Key result
Acupuncture significantly reduced GAD-7 and BPQ mean scores and increased the mean HRC high-coherence ratio among the 5 participants who completed the program.
Why the study?
The study was conducted to observe the effectiveness of acupuncture for reducing sympathetic stress, anxiety-related symptoms, and autonomic nervous system imbalance in generalized anxiety disorder.
Does acupuncture treatment reduce sympathetic stress and anxiety-related symptoms in patients with generalized anxiety disorder?
Does acupuncture treatment reduce sympathetic stress and anxiety-related symptoms in patients with generalized anxiety disorder?
Acupuncture over 4 weeks significantly reduced anxiety scores and improved heart-rhythm coherence in a small case series of patients with generalized anxiety disorder.
Objective: The goal of this case series was to observe the effectiveness of acupuncture for reducing sympathetic stress and anxiety-related symptoms in generalized anxiety disorder. The effect of acupuncture on the balance of the autonomic nervous system was also examined. Materials and Methods: This was a case-series study with 10 participants enrolled. Each participant received acupuncture treatment 2 times per week for 4 weeks. Participants were evaluated with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale and the Body Perception Questionnaire-Short Form (BPQ-SF) before and after the treatment program. Heart-rate variability heart-rhythm coherence (HRC) was also assessed during each acupuncture session. Results: Five participants completed the program. Both GAD-7 and BPQ mean scores showed significant reductions. The mean HRC high-coherence ratio also increased significantly after acupuncture treatment. No adverse effects occurred. Conclusions: Acupuncture may be an effective therapy for sympathetic stress and anxiety-related symptoms. The mechanism of action may be through activating the vagus nerve and improving the HRC high coherence ratio. It is feasible to conduct larger clinical trials with random controls, longer treatment durations, and long-term follow-ups to support the results of this study.
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Valle et al. (2023) studied generalized anxiety disorder (n=10). Acupuncture was evaluated on Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale, Body Perception Questionnaire-Short Form (BPQ-SF), and heart-rhythm coherence (HRC). Acupuncture significantly reduced GAD-7 and BPQ mean scores and increased the mean HRC high-coherence ratio among the 5 participants who completed the program.
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