Anxiety

"Anxiety" Issue / Symptom Connections

Below you will find various relationships to, and potential clinical treatment approaches for anxiety.

Content Related to Anxiety

It is critical to appreciate that in Chinese Medicine, treatment for "anxiety" is rarely focused on the symptoms exclusively. Alternatively, a practitioner is looking at the factors that led to the development of "anxiety" - i.e. the "cause(s)".

For non-practitioners, we recommend reading treating the "cause" and not the "symptoms" for more on the overall approach and the importance of the TCM diagnostic system in formulating treatment approaches.

Related Acupuncture Protocols

When developing an acupuncture protocol a practitioner is very often focusing on the causal diagnoses in Chinese Medicine terms, not on the condition itself. To illustrate and guide developing an acupuncture treatment for someone experiencing anxiety, this issue is referenced in the following acupuncture protocol sections:

• View EX Huatuojiaji at C2 (Sides of Spine at C2)
  
      .5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous processes of C2
  
      C2 innervates the forehead and the frontal lobe.  The relationship with the Broca's speech area left side of C2 may be used for speech disorders such as stuttering or post-stroke asphasia. Due to the relationship with the frontal lobe use…
• View EX Huatuojiaji at T5 (Sides of Spine at T5)
  
      .5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous processes of T5
  
      T5 influences the heart and pericardium systems - in the tam healing system the left side is more for heart issues and the right is more for pericardium issues.  A range of psychoemotional issues, depression, anxiety, etc. as well as cardi…
• View HT 1 (Highest Spring)
  
      In the center of the axilla on the radial side of the axillary artery.
  
      Regulate Qi flow from the torso to the arm and vice versa - cold, numbness, pain in shoulder a/or arm. Pain in the cardiac region - heart pain, chest pain, shortness of breath, anxiety, palpitations. Frozen shoulder. Pain a/or distentio…
• View HT 3 (Lesser Sea)
  
      With the elbow flexed, between the ulnar end of the cubital crease and the medial epicondyle of the humerus.
  
      Pain, numbness, tremors, etc. of the lower arms a/or hands - Parkinson's, stroke. Good local point to move the Qi and Blood. Spirit disorders from phlegm a/or heat etiologies - epilepsy, depression, anxiety, nervousness, poor memory, fuz…
• View HT 4 (Spirit Pathway)
  
      1.5 cun above the wrist crease on the radial side of the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon, on the HT 3 - HT 7 line.
  
      Sudden loss of voice. Restless Zang Disorder (fluctuating emotions, mania, depression, anxiety, insomnia), various emotional disturbances. Chest pain that perhaps worsens with emotional distress. Local point for pain in the elbow and/or…
• View HT 5 (Connecting Li)
  
      1 cun above the wrist crease on the radial side of the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon, on the HT 3 - HT 7 line.
  
      Speech a/or vocal disorders - aphasia (post-stroke), stiff tongue, stuttering, sudden loss of voice, sore throat. Spirit disorders and related physical manifestations, anxiety w/palpitations, arrhythmia, nervousness, depression - although…
• View HT 6 (Yin Cleft)
  
      .5 cun above the wrist crease on the radial side of the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon, on the HT 3 - HT 7 line.
  
      Night sweats, Steaming Bone Disorders, tonify Yin and Blood.  Often used with SI 3 for nightsweats. Acute chest and/or heart pain from Blood stasis.  Palpitations, although HT 5 may be better. Acute emotional disturbances - mania, anxiet…
• View HT 7 (Spirit Gate)
  
      At the wrist crease, on the radial side of the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon, between the ulna and the pisiform bones.
  
      Tonify deficiencies of the HT Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang. Emotional issues, especially those with related sleep or thinking manifestations - insomnia, muddled thinking. Heart and Phlegm fire leading to insomnia, anxiety, mania. Physical re…
• View HT 9 (Lesser Surge)
  
      .1 cun posterior to the corner of the nail on the radial side of the little finger.
  
      Jing Well Point - clear heat a/or obstruction from the opposite end of the channel, eye pain a/or redness, mouth ulcerations, sores. Can be bled or needled for emotional disturbances - strong restlessness, anxiety, panic attacks, manic de…
• View KD 1 (Gushing Spring)
  
      On sole, in depression with foot in plantar flexion, at the junction of the anterior 1/3 and posterior 2/3 of line conn…
  
      Descends excess from above, useful for LV Yang Rising or LV Fire - headaches, tinnitus, hypertension, epilepsy. Cooling KD empty heat - chronic sore throat, dry mouth, low back pain. Tonify KD/HT Yin - insomnia, palpitations, anxiety, po…
• View KD 3 (Great Ravine)
  
      In depression midway between the tip of the medial malleolus and the attachment of the achilles tendon.
  
      Tonify KD Qi, Yin or Yang Deficiencies from any etiology. Asthma from KD Deficiency - difficulty inhaling. Tonifies Yin of KD (chronic sore throat, empty heat), LV (dizziness, tinnitus, headache) a/or HT (anxiety, insomnia, excessive dre…
• View KD 4 (Large Goblet)
  
      Posterior and inferior to the medial malleolus in a depression anterior to the medial attachment of the achilles tendon.
  
