Essay: Anxiety

Anxiety is a widely studied phenomenon in the West by psychology, by psychoanalysis and by medicine. It is characterized by an unpleasant subjective state of restlessness, tension and apprehension. While anxiety terminology is not found in the literature of traditional Chinese medicine, the symptoms described are widely studied. Such literature considers this pathology metaphorically a disharmony of spirit, and presents a series of possible interventions by traditional techniques such as acupuncture. The object of this article is to describe the treatment performed by means of acupuncture to a patient who had anxiety disorder. After identifying the symptoms of anxiety, made the complaint of the patient and the clinical analysis grounded in the DSM IV, there were 10 traditional Chinese acupuncture, using as theoretical reference the classical literature of Chinese medicine. The results were the partial reduction of the symptoms from the fourth session and a significant improvement of the patient, with the report of symptom relief from the sixth treatment session.
Keywords: Acupuncture, Anxiety, complementary therapy, Health.
ABSTRACT
Anxiety is a phenomenon widely Studied in the West by psychology, psychoanalysis and medicine. It is Characterized by an unpleasant Subjective state of worry, tension and apprehension, in Which It Is Difficult to relax. Although the terminology anxiety is not found in the literature of traditional chinese medicine, the described Symptoms are Studied widely. Such literature considers que pathology metaphorically to the discord of the spirit and presents a series of possibilities of interventions for traditional techniques to the acupuncture. The objective of this article was the treatment accomplished through acupuncture to a patient que presented anxiety disorder. After the confirmation of the diagnosis 10 sessions of traditional chinese acupuncture Were accomplished, using the theoretical reference the classic literature of chinese medicine. The results Were the partial suppression of the Symptoms starting from the fourth session and the full recovery of the patient by the disappearance of all of the Symptoms starting from the sixth treatment session.
Keywords: Acupuncture, Anxiety, Complementary therapy, Health.
ABSTRACT
Her anxiety on es un phenomenon amply estudiado en el occidente by her Psychology, Psychoanalysis por el y por la Medicine. It is characterized by un subjective state of disagreeable inquietud, tensión y apprehension. Aunque la terminology anxiety on the sea found en la literature de la china traditional medicine, these symptoms described amply estudiados son. Such literature considers esa pathology metaphorically unite disharmony del espíritu, y presenta una possibilities of series of Intervenciones by tradicionales techniques like acupuncture it. El object este es el artículo report tratamiento done by measuring her acupuncture una patient presentaba disorder of anxiety on. Después de la Identification of symptoms of anxiety on them, made by her queja de la patient y por el clinical análisis basado en el DSM IV, fueron made 10 sesiones traditional china acupuncture, using as a theoretical la clásica literature la china medicine. Los results cheated fueron la disminución part of them symptoms desde la sesión y una cuarta significant mejora de la patient, con el del report relief of symptoms them from her sixth sesión de tratamiento.
Key words: Acupuncture, Ansiedad, complementary therapy, Salud.
 
 
Traditional Chinese medicine and, more specifically, acupuncture, are still little known fields of studies by Brazilian psychologists. Only after the regulation of the use of acupuncture as a complementary technique, the Federal Council of Psychology, with the CFP Resolution Nº05 / 2002, it was that it began to attract the interest of psychologists working in the clinical environment and health.
Acupuncture is one of the many elements that make up the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which also uses practices such as massage, herbal medicine, physical and breathing exercises, such as tai chi chuan and qong qi to promote the physical, mental and spiritual individual. According to Campiglia (2004), Vectore (2005) and Silva (2007), traditional Chinese medicine and therefore acupuncture itself is based on the principle that man should be in harmony with the primal forces of nature, which the Chinese call yin and yang (two opposite and complementary principles that make up the universe), and that harmony creates a balance that can be translated as health, and in turn, the imbalance, such as illness. The basic principle of acupuncture holds that balance is maintained in the human body through the smooth flow of energy called qi by the Chinese as well as the flow, too soft, the body, the blood, called by the Chinese as xue. environmental, food, emotional or spiritual problems can cause some kind of change in the circulation of qi and xue in the body, thus creating some sort of dysfunction or disease. From the moment you some pathology is installed in the body, one way to eliminate it or minimize it would be the insertion of needles into specific points on the body, which has the property of restoring this smooth flow, ie by practice of acupuncture (Silva, 2007; Xinnong, 1999).
