncture for Alzheimer’s Memory and Brain Function, 2/24/17
Anxiety and Depression Association of America: Facts and Statistics
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience: Can Acupuncture Treatment of Hypertension Improve Brain Health?
PubMed: A Meta-Analysis on Acupuncture Treatment of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, 8/15