1. Auricular Acupuncture, Battlefield Acupuncture & Veteran’s Affairs

Ear Acupuncture protocol was first described by the French father of modern auriculomedicine, Paul Nogier in 1957, then confirmed and heavily researched by the Chinese NanJing Army Ear Acupuncture research team in 1958. Its origins trace back to Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, observed in forms of cauterizing, and piercing parts of the ear’s skin and its veins to help with sciatic pain, arthritis, and sexual dysfunctions.

To learn more tap here [Ear Acupuncture]

Now, as an evidence based Acupuncture tool, it is used for pain and anxiety disorders both in the civilian and military environments. With its ability to stimulate neural reflexes, auricular acupuncture utilizes the great vasculature and nerve pathways of the ear (lots of cranial nerves including the vagus nerve) to regulate the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Battlefield acupuncture is a protocol of specific ear points which is formally used in war zones, VA hospitals and private practices like ours, in order to reduce pain and stress responses. [battlefieldacupuncture.va.gov]

NADA, the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association has created an evidence based acupuncture protocol which since 1985 is widely accepted and used for opioid addiction, PTSD, insomnia and depression both in inpatient and outpatient settings. [NADA.nih.gov]

I hope this provides insight and resources for you or your loved ones. We use auricular acupuncture in combination to traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture, electroacupuncture or as a stand alone treatment. If you know anyone who struggles with anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain, post traumatic stress disorder, acupuncture and traditional Chinese Medicine may be able to help.

2. Acupuncture & PTSD: Healing Through Neuroplasticity. Do you understand PTSD and Its Impact on the Brain?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects emotional regulation, memory, and stress processing due to dysregulation in key brain areas:

  • Amygdala: Heightened fear and threat perception

  • Hippocampus: Impaired memory integration and contextual processing

  • Prefrontal Cortex: Reduced inhibition and emotional regulation

Chronic PTSD may lead to structural and functional brain changes that perpetuate the disorder—highlighting the need for interventions that promote neuroplasticity.

 

Acupuncture’s Therapeutic Role in PTSD

Recent research supports acupuncture as a viable complementary therapy for PTSD, demonstrating positive effects on both symptoms and underlying brain mechanisms.

Clinical Benefits of Acupuncture for PTSD

  • Significant symptom reduction: Anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and hypervigilance decreased in patients after acupuncture treatment

  • Comparable to standard care: A randomized trial showed acupuncture's efficacy matched cognitive-behavioral group therapy in reducing PTSD severity (Engel et al., 2014)

  • Low side effect profile: Safe, non-pharmacological, and well-tolerated

Biological Mechanisms Backing the Effects

  • Autonomic nervous system regulation: Balances sympathetic and parasympathetic activity to reduce hyperarousal

  • Neurotransmitter modulation: Impacts dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine levels—key players in PTSD pathophysiology

  • Endogenous opioid activation: Contributes to mood stabilization and pain relief

Acupuncture & Neuroplasticity: How the Brain Heals

Recent studies highlight acupuncture’s ability to promote adaptive neuroplastic changes, even in trauma-affected neural circuits.

Key Neuroplasticity Mechanisms

  • Enhanced synaptic plasticity: Promotes new connections in brain regions involved in memory and fear regulation

  • Functional brain network reorganization: MRI studies show improved connectivity post-acupuncture, especially in areas like the default mode and salience networks (Zhang et al., 2021)

  • Memory-directed stimulation: Acupuncture may target traumatic memory encoding pathways, helping the brain to reprocess trauma in a less distressing way (Hollifield et al., 2024)

 

Integrating Acupuncture in PTSD Care Plans

  • Ideal as a complementary therapy: Works alongside psychotherapy, EMDR, or pharmacotherapy

  • Flexible delivery: Effective in individual or group-based models

  • Accessible & holistic: Especially helpful for veterans, underserved populations, or those seeking non-pharmacologic care

References

  1. Hollifield M, Hsiao AF, Smith T, et al. (2024). Acupuncture for Combat-Related PTSD: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry

  2. Engel CC, Cordova EH, Benedek DM, et al. (2014). Randomized Effectiveness Trial of Acupuncture for PTSD. Medical Care

  3. Zhang J, Lu C, Wu X, et al. (2021). Neuroplasticity of Acupuncture: An Evidence-Based Review of MRI. Neural Plasticity

 

3.Acupuncture for Anxiety — Finding Calm During Holiday Seasons

As we head into the busy (and often emotionally intense) holiday season, it’s important to recognize that increased social demands, emotional shifts, and changes in routine can lead to elevated anxiety, low mood, and physical symptoms such as digestive upset, poor sleep, or tension in the neck and shoulders. You are certainly not alone in navigating these challenges.