With this principle as a basis, any dysfunction or disorder such as, e.g., anxiety, can be treated by means of acupuncture; however, carry the treatment of a condition such as anxiety by acupuncture may not be as simple procedure to perform as it seems at first, because, in the literature of traditional Chinese medicine, there is no reference to that specific pathology, whose nomenclature is typically Western. The anxiety itself is a phenomenon still poorly understood even in the West, because, while presenting specific symptoms itself can be understood as a symptom of other diseases.
And it is from this understanding (anxiety as a symptom) it is possible to draw parallels between Western knowledge and Chinese acupuncture. comparing the described symptomatology, it is possible to identify what the treaties classical Chinese writing on the currently ranks anxiety, and thus make the West treat the lines described by the traditional principles of china.
 
Understanding the anxiety phenomenon by Western science
The anxiety have long since been identified in Western science and extensively studied the areas of psychology, psychoanalysis and medicine. Anxiety is not considered necessarily pathological phenomenon, and is best understood as a natural function of the body that allows it to be prepared or to be prepared to respond in the best possible way to a new and unknown situation or a situation already known and interpreted as potentially dangerous. However, if the anxiety reaches very high and continuous degrees, it can be considered harmful to the body, as it will cause it to remain on constant alert, setting then a pathological situation.
In Western science, it is not known for sure what the causes for the emergence of anxiety, and although the biologically based studies are advanced, the best explanations are still the psychodynamic base (Kaplan, Sadok, & Greb, 1997). For these authors, it is still possible to make a distinction between anxiety considered normal and pathological anxiety, and claim that anxiety has life-saving qualities, for the individual alert about a possible internal or external threat. In this sense, it has to prepare the individual function for it to protect a threat or, failing to do so, at least diminish its consequences.
Thus anxiety is present in a person’s life throughout its existence, and can be understood as a regular monitoring of the various changes that occur in life. However, such a phenomenon may present a pathological character when it appears as an inadequate response due to their intensity or duration, before a given stimulus.
When anxiety is presented in a high intensity or duration, not proportional to the front stimuli to which the individual is, you can say that we are facing a pathological picture of an anxiety disorder. Regarding anxiety disorders, the DSM-IV (2002) classifies 14 different types of disorders that can be classified in this category and, for this work, it is interesting to note generalized anxiety disorder, since this is the disorder that presents closer symptoms to the symptoms presented by the patient object of this study. According to the DSM-IV, generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by:
… An anxiety or excessive worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring on most days for a period of at least 6 months … The individual finds it difficult to control the worry. Anxiety and worry are accompanied by at least three additional symptoms from a list that includes restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension and sleep disturbance … although individuals with generalized anxiety disorder do not always are able to identify their concerns as excessive ?? ??, they report subjective distress due to constant worry, have difficulty controlling the worry, or experience impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas … the intensity, duration or frequency of anxiety and worry are clearly disproportionate to the actual likelihood or impact of the feared event. (DSM IV, 2002, p. 457)
Still on the main features presented in anxiety disorders, it is interesting to note Homes (1997), which stipulates that in such cases, individuals have specific symptoms in somatic fields, engine, mood and cognition. For symptoms of mood, anxiety arising suffering has the characteristic of presenting a constant feeling that the individual is convicted of something, or that something terrible will happen; thus, the person may have feelings of tension, fear, irritability and depression. Cognitive symptoms, in turn, relate to the arrest and / or concerns about a possible conviction or disaster that may occur and that the individual anticipates.
