Tag: panic attacks

Stress, High Blood Pressure, and Acupuncture

When a person is under stress, their body starts what is known as a stress response. A number of chemicals are released into the bloodstream, the heart beats faster, breathing becomes more rapid, and muscles tense up. If the person is planning on running away from a large animal, these are all very good responses. For the businessman at his desk taking a phone call, these are not good reactions. The body easily takes care of an occasional response like this, the chemicals are cleaned out, and the body becomes relaxed once again. However, when this reaction occurs a number of times a week, the stress starts to affect the resting state of the body. Muscles no longer entirely relax, and the frequent release of these chemicals create other problems. Chronic stress can cause such problems as sleeplessness, stomach and digestion problems, panic attacks, and pain of some sort (such as frequent headaches). Long term problems related to stress include strokes, high blood pressure, and colitis or other bowel problems.

A person may try to handle stress on his or her own, by finding something to mask it. Alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, and even lots of sugar can make the person feel better. One of the most common “pills” after a stressful moment is a cup of coffee and a doughnut, or possibly a cigarette. Physicians can also prescribe medications to combat some of these symptoms, both psychological and physical. Antidepressants, one of the more common medications for this, only offer short-term relief at best.

The obvious answer is to remove the source of stress. However, many times that simply is not possible. Is there another solution? One of the most successful results from acupuncture is the relaxation of the patient, followed by the removal of tension from the body. This relaxation response produces a decreased heart rate, lowered blood pressure, and increased energy and possible tissue regeneration. There is frequently a feeling of well being and self-confidence. As the acupuncture treatment stimulates and redirects the vital energy of the body, each muscle and organ system begins to function the way that it should. Acupuncture is not only used to relieve the stress response of a patient, but also in a number of cases it has made the doctor prescribed antidepressant unnecessary. With wider use of acupuncture, there could be a substantial reduction in the consumption of drugs such as Prozac.

Standard acupuncture techniques using needles are very effective to combat chronic stress. If this were more widely accepted by Americans under routine stress, we would have a much healthier population. In addition, acupuncture treatments that use low levels of electricity have been found to be even more successful in lowering blood pressure. Several researchers that use electric stimulation have been able to regrow tissue in animals, and this without any scars. The combination of using acupuncture therapy for blood pressure management and possible healthy tissue regrowth is a very exciting topic for people with heart and circulatory problems

Acupuncture is one of the most successful treatments for this American problem. Not only do the symptoms decrease, but the acupuncture treatment results in a healthier body as well.

Anxiety Attacks: You Could be a Victim

Anxiety is a normal reaction to situations that cause unrest and disquiet. Most life experiences evoke differing amounts of anxiety. However, what if anxiety becomes for you a chronic and even uncontrollable experience? And worse, what if you suddenly experience feeling terribly anxious for no reason at all?

If this is so, then you are probably experiencing a panic attack a chronic, pathological experience of unwarranted anxiety. In the USA alone, close to three million people suffer from this kind of illness. Anxiety attacks could happen in any place, at any time and any situation making it a very unpredictable and worrying illness.

Anxiety attacks differ from other disorders by the simple fact that they happen almost instantaneously and without provocation. It can occur even in the most inauspicious of places. Be it a trivial gathering or an important performance.

Most that suffer from this sort of disorder are often amazed and bewildered at how unpredictable an attack may be. The severity of such can range from mild discomfort to a nervous condition that effectively disables a person.

Panic attacks are so unpredictable; they can even bother one in their sleep. This can cause a major inconvenience and can seriously affect ones lifestyle. Those that do not understand the illness might make fun of or think that the person suffering from such an illness are overreacting or are doing things of their own accord to make things worse.

They do not understand that this condition is truly an illness that should be remedied and given attention as soon as possible. This is because this condition steadily increases in duration and intensity. Those that experience anxiety attacks for the first time typically suffer through the condition for ten minutes at a time.

As the condition progresses, this number steadily increases, and along with this increase in duration can come an increase in intensity.

Unfortunately, this type of disorder gets worse without treatment. Whenever one experiences a panic attack during any activity, the persons tendency is to associate that activity with the fear. This could cause trauma for many different activities, ultimately causing one to avoid performing these activities.

Symptoms
1. Sudden Fear As mentioned earlier, those that suffer from anxiety attacks encounter them suddenly, unexpectedly and without provocation. They also experience nausea and stomach maladies at the same time.

2. Sudden Change of Demeanor During a panic attack one may become either suddenly inactive effectively paralyzed by fear or on the far end of the spectrum, suddenly hysteric. The patient may or may not have control of the faculties during such an episode.

3. Chest Pain and Dizziness Chest pains and dizziness often accompany such attacks. These symptoms are usually company to nervous-related disorders. Some patients have also described being in a dream-like state; feeling chills, terror, sudden thanatophobia (fear of dying), palpitation, and other symptoms.

The causes of panic attack syndromes are quite hazy; it could be a deeply-rooted emotional problem, a trauma, or a nervous physiological condition. Some people are even genetically predisposed to such illnesses, having a marked imbalance of chemicals in the brain.

Most patients admitted with panic/anxiety disorders are treated with a mix of medication and psychiatric therapy. This mix addresses both the physical and mental faculties affected by the illness. The prognosis for such illnesses is good as long as it is treated early and consistently.