Acupuncture for Anxiety - Treatment Protocols

Submitted by yyh_staff on Wed, 08/02/2006 - 8:53am

Below you will find some of the more common tcm diagnoses and acupuncture treatment protocols for anxiety disorders. There are many ways to treat this condition with Eastern Medicine and our presentation is only one of many possible options.

  • Differentiation:

    • HT Qi & Blood Stagnation - Excess
      • Signs & Symptoms:
        • Panic attacks (sudden feeling of doom, rapid breathing, shortness of breath, palpitations, chest oppression), insomnia, profuse dreams.
        • Tongue:  Pale w/dark spots
        • Pulse:  Weak, fine possibly irregular
      • Treatment Points:
    • Phlegm Effecting the Heart - Excess
      • Signs & Symptoms:
        • Anxiety coupled with emotional depression and other signs of LV stagnation (easily angered, tension, sighing), insomnia, nightmares, dizziness, profuse thick phlegm.
        • Tongue:  Greasy yellow coat
        • Pulse:  Slippery, wiry
      • Treatment Points:
    • Yin Deficiency
      • Signs & Symptoms:
        • Anxiety originating with fear a/or dread, restlessness, palpitations, nightsweats, afternoon fevers, mallor flush, heat in the 5 palms, dry mouth a/or throat, dizziness, tinnitus.
        • Tongue:  Red possibly w/yellow coat
        • Pulse:  Thin, rapid, wiry
      • Treatment Points:
        • St. John Treatment Points (with modifications):
        • HT 8 - clear heat effecting the HT
        • PC 7 - clear heat efffecting the HT
        • KD 3 - tonify KD & HT yin
        • SP 6 - tonify yin
        • GB 20 - clear the head, dizziness, tinnitus
        • UB 15 - HT Shu
        • UB 23 - KD Shu
    • HT Qi & Blood Deficiency
      • Signs & Symptoms:
        • Palpitations with exertion, shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, poor memory, insomnia, pale lustreless complexion.
        • Tongue:  Pale w/thin white coat
        • Pulse:  Thin, weak
      • Treatment Points:
    • HT Yang Deficiency
      • May arise as a further development of HT Qi and Blood Deficiency, palpitations worse after exertion, shortness of breath, chest tightness, aversion to cold, cold limbs, dizziness.
      • Tongue:  Pale
      • Pulse:  Deep, thin, empty or Deep, slow
    • Treatment Points:

The information on our site is drawn from our own lecture notes and clinical experience. The following lecture notes were consulted within this section:

  • St. John, Meredith: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes
  • Valaskatgis, Peter: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes