Insomnia

Insomnia is very difficult to deal with, and can impact the work, social life and overall quality of life. But this is an alternative to sleep aids. Acupuncture has a long history of treating this condition, and I have seen many people in my clinic overcome sleeping probelsm. Recently, I was published in Medical Acupuncture about how to treat difficulty sleeping.

As with all acupuncture treatments, treating insomnia should address both the
root cause and the branch symptom of the illness. The branch treatment means to help the person relax and go to sleep in the near future. It is treated with calming points such as Yin Tang in the center of the forehead, ear points, and points on the head such as DU 20, and Si Shen Cong. On your own, try massaging these areas.

The root treatment of insomnia addresses the cause and can lead to overall improvement of the condition. The insomnia can be caused from a disharmony in the Heart, Liver-Gallbladder, and Stomach. In Chinese medicine, the Heart houses the spirit which is the mental and emotional state of the person. The blood must nourish the heart, or else it would irritate the spirit causing insomnia characterized by restlessness, anxiety, and palpitations. HT 7 threaded to HT 5 should be used, which are on the forearm near the hand.

Emotions are also a factor because the mind and body are strongly connected. Stress and frustration can cause insomnia from Liver Qi stagnation. This pattern is associated with irritability and neck pain. The liver qi should be smoothed with LV 3 on the foot and LI 4 on the hand for Liver Qi stagnation. Sometimes, stagnation in the stomach harasses the spirit, which is characterized by insomnia with bloating, belching, and nausea. For this condition, open the stomach channels by ST 36 and PC 6.