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Acupuncture for Anxiety: A Deep Dive into the Science

by

Acupuncture for anxiety

As an acupuncturist, I often see clients who come to me with various concerns—be it chronic pain, digestive issues, or insomnia. Yet, time and again, people ask about acupuncture for anxiety as it is a significant issue for many people, both as primary and secondary concerns. Considering anxiety ranks among the top ten causes of disability worldwide (1) this is not surprising.

Types of Anxiety that Acupuncture has been Proven to Help

Fortunately, recent studies have shown that acupuncture for anxiety is not only effective but also rarely has side effects (1). Recognized in clinical guidelines (3) and by authorities in the field of psychiatry (2) for its role in treating various anxiety disorders, acupuncture is gaining attention as a natural option for anxiety relief. Because so many are curious about whether acupuncture for anxiety can truly make a difference, I’m going to go deep into the science behind this topic. 

Acupuncture for Anxiety: A Review of its Proven Effectiveness

To better understand the effectiveness of acupuncture for anxiety, we will examine various systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which are considered the highest level of scientific evidence. These reviews analyze the effectiveness of multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to provide a comprehensive view of the treatment’s efficacy. I found 12 such reviews published since 2018 (1, 4-14), encompassing over 100 RCTs with thousands of participants. Remarkably, all of these reviews concluded that acupuncture is either as effective as or more effective than other treatment options. Moreover, they consistently found that acupuncture has fewer side effects than conventional treatments.

There are Many Kinds of Anxiety that Acupuncture can Help

When it comes to acupuncture for anxiety, it has been shown to be effective across several types of anxiety disorders. For example, acupuncture is effective for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (4,5) and has also been proven beneficial for anxiety related to specific conditions including migraines (6), cancer (7), angina pain (8), irritable bowel syndrome (9), and functional dyspepsia (10). Additionally, acupuncture is highly effective for treating anxiety around various medical treatments including preoperative anxiety (12, 13), IVF (13), and dental anxiety (14). Overall, these findings highlight the broad applicability and safety of acupuncture as a treatment for various anxiety-related conditions.

Why Acupuncture for Anxiety Works: Analyzing the Top Scientific Studies

I previously went in-depth on How Acupuncture Works, discussing its effects on serotonin and dopamine to positively influence our mood. When it comes to acupuncture for anxiety, it has been shown acupuncture works in several ways. It impacts our emotions by decreasing activity in the limbic system (15), the area of the brain where we experience stress. Furthermore, it positively affects the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (16), the part of the brain responsible for balancing hormones. Moreover, acupuncture normalizes the autonomic nervous system (17), the branch of the nervous system associated with being either in a state of relaxation or a state of fight or flight. Altogether, these effects work in harmony to reduce anxiety, depression, and insomnia (18).

The Lasting Impact of Acupuncture for Anxiety: Immediate and Long-Term Benefits

For situational anxiety, such as anxiety before a test or a surgical procedure, even a single acupuncture session right before the event can be beneficial (19). In fact, after just two weeks of treatment, acupuncture was found to be more effective than clonazepam (20). For individuals with chronic, non-responding anxiety, statistically significant improvement was observed after 10 weeks of treatments (21). Moreover, one review found that the positive effects of acupuncture for anxiety persisted for at least 16 weeks after a series of sessions (8).

Exploring Other Effective Treatments for Anxiety

While acupuncture for anxiety is a powerful and proven approach, Chinese Medicine offers a variety of other effective treatments. Practitioners trained in East Asian Medicine are skilled in several techniques that can be beneficial for managing anxiety.

Acupressure for Anxiety

Acupressure is another highly effective technique for anxiety. One review of 24 randomized controlled trials on acupressure for preoperative anxiety recommended self-administered acupressure, concluding that it is an “evidence-based approach to managing preoperative anxiety”  (12).

Chinese Herbal Formulas for Anxiety

Chinese herbal formulas are a time-tested and proven form of treatment available in many forms, from pills to powders and even unprocessed herbs. Acupuncturists trained in Chinese or Oriental Medicine have extensive education in this technique, which involves hundreds of single herbs combined into personalized formulas. There are eight traditional formulas specifically listed for anxiety and two for panic attacks (22). Additionally, eight modern formulas have been created for anxiety and insomnia (23).