Somatic symptoms, according to homes, may be divided into two types; the former may be called immediate, which may be dry mouth, sweating, shortness of breath, feelings of muscular tension, throbbing in the head, rapid pulse, and increased blood pressure. Since the latter are the result of a chronic state of anxiety, which can impair the physiological system causing general fatigue, intestinal pain, muscle weakness, hypertension and constant headaches. Finally, the motor symptoms concern the impatience and anxiety that individuals in anxiety states may have, it is common that people in this state emit rapid, repeated movements with fingers, feet or legs or greatly exaggerated startle responses to stimuli such as noise or presence sudden people.
 
Understanding anxiety phenomenon the theoretical framework of traditional Chinese medicine – acupuncture
Anxiety word is a Western word that refers to a somatopsychic state described by the Psychology and Western Medicine. In these terms, the anxiety terminology is not an Oriental terminology, therefore, in the classical literature of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is impossible to find descriptions of treatments for anxiety. Allied to this, MTC, there is no separation between mind, body and spirit therefore no ratings exclusively psychological or psychiatric diseases or disorders, such as occurs in the West, for example in the case of anxiety disorder.
However, according to Shu-Ling (1995), MTC, there is a classification of diseases in which fit the conditions which present greater psychological / emotional symptoms, calls dian-Kuang, which can be translated from mental disorders. In dian-kuang, however, they are framed more severe pathologies, which, in the West, can be translated as psychoses. Thus, less severe disorders such as, anxiety disorders or states could not be classified as dian-Kuang pathologies
From this perspective, authors such as campiglia (2004) and Auteroche and Navailh (1992) understand that phenomena such as anxiety are symptoms (as well as in the West) of other disturbances. Allied to this, as in TCM there is no separation between body, mind and spirit, a disharmony in one of the five major organs of the body (the Chinese perspective: heart, baçopâncreas, lung, kidney and liver) automatically will cause an imbalance in the mental aspects and spiritual of these organs, respectively called shen, hun, po, and yi zhi.
In this perspective, as Anxiety is a symptom of disharmony, it can be imbalance symptom of any of these aspects is, however, more pronounced considered a disorder shen, which means spirit (Campiglia, 2004), emphasizing that, for the Chinese, the spirit resides in the heart. This spirit is not trapped in the heart, but circulates throughout the body, ensuring the vitality and consciousness, regulating mood and sense of well-being in the world, as highlighted Campiglia (2004):
Shen lodged in the heart. The heart is the organ that acts as a receptacle for the active functions of consciousness, it houses or express feelings, emotions, deepest desires, imagination, intellect and memory of past events. as a glass or cup, the heart contains the blood and Shen, which are its content, its sacred wine … That is, to become lodged in the heart, Shen is not a fixed place but circulates as blood in vessels. It is the entire body, because the blood vessels irrigating all skin to the eye. Shen is thus a dynamic activity which is the essence of the heart. It acquires and develops consciousness interacting with the world and with their own bodies and the Shen is present in each of them. (P 92)
So for the Chinese, a disturbance in the heart automatically corresponds to a disharmony in the mind. Anxiety, then, can be understood as the result of a harmony of spirit, either by an overflow situation, failure or stagnation of qi (energy) and xue (blood) in the heart or other organs that end up affecting the heart. This excess situation, failure or stagnation can be caused by the six external pathogenic factors, wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness and fire; the seven internal factors, joy, anger, sadness, grief, worry, fear and dread, or the factors or internal or external, such as food, trauma, overwork, physical exercise or sex (Campiglia, 2004 ; Chonghuo, 1993). Although there are in classical literature of TCM specific references to anxiety phenomenon, not as a symptom of disorders in the five organs, most predominantly in the heart, there are already modern authors like Ross, that paint a more direct parallel between Western terminologies and Eastern. Ross (2003, p. 461), the ?? anxiety can be defined as an unpleasant subjective state and restless tension and apprehension, which is difficult to relax or find calm and peace ??.
