Treating stress with acupuncture and aromatherapy

RUNNING HEAD : Stress : Acupuncture and Aromatherapy

Treating Stress with Acupuncture and Aromatherapy

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Purpose

Institution

MM /DD /YY :Treating Stress with Acupuncture and Aromatherapy

Introduction

Thesis Statement

Acupuncture and aromatherapy are two alternative therapies used to diminish stress levels experienced by the body . Therapeutics practicing aromatherapy and acupuncture believe in the paramedical effects channeled through the body 's sensorium . Meanwhile , medical studies have debated the effectiveness of acupuncture and aromatherapy in reducing or treating stress levels based on the body 's physiologic response

to the therapy

Overview : Stress , Acupuncture and Aromatherapy

Theoretically , stress is brought by heightened state of autonomic nervous system (ANS ) manifesting with various symptoms , such as pounding headache , cold and moist skin , depression , anxiety , etc (Porth , 2005 br

.196 . Both chronic and acute stress triggers several imbalances in the body 's neural and hormonal pathways (e .g . decreased immunity , hormonal imbalances , etc ) predisposing various chronic illnesses in cardiovascular , gastrointestinal and immune systems (Porth , Gaspard and Matkin , 2006

.160 . Acupuncture and aromatherapy activate the limbic mechanisms of the hypothalamic apparatus , which consequently stimulates the release of different biochemicals to induce sympathetic mechanism producing the therapeutic effects of the therapies . In to correct the alterations induced by stress , alternative therapies , most commonly aromatherapy and acupuncture , have been introduced to rebalance the hormonal and neural conditions of the body (Khyasudeen and Bakar , 2007

The use of aromatherapy and acupuncture in treating stress has been studied by several medical experts (Middlekauff , Yu and Hui , 2001 Middlekauff...