Yoga for Anxiety

Yoga is an increasingly popular option for anxiety relief. Personally, I find yoga so effective for treating anxiety that I created a follow-along yoga therapy video specifically for this purpose. You can check out my  Yoga for Anxiety video here.

I hope this blog post has answered all your questions about acupuncture for anxiety. If you’re interested in learning more about herbal formulas or acupressure for anxiety, feel free to ask in the comments. I will continue to post regularly with new information about acupuncture and related topics. To stay informed, check out my list of posted topics, upcoming discussions, and potential new topics below.

Interested in learning more about acupuncture?

Check out our related blog posts

Upcoming Topics

  • Does Acupuncture Work for Allergies & Respiratory Conditions?
  • Does Acupuncture Work for Stomach Pain & Digestive Conditions?
  • Does Acupuncture Work for Fertility?
  • Does Acupuncture Work for Shoulder & Elbow Pain?
  • Does Acupuncture Work for Wrist & Hand Pain?
  • Does Acupuncture Work for Hip & Knee Pain?

Potential Topics

If you are interested in any of these topics, please tell us in the comments section and we will move them to the top of the list!

  • What is Acupuncture?
  • What is acupuncture used for?
  • How Safe is Acupuncture?
  • Prenatal Acupuncture Safety and Efficacy
  • Is acupuncture safe after an operation?
  • Does Acupuncture Hurt?
  • What does research show about the effectiveness of acupuncture for pain?
  • Is acupuncture good for internal health conditions?
  • What is auricular acupuncture good for?
  • Is acupuncture covered by health insurance?
  • Do acupuncturists need to be licensed?
  • Who are candidates for acupuncture?
  • Is acupuncture an anti-aging treatment?
  • What is the difference between acupuncture and Botox?
  • What is the difference between acupuncture and dry needling?
  • Is acupuncture a placebo?
  • What is electroacupuncture or e-stim?

By Dr. Heather Wisely, DAcCHM, L.Ac. 

Doctor of Acupuncture with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization (DAcCHM), Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.), Yoga Teacher, Herbalist

Heather has studied traditional and alternative medicine for 20 years. Her primary focus is on Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has administered 20,000 treatments and taught 5,000 hours of yoga.  Helping relieve chronic pain is a passion of Heather’s, and she has studied techniques in acupuncture, yoga, herbal remedies, and essential oils. In pursuit of sharing her knowledge she is creating an online wellness course where she will share safe and effective remedies for alleviating pain naturally. You can find more information at www.WiselyLiving.media

References:

Introduction

(1) Amorim D, Amado J, Brito I, Fiuza SM, Amorim N, Costeira C, Machado J. Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for anxiety disorders: A systematic review of the clinical research. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018 May;31:31-37. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.01.008. Epub 2018 Jan 31. PMID: 29705474. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29705474/

(2) Byrne GJ. Interventions for generalized anxiety disorder. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2023 Mar 1;36(2):134-139. doi: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000840. Epub 2022 Dec 6. PMID: 36705012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36705012/

(3) Ravindran AV, Balneaves LG, Faulkner G, Ortiz A, McIntosh D, Morehouse RL, Ravindran L, Yatham LN, Kennedy SH, Lam RW, MacQueen GM, Milev RV, Parikh SV; CANMAT Depression Work Group. Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) 2016 Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Adults with Major Depressive Disorder: Section 5. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Treatments. Can J Psychiatry. 2016 Sep;61(9):576-87. doi: 10.1177/0706743716660290. Epub 2016 Aug 2. PMID: 27486153; PMCID: PMC4994794. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27486153/

Acupuncture for Anxiety: A Review of its Proven Effectiveness

4. Yang, Xiang-Yun et al. “Effectiveness of acupuncture on anxiety disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.” Annals of general psychiatry vol. 20,1 9. 30 Jan. 2021, doi:10.1186/s12991-021-00327-5 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33516258/

5. Li, Meichen et al. “Efficacy of acupuncture for generalized anxiety disorder: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis.” Medicine vol. 101,49 (2022): e30076. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000030076 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36626458/

6. Li, Zhao et al. “Effects of acupuncture on mental health of migraine patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” BMC complementary medicine and therapies vol. 23,1 278. 4 Aug. 2023, doi:10.1186/s12906-023-04103-8 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37542321/   

