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Oriental Medicine Newspaper

NEWS RELEASE

May 8, 2003

For More Information Contact: Rebecca Wilkowski, Phone: (800) 729-0941

Pacific College offers Military Free Acupuncture to Beat Stress

In the wake of September 11, 2002 and the current war in Iraq, stress is an increasing problem that more and more Americans are suffering from. To help in these times of high stress, the San Diego branch of the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine is offering up to four free acupuncture treatments to patients with a military I.D. from May throughout July. (New patients only. Offer includes active military and their spouses. Physician's referral required in IL.)

According to a new landmark national survey, The Tension Tracker 2002, 61 percent of Americans are feeling stressed as a result of the September 11 bombings and war. The survey also revealed that as the economy has declined over the past year, 58 percent of Americans are now stressed because of financial concerns. Approximately 10 million Americans suffer from generalized anxiety disorder on a daily basis, and according to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), as much as 80 percent of disease is stress-related. According to the 2002 Tension Tracker survey, between 60 and 90 percent of visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related problems.

The Chinese medical view of stress is that excessive emotional stimulation or suppression sets up an imbalance of the basic life force energy, or qi, thereby injuring the body and producing disease. Chinese massage and acupuncture can alleviate stress symptoms by releasing endorphins, the body’s own natural painkillers, and improving the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids, which brings fresh oxygen to body tissues. This increased oxygen flow eliminates waste products from inside the body and enhances recovery from diseases. Chinese acupuncture and massage also decrease the stress hormone cortisol, lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, and relax muscle tissue.

According to the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, nearly one out of every 10 adults in the United States has tried acupuncture, and according to Massage Magazine, more than one in four Americans reports having a massage from a massage therapist in the past five years.

For more information on how acupuncture and massage relieve stress, please call (800) 729-0941. To make an appointment at Pacific College’s community clinic, call (619) 574-6932 in San Diego, (212) 982-4600 in New York, and (773) 477-4822 in Chicago.

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