      Luo Connecting Point - can be used to treat the LI (opposite the chinese clock). Important point for somnolence, fright/fear, palpitations, reluctance to interact with others. Cough, asthma, wheezing, shortness of breath, painful/sore th…
• View KD 9 (Guest House)
  
      5 cun above KI 3 on the line drawn from KI 3 to KI 10 at the lower end of the belly of the gastrocnemius muscle.
  
      Strong spirit disorders - anger, cursing, mania. Deficient yang, cold, in the abdomen - shan disorder, hernia, pain a/or retraction of the scrotum. Useful in a detox prescription to assist the cleansing, especially with respect to emotio…
• View PC 3 (Marsh at the Bend)
  
      On the transverse cubital crease on the ulnar side of the biceps brachii tendon.
  
      Chronic angina - palpitations, anxiety, panic attacks, sensation of "pounding" heart particularly in the upper abdominal area. Tremors of the hand a/or arm, Parkinson's disease - localized pain in the elbow and arm. Gastrointestinal diso…
• View SI 5 (Yang Valley)
  
      On the ulnar end of the transverse wrist crease in a depression between the styloid process of the ulna and the triquet…
  
      Local point for the hand and wrist. Neck and shoulder pain and/or swelling. Toothache, lockjaw. Clears heat from the hearts - calms the spirit, manic behavior.  
• View SI 7 (Branch to the Correct)
  
      5 cun proximal to the dorsal crease of the wrist on the SI 5 to SI 8 line.
  
      Local point for pain and/or strength/control issues in the elbow, arm, and fingers.  May be helpful for weakness of all the limbs as well. Stiff neck, headaches, vision issues - blurry, obstructed. Useful with onset of exterior wind-heat…
• View SI 11 (Celestial Gathering)
  
      On the scapula in a depression at the center of the infrascapular fossa, found at the junction of the upper and middle …
  
      Breast problems, mastitis, insufficient lactation, breast pain. Emotional issues, anxiety that presents with asthma, expands and relaxes the chest, asthma generally. Local point for channel pain within the shoulder, scapula region, elbow…
• View SP 4 (Yellow Emperor)
  
      In a depression distal and inferior to the base of the 1st metatarsal bone at the junction of the red and white skin.
  
      Excess pathologies of the ST and Intestines - severe abdominal a/or epigastric pain, dysentery, food poisoning. Gynecological and Abdominal issues due to stagnation of Qi and Blood - masses, fibroids, cysts, irregular menstruation. With …
• View SP 5 (Shang Hill)
  
      In a depression distal and inferior to the medial malleolus midway between the tuberosity of the navicular bone and the…
  
      Tonifies the spleen and resolves dampness - lethargy, desire to lie down, abdominal distention. Calms the spirit - manic depression, anxiety, excessive thinking. Speech disorders, stiffness at root of tongue.
• View SP 6 (Three Yin Intersection)
  
      3 cun directly above the tip of the medial malleoulus on the posterior border of the tibia.
  
      Tonify Yin and Blood, all Spleen disorders. Digestive disorders, sinking/prolapse. Gynecological issues, male sexual issues, difficult labor (expel fetus). Menstrual issues (irregular, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea). Bleeding disorders, ute…
• View ST 23 (Supreme Unity)
  
      2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 10.
  
      Abdominal pain, epigastric pain, bloating, poor appetite, diarrhea. Shen/Spirit related imbalances related to phlegm - manic depression, irritability, anxiety. Used with ST 24 for manic depression with stiff/thrusting tongue.
• View ST 24 (Slippery Flesh Gate)
  
      2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 9.
  
      Epigastric pain, vomiting (rebellious qi). Similar effects as ST 23 on phlegm related shen issues - manic depression, anxiety, mania. Used with ST 23 for manic depression with stiff/thrusting tongue.
• View UB 14 (Jue Yin Shu (Pericardium Shu))
  
      1.5 cun lateral to the GV line, level with T4.
  
      For all heart conditions: palpitations, anxiety, stress, etc. Combine with PC 6 to open the chest (as in the case of plum pit qi).  This chest pain can be psycho-emotional (i.e. liver/heart system related in Chinese Medicine terms), or it …
• View UB 15 (Heart Shu)
  
      1.5 cun lateral to GV 11, level with T5.
  
      Main point for all heart related issues from a TCM perspective, blood and circulatory related issues of an excess or deficient nature. Nourishes the spirit and calms the shen - main point for all heart related emotional issues: palpitatio…
• View UB 18 (Liver Shu)
  
      1.5 cun lateral to GV 8, level with T9.
  
      Main point for all Liver related conditions in TCM terms - physical and psycho-emotional. Physical liver issues such as - hepatitis, jaundice, cirrhosis.  Generalized blood stagnation, qi stagnation, etc. Brightens the eyes - important p…
• View UB 19 (Gallbladder Shu)
  
      1.5 cun lateral to GV 7, level with T10.
  
      Shao Yang level diseases, alternating fever and chills. Main point for damp heat in the Liver and Gall Bladder: hepatitis, cholecystitis, jaundice, vomiting, flank pain and distension, bitter taste in the mouth. Often combined with the LV…