7. Zhang, Xiao-Wen et al. “Acupuncture for cancer-related conditions: An overview of systematic reviews.” Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology vol. 106 (2022): 154430. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154430 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36099656/

8. Tu, Mingqi et al. “Acupuncture for treating chronic stable angina pectoris associated anxiety and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Complementary therapies in clinical practice vol. 45 (2021): 101484. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2021.101484 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34517216/

9. Wang, Xuesong et al. “Acupuncture and related therapies for the anxiety and depression in irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D): A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” Frontiers in psychiatry vol. 13 1067329. 23 Dec. 2022, doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1067329 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36620677/

10. Xu, Zhiwei et al. “Efficacy of acupuncture for anxiety and depression in functional dyspepsia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” PloS one vol. 19,3 e0298438. 7 Mar. 2024, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0298438 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38452033/

11. Tong, Qiu-Yu et al. “Can acupuncture therapy reduce preoperative anxiety? A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of integrative medicine vol. 19,1 (2021): 20-28. doi:10.1016/j.joim.2020.10.007 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33288487/

12. Xie, Wenxuan et al. “Acupressure can reduce preoperative anxiety in adults with elective surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.” International journal of nursing studies vol. 145 (2023): 104531. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2023.104531 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37321140/

13. Hullender Rubin LE, Smith CA, Schnyer RN, Tahir P, Pasch LA. Effect of acupuncture on IVF-related anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reprod Biomed Online. 2022 Jul;45(1):69-80. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2022.02.002. Epub 2022 Feb 10. PMID: 35570176. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35570176/

14. Hoffmann, B et al. “Management strategies for adult patients with dental anxiety in the dental clinic: a systematic review.” Australian dental journal vol. 67 Suppl 1,Suppl 1 (2022): S3-S13. doi:10.1111/adj.12926 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35735746/

Why Acupuncture for Anxiety Works: Analyzing the Top Scientific Studies

15. Zhang, Xue-Hui et al. Zhen ci yan jiu = Acupuncture research vol. 45,4 (2020): 339-45. doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.180858 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32333543/

16. Cho, Z H et al. “Neural substrates, experimental evidences and functional hypothesis of acupuncture mechanisms.” Acta neurologica Scandinavica vol. 113,6 (2006): 370-7. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0404.2006.00600.x https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16674603/

17. Li, Yan-Wei et al. “The autonomic nervous system: A potential link to the efficacy of acupuncture.” Frontiers in neuroscience vol. 16 1038945. 8 Dec. 2022, doi:10.3389/fnins.2022.1038945 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36570846/

18. Hopper Koppelman, M. (2023, November 10). Acupuncture: An overview of scientific evidence: EBA. Evidence Based Acupuncture. https://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/acupuncture-scientificevidence/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2KsjXQIaWfRtGKuFaG1v6VzjbfnKo6amtti3CVoq4vQJ-yk3MBPinIGOE_aem_9E6bZIrrp8Fis0MBWXxSNA

The Lasting Impact of Acupuncture for Anxiety: Immediate and Long-Term Benefits

19. Karst, Matthias et al. “Auricular acupuncture for dental anxiety: a randomized controlled trial.” Anesthesia and analgesia vol. 104,2 (2007): 295-300. doi:10.1213/01.ane.0000242531.12722.fd https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17242083/

20. Zhou, Xiu-Fang et al. “[Impacts of acupuncture at twelve meridians acupoints on brain waves of patients with general anxiety disorder] Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion vol. 33,5 (2013): 395-8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23885609/

21. Errington-Evans, Nick. “Randomised controlled trial on the use of acupuncture in adults with chronic, non-responding anxiety symptoms.” Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society vol. 33,2 (2015): 98-102. doi:10.1136/acupmed-2014-010524 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25595195/

What are Other Effective Treatments for Anxiety?

22. Chen, J. K., & Chen, T. T. (2009). Chinese herbal formulas and applications: Pharmacological effects & clinical research. Art of Medicine Press. [Amazon]

23. Chen, John C., et al. Clinical Manual of Oriental Medicine: An Integrative Approach. Lotus Institute of Integrative Medicine, 2016. [Amazon]