Based on the Chinese principle of indivisibility of body, mind and spirit and the relationship between the five organs, Ross (2003) also emphasizes that anxiety is caused by a disturbance of the heart system. The author adds that the emergence of anxiety disorders is constantly related to an imbalance between the heart and kidney systems: ?? The anxiety of the heart is based on fear of the kidney, with characteristic feelings of apprehension, fear that something terrible happen. Anxiety can then come combined smoothly and fear, with physical signs like tremor, urinary frequency or loose bowels ?? (Ross, 2003, p. 464).
According to the author, the anxiety is the result of a disorder of the shen, is a symptom indicating that the spirit is not able to move properly by the body. In this sense, Ross (. 2003: 465) states that the Chinese perspective, there are at least three different types of anxiety, according to the situation that caused it:
by excess anxiety: ?? … The fire Phlegm Heart is a form of excess that can lead to anxiety and confusion of thought, language and behavior. It consists essentially of phlegm, due to spleen deficiency, in combination with the fire of the heart. May arise from emotional stress or excessive smoking, alcohol and fatty foods, lacking ?? exercise.
Anxiety by stagnation: ?? The stagnation can lead to movement disorder. The stagnation of the heart and liver qi qi, for example, arising from emotional stagnation, can lead to disturbance of the heart the spirit and liver yang hyperactivity, leading to anxiety. The stagnation of qi may result in accumulation of phlegm, which can disrupt the free movement of the spirit, causing ?? anxiety.
Anxiety deficiency: ?? anxiety increases when power is reduced when there is deficiency from lack of sleep and rest, overwork, stress, illness and poor nutrition, and other factors. The heart and kidney qi deficiency, heart and kidney yin, and the heart and the spleen blood can lead to anxiety, since the qi, yin and blood are necessary to maintain stable mind? ?.
 
Description of the patient treated by TCA
The object of this study patient was a woman aged 39, married with three children residing within a town with about 8,000 inhabitants and economy based on agriculture. As for the profession, refers to itself as the home, while helping her husband on the read of the field for planting corn and soybeans and raising pigs. He sought psychological care to present, according to his account, a constant state of anxiety coupled with a slight depression, and reported also present an arising fear frame occasional bouts of feeling of death and a major concern for the family, but do not know set in relation to this concern arose.
The patient reported that 9 years ago, presented a depression have diagnosed by a primary care physician of the city where he lived, and underwent treatment with antidepressants for 3 years, with a relative relief of symptoms. Since then, he used a natural antidepressant called Ipérico, however this also occasioned only temporary elimination of symptoms, and must be consumed fairly regularly.
During crises, the patient reported that was extremely sensitive, with heaviness in the body and head, stating feel more symptoms at night, especially before bed. He also said he felt pressure in the chest, with difficulty to fill the lung, was mentally agitated at the same time showed apathy to perform the activities of daily life and unable to draw prospects for the future. The occurrence of symptoms was constant (every day), and were relieved only with the use of medication; however, he pointed out that there was a small stress symptoms in the morning, when I woke up, and at night when going to sleep.
Since the beginning of their concerns and unpleasant sensations, it reported that emerged when he was about 13 years; his father, who had cancer, was always sick, and the patient was constantly afraid of death. The patient did not believe that their current symptoms have a direct link with his father, who died when she was 22 years old. He said, however, that they began to emerge with intensity when he was 27 and after an uncle who was a lot like his father also died. According to the patient: ?? were burying his father for the second time ??.
From the reports made by the patient in the initial interviews related to his speech with what is described in DSM-IV (2002), and were able to identify that it had characteristics of a generalized anxiety disorder. In addition, the patient will also be characterized by a very simple person, with little formal education, which sometimes made it difficult to display their feelings, and their very brief speech and answers to questions often monosyllabic. Such features were an element that hindered the realization of psychological treatment based solely on treatment by speech, which is why we offered the patient the possibility of carrying out a complementary treatment using acupuncture technique, which was accepted.
