Acupuncture for Stress Relief
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You know your health and wellbeing are of the utmost importance – but do you know why? First of all, good health means you get to do the things you like in life. If you put your health as priority #1, your happiness and productivity will be greatly affected too – and in the best way possible. This is the method of successful people. Successful people recognize that their health is tied to everything else. They understand that addressing issues like stress, pain and underlying conditions is the key to championing health. By promoting their own personal health, they’re becoming the best versions of themselves, performing daily tasks with vigor. This is where acupuncture can help. When it comes to stress relief, there are a few things you can do. Practicing mindfulness and meditation are effective. So is exercise. Acupuncture is also a great treatment for stress. In this article we’ll talk about how acupuncture can help you relieve stress and start living your best life.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a treatment that helps with symptoms like pain, illness, emotional distress and hormonal imbalance, by increasing circulation and reducing inflammation. The key to understanding acupuncture is that it addresses these ailments as a whole. In other words, it recognizes that insomnia, anxiety, pain, migraines and other issues are the result of fundamental functions within the body that are not working properly. Therefore, acupuncture is not putting the proverbial band-aid on the wound. Instead, acupuncture is about healing the wound from the inside out.
Is Acupuncture Good for Stress?
Yes. That’s because acupuncture promotes blood and energy flow in the body. Stress and disease lead to blockages in the body – acupuncture relieves those blockages.
Stress Causes
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Tension in the jaw and head
- Headaches
- Distractedness
- Restlessness
- Stomach issues, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome
How Does Acupuncture Help with Stress Relief?
Acupuncture helps because it lifts the blockages caused by stress and disease. The best way to explain it is to say that long, thin needles (also called acupoints) get applied to areas with stagnation or lack of blood flow. After a session (or maybe a few sessions, depending on your body’s response) the blockage issue is resolved, good hormones and natural chemicals like endorphins are released. This leads to the body’s response of relaxation and relief.
Mind and Body Benefits
According to various studies, acupuncture is beneficial to the mind and body. When it comes to stress relief this is important because there are mental and physical symptoms that manifest. In life, we are constantly rushing around, racing against the clock to get things done, which allows our nervous system’s natural fight-or-flight reaction to take over. Acupuncture increases the “happy hormones” like serotonin and epinephrine – the ones associated with a positive mood. By decreasing the body’s natural stress response, acupuncture will cause you to feel less stress and anxiety. This is how it works. This is the mind/body connection.
“Happy Hormones” Released During Acupuncture Treatment
- Gamma Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)
- Dopamine
- Serotonin
- Endorphins
How Often Should You Get Acupuncture for Stress?
This depends on your goals and your body’s stress response. You may feel better with each and every treatment, or it may take a few sessions for you to begin feeling better. If acupuncture is new to you, coming in at least once a week may be beneficial. That will give your body a chance to form its natural healing defenses. Over time, these defenses will fully kick in and leave you feeling good. After a few treatments you can have another conversation with your acupuncturist to reassess your treatment plan. Let them know what’s working for you and what isn’t. How is your body handling stress now? Think of a stressful situation and your body’s response to it. Do you feel calmer than you normally would?
How can you find a qualified Acupuncturist in Raleigh, North Carolina?
If you’re searching for a qualified Acupuncturist in Raleigh, North Carolina, you’ll want to find someone with experience, qualifications, and compassion. Look no further than Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center. Our goal since 2010 has been to provide quality and compassionate acupuncture in Raleigh, NC and the surrounding areas. Much like the balance that Acupuncture provides for your body, we provide our patients with balanced care: the highest quality healthcare, while at the same time focusing on compassionate services that treat you, the patient, with holistic, individualized treatment.

Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center for all of your Acupuncture needs
Hi, I’m Jim Eleczko, the founder of Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center and it’s my mission to provide you with compassionate, whole-person care using holistic treatments, including Acupuncture. I’m a board-certified and licensed Acupuncturist practicing since 2010 in Raleigh, North Carolina. I love that I get to wake up every day to make meaningful changes in my patient’s lives. I’ve seen first hand the changes that Acupuncture can make. As a teen I suffered from allergies and my father suggested that I try Acupuncture to calm the symptoms. It worked – and left a lasting impression on me! Now I offer Acupuncture and other treatments to help people with a variety of issues, including anxiety, migraines, fibromyalgia, and more. Our other treatments include Dry Needling, Tuina Massage, Guasha, Cupping, Stretching, Orthopedic Movements, Electroacupuncture and Therapeutic Exercises.
Here’s a bit more about me and my qualifications: I studied the 4-year program at Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine and continue to travel multiple times a year to study with my mentor, Andrew Nugent-Head. I also studied under Dr. Ed Garbacz, M.D. LAc and spent a year working and studying under Dr. Bonnie Walker, M.D. LAc. I have also done extensive post-graduate studies in acupuncture, nutrition, herbal medicine from lectures of acupuncturists like Dr. Nguyen Van Nghi, Dr. Tran Viet Dzung, Matt Callison, and Edward Obaidey.
Get in touch with me by calling (919) 260-4104. I’d be happy to answer your questions and get you booked for an appointment today!