Anxiety treatments utilizing acupuncture have been detailed in the first written Classic, The Yellow Emperors Canon. There is much discussion regarding differentiation and treatment of the channel system in chapters 9 & 10.
For example when the kidney channel is impaired, the primary sign is unreasonable fear. In the heart system palpitations and chest pain can result. The liver system discusses a sensation of fullness in the chest.
Organ Systems and Mental Health
In addition, there is much discussion regarding the mental and emotional aspects in relation to the organ systems.
In general, if a person feels fearful, this points to problems in the kidney system. Anger is related with the liver system. Mania/excessive joy in the heart system. Worry is the emotion when the pancreas channel is not functioning properly. Lastly, the lung system is related with the emotion of grief.
Understanding which emotion is dominant is the first step in treating stress and emotions, but cannot be used solely for diagnosis and treatments. By combining the emotional states with the signs and symptoms a person is experiencing leads to greater clinical outcomes.
For example, a patient may experience stress manifesting as constant worry. This points to a problem with the pancreas, but if a patient is also experiencing fullness in the chest, headaches at the top of the head with heat sensations of the face, waking at night between 1-3 am, in this case, although the emotions are pointing to the pancreas, the patient is physically experiencing signs and symptoms related to the liver system.
The liver and the pancreas have a balancing relationship where the liver prevents the pancreas from becoming excessive. If the pancreas however is constitutionally weak, then these two systems may conflict. Treatment may involve strengthening the pancreas, and /or releasing restrictions along the liver pathway to resolve conflicts between these two systems.
An experienced acupuncturist takes into account all of the patient’s medical history in combination with their signs and symptoms to understand where the illness is located. This is central to successful treatment of anxiety and stress related illnesses.
