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chief complaint: anxiety
A 53 year old business executive complained
of anxiety of 6 months duration. He was depressed, exhausted, weak, and
dizzy. He was nauseous daily and had no appetite. He slept poorly, only
3-4 hours each night. Under severe job stress for several years, he had
become worn out and isolated from family and friends.
He was treated 13 times over a period of
a few months. During that time, he also talked with a counselor and was
seen briefly by a psychiatrist for medications. He tried a series of antidepressants
and sleep medications, each with side effects he found intolerable. The
acupuncture sessions provided some immediate relief while he was setting
up physician appointments and getting his medication regimen established.
When we began treatment, his anxiety was
10+/10 on a scale where 0 represents complete comfort and 10 represents
extremely severe anxiety. After each session, he felt much more relaxed
and comfortable for hours to days. After a few sessions, his anxiety was
reduced to 4-5/10, and his appetite returned to normal with no nausea.
After 6-7 sessions, his anxiety was reduced to 3-4/10, and his sleep improved
from 3-4 hours/night to 5-6 hours. At the end of his course of treatment,
he reported no anxiety, good energy, ability to sleep 8 hours, and the
return of a decent golf game. He reduced medications under the supervision
of his psychiatrist.
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