Acupuncture, burnout and increased stress level

 

Acupuncture in persons with an increased stress level

Results from a randomized-controlled pilot trial

"In Western societies today a high percentage of people are experiencing increased or chronic stress. The demands of work and the private lives of adults are often challenging and require considerable effort to sustain. 

It is well-known that chronic stress is a risk factor (or intensifier) for a variety of physical disorders or illnesses. 

Chronic stress has been demonstrated to increase cardiovascular risks, musculoskeletal disorders, and mental disorders such as depression. There is a large body of literature examining increased stress levels of the various professions. In many professions, the prevalence of burnout as a possible consequence of chronic stress is increasing. 

In light of a highly stressed and unbalanced working society the importance of short and effective treatment to reduce stress is undeniable. 

(...) To date, a few studies have shown that acupuncture may serve as treatment for persons with increased stress. However, well-designed randomized-controlled (RCT) studies demonstrating the efficacy of acupuncture in chronic stress are still lacking. The present study was a randomized-controlled pilot trial for adult persons with increased stress levels.

 

(...) Estimations of effect sizes show that acupuncture treatment has a positive effect on stress reduction as well as other health outcomes as compared to no treatment. 

Wild, Beate et al. “Acupuncture in persons with an increased stress level-Results from a randomized-controlled pilot trial.” PloS one vol. 15,7 e0236004. 23 Jul. 2020, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0236004

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7377446/