Regarding the general aspects of the patient, within a standard diagnostic for acupuncture, it claimed not really like the cold, preferring the heat; I had enough chills, especially when she was nervous, and did not usually have fever or sweat easily; He had good digestion and its headquarters was normal; I felt no stronger flavor and had good sleep, however, had repeated dreams when I was depressed; They were recurring dreams, which usually involved disasters such as airplanes falling close to home. As for urine, had color, normal volume and frequency; the same for the intestines and the menstrual cycle. In relation to the sense organs, showed only mild difficulty seeing up close.
 
Summary of Clinical disease – diagnosis by traditional Chinese medicine and early treatment through acupuncture
Based on interviews with the patient and probe pulses, which had mainly excessive heart signals and poor spleen or stagnant and kidney rather poor, rose to diagnosis, from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, that anxiety occurred, according to Auteroche and Navailh (1992), Ross (2003) and chonghuo (1993), by excessive fire in the heart, and possibly phlegm due to insufficiency of the spleen, which in this situation could not withdraw moisture properly. This hypothesis was reinforced by examining the language, which constantly had thick, round, swollen, no coating, with teeth marks and petéqueas in the region corresponding to the heart.
Furthermore, it was also possible to make a guess using the theory of the five elements described by Yamamura (2001) and Xinong (1999), establishing assumptions that due to sustained emotional trauma, for example, a continuous sadness and frustration due to illness and death of his father and then his uncle, the patient had strongly raised the fear and concern with herself and the family, which has been continuously weakening the spleen over the years. with weakened spleen, that began to demand more heart energy, which caused the fire even stay high. The spleen deficiency and sorrow and hurt continuous own may have weak lungs, which contributed to further attack the kidney, also weakened by fear.
From this perspective, his heart too much and weakened kidney, the kidney water could no longer control the fire of the heart, and the shen became agitated, then emerging characteristic of anxiety symptoms (so-called phenomenon in the West). Therefore, to reverse this situation, the decision was essentially the recommended treatment in traditional Chinese medicine, for Auteroche and Navailh (1992), Ross (2003) and chonghuo (1993), which is ?? calm the heart, remove stagnation spleen and strengthen the spleen and kidney ?? through the insertion of needles into specific points on the body that, combined, have that purpose, ie by acupuncture.
 
Case report – method of the treatment and explanation of the principles and points used
In the treatment of the symptoms of the patient, the acupuncture points were used are listed below, with an (among others) the following functions according Focks (2005) and Ross (2003):
R3 – (third point of the Kidney energy channel) Adjust the balance of yin and yang, strengthens and stabilizes the mind and emotions, balances the emotional lability, the kidney qi deficiency; It tones the kidney and benefit the essence and tone the blood.
R6 – (sixth point of the Kidney energy channel) Tones kidney yin, kidney deficiency, nourishes yin, especially when there is excess heat in the heart, promotes sleep and body fluids.
C7 – (seventh point of the heart energy channel) It tones the heart, balances the yin and yang, stabilizes the heart, clears the mind, calms the mind and emotions, regulates the spirit, tone the blood, tone yin heart, eliminates the fire.
CS6 – (sixth point of the energy channel Heart / sexuality) Move stagnation and calms qi irregularities, removes blood stasis and phlegm, calms the spirit, removes stagnation of lung qi, tones the heart; It is indicated for pain, shock and trauma.
CS7 – (seventh point of the heart / sexuality energy channel) Calms the mind, move the stagnation and regulates the qi of the heart and stomach.
E25 – (twenty-fifth point of the stomach energy channel) regulates emotional stress, regulates qi.
E36 – (thirty-sixth point of the stomach energy channel) Strengthens the spleen and stomach to produce qi and blood, eliminating moisture; raises qi, invigorates the blood and qi, stabilizes the mind and emotions, regulates the defensive qi and nourishing.