Both in my practice and at UCLA, I frequently support patients who report:

  • A heightened sense of stress or anxiety from added social obligations

  • Feelings of loneliness or low mood when gatherings are sparse or emotionally charged

  • Worsening of chronic symptoms (pain, GI issues, sleep disruptions) in times of emotional stress

  • Persistent tension in the upper shoulders and neck, as the body stays in a “ready to go” mode

  • A need simply to pause, slow down, and give the nervous system a break before pushing into more social or holiday-driven activity

If any of this resonates, you may be relieved to know: there is growing evidence supporting acupuncture as a meaningful tool to regulate stress, anxiety and support emotional well-being.

How Acupuncture Supports Stress Relief

Here are some of the key physiological mechanisms that help explain the benefits of acupuncture:

  • Regulation of the autonomic nervous system — acupuncture can help shift the body out of a persistent “fight/flight” mode and support the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) state.

  • Reduction of elevated cortisol and stress hormone activity — by promoting a calmer stress response.

  • Modulation of mood- and pain-related neurochemicals such as endorphins, dynorphins, enkephalins (endogenous opioids), serotonin, and dopamine — all of which impact mood, sleep, and pain perception.

Taken together, these effects make acupuncture especially well suited to support anxiety relief, nervous system regulation, and holistic stress management.

What Research Shows

  • A 2021 systematic review & meta-analysis of 20 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) found that acupuncture had a moderate beneficial effect (standardized mean effect size −0.41 [95% CI −0.50 to −0.31], p < 0.001). Safety and tolerability were also favorable. BioMed Central+1

  • A 2022 review of 27 RCTs (n = 1,782) in GAD found that acupuncture improved Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) scores [MD = −0.78, 95% CI −1.09 to −0.46], Self Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) [MD = −2.55, 95% CI −3.31 to −1.80], and had fewer adverse events compared to controls. PubMed

  • A 2024 randomized fMRI-study in patients with insomnia (commonly comorbid with anxiety) found that acupuncture modulated emotional‐network resting-state functional connectivity, providing a neurobiological foundation for its calming effect. BioMed Central

  • A 2023 meta-analysis of 16 RCTs (n = 1,315) in patients with functional dyspepsia found acupuncture reduced anxiety (SAS MD = −7.07, 95% CI −11.03 to −3.10) and depression scores compared with placebo or drugs (though evidence quality was rated “very low”). PubMed

  • A 2025 systematic review of 5 RCTs (n = 376) in somatic symptom disorder found potential added benefit when acupuncture was combined with SSRI/SNRI therapy — although pain outcomes were inconsistent and study quality was limited. PubMed

What This Means for You

For the holiday period (and beyond), here are some practical suggestions from my practice:

  • Schedule a “reset” session — Before you dive into holiday commitments, booking an acupuncture session can help reset your nervous system and reduce baseline stress, making you more resilient for upcoming demands.

  • Tune into your body’s cues — Notice if your sleep is worse, your digestion is off, or your tension is creeping higher. These are early signs that stress is having a physiological impact and can be addressed proactively.

  • Use acupuncture as part of a broader stress-management strategy — This may include mindfulness or meditation, moderate physical activity, consistent sleep habits, and timely rest/“down-time.” Acupuncture supports all of these by reducing physiological “noise.”

  • Be realistic about frequency — For heightened stress or anxiety, more frequent treatments (e.g., weekly) initially may provide faster relief, followed by a maintenance rhythm (bi-weekly or monthly) as symptoms stabilize.

  • Communicate with your practitioner — Especially if you’re combining acupuncture with other therapies (herbs, medications, lifestyle changes), keeping your acupuncturist informed ensures coordinated care.

  • I encourage you to consider scheduling a supporting session. Whether you’re seeking a proactive reset or addressing an existing upswing in stress, acupuncture offers a safe, evidence-based option to support your nervous system and overall well-being.

This blog is intended for educational purposes. Always consult a licensed provider before integrating new treatments.