Insomnia
is more serious than an inability to fall asleep early and has more
debilitating effects than are commonly recognized. An estimated
32 million people suffer from insomnia in the U.S. Oriental medicine,
with its focus on healing whole syndromes rather than individual
symptoms, has shown great success treating those who experience
insomnia.
Insomnia may present
itself in different ways. For some, the inability to fall asleep
is the most noticeable symptom while others are unable to reach
a deep level of sleep and are startled awake by every noise. Any
insomnia symptom would frustrate most sleepers, but night after
night for months or years, the most serious issues of insomnia accumulate
- the daytime effects. These can include physical tiredness, difficulty
concentrating and feeling depressed, irritable or lethargic. Oriental
medicine is effective for treating insomnia. It focuses on patients'
individual symptoms and builds a whole-healing plan from each symptom.
It also has been widely successful in treating depression, stress
and physical pain.
Acupuncture and
herbs have shown to be beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of
insomnia by treating the root of the problem. Insomnia may have
a number of causes, including stress, depression or anxiety; irregular
work schedules; medications, drug or alcohol abuse; major life changes;
chronic pain, hyperthyroidism or arthritis.
A study published
recently in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine, reports that
patients who received acupressure and transcutaneous electrical
acupoint stimulation (TEAS) experienced a significant improvement
with their symptoms, including problems of fatigue, sleep quality
and depression. The results from this study suggest that acupressure
or TEAS might have an important role in managing patients with fatigue,
poor sleep quality and depression.
By addressing all
of the contributing factors using acupuncture and herbs, a patient
can completely resolve their sleep disturbances. Oriental medicine
helps do this by treating the whole person and focusing on bringing
the entire body into balance.
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