P5 – (fifth point of the lung energy channel) Cools and calms the lungs, it phlegm retention in the lung, is the yin deficiency in the lung.
P7 – (seventh point of the lung energy channel) Expels external wind, strengthens the lungs improving circulation defensive qi, removes stagnation of lung qi, remove lung stagnant emotions such as sadness and repressed grief.
P9 – (ninth point of the lung energy channel) Tones lung qi, yin tones lung, strengthens blood vessels and blood circulation.
IG4 – (fourth point of the large intestine energy channel) Remove the outer wind, removes heat, relaxes muscle tension, move stagnation of the blood, calms the hyperactivity of liver yang, calm the mind, invigorates qi and blood .
IG11 – (eleventh point of the large intestine energy channel) Expels exterior Wind, removes heat, relaxes muscle tension and relieves pain, calms the hyperactivity of liver yang, solves moisture.
F3 – (third point of the liver energy channel) Move the stagnation of qi and blood, calms the hyperactivity of liver yang, eliminates Wind liver and reduces spasms and pain; invigorates the blood and calms the spirit.
F14 – (fourteenth point of the liver energy channel) Move the stagnation of liver qi, eliminates moisture heat of the liver; used for mental and emotional congestion.
VC4 – (fourth point of the design of the vessel’s energy channel) Strengthens the jing, qi, yin and kidney yang, disperse stagnation of qi.
VC6 – (sixth point of the design of the vessel’s energy channel) Tones disability and moves the stagnation of qi.
VC12 – (twelfth point of the design of the vessel’s energy channel) harmonises the worry and insecurity, qi deficiency tones and spleen yang, move stagnation and regulates the stomach qi rebellion.
VC15 – (fifteenth point of conception vessel’s energy channel) Calms the mind when it is shaken by the fire of the heart or obstructed by phlegm in the heart.
VC17 – (seventeenth point of the design of the vessel’s energy channel) dispersed the stagnation of qi, remove stagnant heart qi, heart blood, lung and upper heater qi.
BP3 – (third point of the spleen-pancreas energy channel) moves the stagnation of the spleen qi, tonify deficiency and strengthens the spleen, solves the exhaustion and mental dullness by dampness and phlegm.
BP6 – (sixth point of the spleen-pancreas energy channel) Tones the spleen, qi and blood, eliminates moisture, tone yin, calms the mind, regulates the liver qi.
BP9 – (ninth point of the spleen-pancreas energy channel) eliminates moisture.
TA4 – (fourth point of the triple heater energy channel) Tones kidney qi deficiency, removes the wind and excess heat and the stagnation of qi.
TA5 – (fifth point of the triple heater energy channel) Remove wind and heat and stagnation of liver qi.
Yintang – (extra point located in between the eyebrows) calms the mind, reduces headache, dizziness and feeling of heaviness in the head; It is used in cases of anxiety states, sleep disorders, and confusional states.
The selection and use of those points occurred from brief oral investigation of the patient and examining the pulse and tongue in each session. Within the theoretical perspective of acupuncture, it can identify the qi energy quality of the body organs, namely the lungs, spleen, pancreas, ming men (body of the corresponding Chinese medicine to a kidney), heart, liver and kidney, for
SUMMARY
Anxiety is a widely studied phenomenon in the West by psychology, by psychoanalysis and by medicine. It is characterized by an unpleasant subjective state of restlessness, tension and apprehension. While anxiety terminology is not found in the literature of traditional Chinese medicine, the symptoms described are widely studied. Such literature considers this pathology metaphorically a disharmony of spirit, and presents a series of possible interventions by traditional techniques such as acupuncture. The object of this article is to describe the treatment performed by means of acupuncture to a patient who had anxiety disorder. After identifying the symptoms of anxiety, made the complaint of the patient and the clinical analysis grounded in the DSM IV, there were 10 traditional Chinese acupuncture, using as theoretical reference the classical literature of Chinese medicine. The results were the partial reduction of the symptoms from the fourth session and a significant improvement of the patient, with the report of symptom relief from the sixth treatment session.
