PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is often associated with problems experienced by soldiers in the military. This disorder actually not only affects troops but potentially everyone else as well. PTSD can be acquired when a person directly experiences scenes or situations involving a disaster, aggression or violence. A situation filled with emotional, mental or physical trauma can trigger PTSD in a person. With traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and acupuncture people suffering from this condition can be assisted by lowering their levels of anxiety and enabling them to cope with life in a much better way.
PTSD causes the person to reenact in his mind those traumatic events that overwhelm his nervous system. People with PTSD react by becoming more angry which puts them in a state of hyper vigilance. The effects can manifest in depression, paranoia and problems falling asleep. PTSD is only recognized in a person when he has been experiencing these symptoms for more than a month; it is also needs to affect his daily life like his social life and work.
As mentioned above, PTSD can stem from a number of factors. However, the common denominator is that the person imagines himself to be under constant life threatening danger making him unable to live a happy and/or productive life. Some of the traumatic experiences that can cause PTSD can include emotional/mental trauma, natural disaster, terrorism, sexual attacks and physical assault. There are also cases where the origin of PTSD may be genetic in nature. A person who has been exposed to traumas early on in life is a likely candidate for PTSD.
Those suffering from PTSD have adrenalin constantly pumped into their blood. TCM views the adrenal glands as tied to the kidneys. The kidney function can be imbalanced by fear. TCM often diagnoses PTSD as a deficiency in kidney energy and Shen disturbance as well as spleen or heart energy deficiency. Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture can be very vital instruments in treating PTSD and its symptoms. Some meridians located in the ear help to regulate brain functions and this can aid in reducing the overactive nervous function and reducing stress. Auricular acupuncture or ear acupuncture can be an effective type of acupuncture in addressing PTSD. Besides acupuncture, counseling and relaxation therapies should be performed by the patient to maximize the results of the treatment.
TCM and acupuncture have for several millennia been helping to treat countless numbers of people throughout time of a wide range of illnesses and ailments. Fortunately, the US military has seen the beneficial effects of acupuncture especially in treating pain and emotional problems. More research is being performed to see how acupuncture can be applied in different kinds of situations. The future looks good in having acupuncture be a very important component in the treatment of US troops.
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