What is Trauma-informed Acupuncture Care?

Trauma is a reaction to highly stressful events or circumstances. Traumatic events may occur at any stage of life and may have long-lasting effects on both your physical and mental health. Approximately 70% of adults in the U.S. have encountered a traumatic event at least once in their lives.

While every individual’s situation is unique, there are some common causes of trauma such as physical or sexual assault, exposure to traumatic events at work, and domestic abuse. Also, many traumatized people share some symptoms including anxiety, flashbacks, and sleep disturbances.

If you are looking for trauma-informed acupuncture near Walnut Creek, then reach out to the experts today at Monarch Acupuncture & Wellness.

Effects of Trauma

Traumatized people are at high risk of mental disorders. It can affect how an individual thinks and behaves and can lead to depression, anxiety, and stress. The individual may have difficulty communicating with others about how they feel.

Not only can trauma cause these symptoms, but it can also negatively affect the body’s systems. For example, when an individual is experiencing heightened stress and anxiety, they are likely to struggle with digestive issues and reproductive issues as their body is in a state of “fight, flight or freeze”.

Different people react to trauma differently. Some people may experience mood swings, have nightmares, or have an intense fear that the traumatic event may recur. Others may feel anger and lash out at people without any reason or have difficulty falling or staying asleep.

How can Trauma-Informed Acupuncture Care Help?

Trauma-informed acupuncture care takes a holistic treatment approach, which involves considering the whole person. It focuses on the root cause of trauma, rather than treating just the symptoms. Various studies have found that acupuncture can help traumatized individuals get their physical, mental, and emotional health back on track.

Acupuncture regulates the autonomic nervous system, shifting us from the “fight, flight, or freeze” response to a state of “relax, repair, rebuild.” Research shows that acupuncture can alleviate the symptoms of traumatic stress in the body, without the need to discuss or relive the trauma itself.

It regulates various bodily systems at the same time to promote a feeling of well-being and resilience. This ancient Chinese medical technique reduces anxiety, improves digestion and circulation, alleviates muscle tension, and promotes restful sleep.

Touch therapies such as acupuncture and massage can help traumatized individuals learn to trust again. For many traumatized people, physical touch can often act as a trigger. Over time, touch therapies such as acupuncture and massage may help these individuals learn to tolerate physical contact without activating the “fight or flight” reaction.

Trauma can cause your muscles to tighten, contributing to chronic pain. Acupuncture can stimulate the body to increase the production of oxytocin and other feel-good hormones that promote wellness.

Whether you are struggling with a health problem that affects your physical or mental health, Monarch Acupuncture & Wellness can help. We use a variety of Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques to treat acute and chronic conditions. To schedule your appointment, click here