Keywords: Acupuncture, Anxiety, complementary therapy, Health.
ABSTRACT
Anxiety is a phenomenon widely Studied in the West by psychology, psychoanalysis and medicine. It is Characterized by an unpleasant Subjective state of worry, tension and apprehension, in Which It Is Difficult to relax. Although the terminology anxiety is not found in the literature of traditional chinese medicine, the described Symptoms are Studied widely. Such literature considers que pathology metaphorically to the discord of the spirit and presents a series of possibilities of interventions for traditional techniques to the acupuncture. The objective of this article was the treatment accomplished through acupuncture to a patient que presented anxiety disorder. After the confirmation of the diagnosis 10 sessions of traditional chinese acupuncture Were accomplished, using the theoretical reference the classic literature of chinese medicine. The results Were the partial suppression of the Symptoms starting from the fourth session and the full recovery of the patient by the disappearance of all of the Symptoms starting from the sixth treatment session.
Keywords: Acupuncture, Anxiety, Complementary therapy, Health.
ABSTRACT
Her anxiety on es un phenomenon amply estudiado en el occidente by her Psychology, Psychoanalysis por el y por la Medicine. It is characterized by un subjective state of disagreeable inquietud, tensión y apprehension. Aunque la terminology anxiety on the sea found en la literature de la china traditional medicine, these symptoms described amply estudiados son. Such literature considers esa pathology metaphorically unite disharmony del espíritu, y presenta una possibilities of series of Intervenciones by tradicionales techniques like acupuncture it. El object este es el artículo report tratamiento done by measuring her acupuncture una patient presentaba disorder of anxiety on. Después de la Identification of symptoms of anxiety on them, made by her queja de la patient y por el clinical análisis basado en el DSM IV, fueron made 10 sesiones traditional china acupuncture, using as a theoretical la clásica literature la china medicine. Los results cheated fueron la disminución part of them symptoms desde la sesión y una cuarta significant mejora de la patient, con el del report relief of symptoms them from her sixth sesión de tratamiento.
Key words: Acupuncture, Ansiedad, complementary therapy, Salud.
 
 
Traditional Chinese medicine and, more specifically, acupuncture, are still little known fields of studies by Brazilian psychologists. Only after the regulation of the use of acupuncture as a complementary technique, the Federal Council of Psychology, with the CFP Resolution Nº05 / 2002, it was that it began to attract the interest of psychologists working in the clinical environment and health.
Acupuncture is one of the many elements that make up the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which also uses practices such as massage, herbal medicine, physical and breathing exercises, such as tai chi chuan and qong qi to promote the physical, mental and spiritual individual. According to Campiglia (2004), Vectore (2005) and Silva (2007), traditional Chinese medicine and therefore acupuncture itself is based on the principle that man should be in harmony with the primal forces of nature, which the Chinese call yin and yang (two opposite and complementary principles that make up the universe), and that harmony creates a balance that can be translated as health, and in turn, the imbalance, such as illness. The basic principle of acupuncture holds that balance is maintained in the human body through the smooth flow of energy called qi by the Chinese as well as the flow, too soft, the body, the blood, called by the Chinese as xue. environmental, food, emotional or spiritual problems can cause some kind of change in the circulation of qi and xue in the body, thus creating some sort of dysfunction or disease. From the moment you some pathology is installed in the body, one way to eliminate it or minimize it would be the insertion of needles into specific points on the body, which has the property of restoring this smooth flow, ie by practice of acupuncture (Silva, 2007; Xinnong, 1999).
With this principle as a basis, any dysfunction or disorder such as, e.g., anxiety, can be treated by means of acupuncture; however, carry the treatment of a condition such as anxiety by acupuncture may not be as simple procedure to perform as it seems at first, because, in the literature of traditional Chinese medicine, there is no reference to that specific pathology, whose nomenclature is typically Western. The anxiety itself is a phenomenon still poorly understood even in the West, because, while presenting specific symptoms itself can be understood as a symptom of other diseases.
And it is from this understanding (anxiety as a symptom) it is possible to draw parallels between Western knowledge and Chinese acupuncture. comparing the described symptomatology, it is possible to identify what the treaties classical Chinese writing on the currently ranks anxiety, and thus make the West treat the lines described by the traditional principles of china.
 
Understanding the anxiety phenomenon by Western science
The anxiety have long since been identified in Western science and extensively studied the areas of psychology, psychoanalysis and medicine. Anxiety is not considered necessarily pathological phenomenon, and is best understood as a natural function of the body that allows it to be prepared or to be prepared to respond in the best possible way to a new and unknown situation or a situation already known and interpreted as potentially dangerous. However, if the anxiety reaches very high and continuous degrees, it can be considered harmful to the body, as it will cause it to remain on constant alert, setting then a pathological situation.
In Western science, it is not known for sure what the causes for the emergence of anxiety, and although the biologically based studies are advanced, the best explanations are still the psychodynamic base (Kaplan, Sadok, & Greb, 1997). For these authors, it is still possible to make a distinction between anxiety considered normal and pathological anxiety, and claim that anxiety has life-saving qualities, for the individual alert about a possible internal or external threat. In this sense, it has to prepare the individual function for it to protect a threat or, failing to do so, at least diminish its consequences.
Thus anxiety is present in a person’s life throughout its existence, and can be understood as a regular monitoring of the various changes that occur in life. However, such a phenomenon may present a pathological character when it appears as an inadequate response due to their intensity or duration, before a given stimulus.
When anxiety is presented in a high intensity or duration, not proportional to the front stimuli to which the individual is, you can say that we are facing a pathological picture of an anxiety disorder. Regarding anxiety disorders, the DSM-IV (2002) classifies 14 different types of disorders that can be classified in this category and, for this work, it is interesting to note generalized anxiety disorder, since this is the disorder that presents closer symptoms to the symptoms presented by the patient object of this study. According to the DSM-IV, generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by:
… An anxiety or excessive worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring on most days for a period of at least 6 months … The individual finds it difficult to control the worry. Anxiety and worry are accompanied by at least three additional symptoms from a list that includes restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension and sleep disturbance … although individuals with generalized anxiety disorder do not always are able to identify their concerns as excessive ?? ??, they report subjective distress due to constant worry, have difficulty controlling the worry, or experience impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas … the intensity, duration or frequency of anxiety and worry are clearly disproportionate to the actual likelihood or impact of the feared event. (DSM IV, 2002, p. 457)
Still on the main features presented in anxiety disorders, it is interesting to note Homes (1997), which stipulates that in such cases, individuals have specific symptoms in somatic fields, engine, mood and cognition. For symptoms of mood, anxiety arising suffering has the characteristic of presenting a constant feeling that the individual is convicted of something, or that something terrible will happen; thus, the person may have feelings of tension, fear, irritability and depression. Cognitive symptoms, in turn, relate to the arrest and / or concerns about a possible conviction or disaster that may occur and that the individual anticipates.
Somatic symptoms, according to homes, may be divided into two types; the former may be called immediate, which may be dry mouth, sweating, shortness of breath, feelings of muscular tension, throbbing in the head, rapid pulse, and increased blood pressure. Since the latter are the result of a chronic state of anxiety, which can impair the physiological system causing general fatigue, intestinal pain, muscle weakness, hypertension and constant headaches. Finally, the motor symptoms concern the impatience and anxiety that individuals in anxiety states may have, it is common that people in this state emit rapid, repeated movements with fingers, feet or legs or greatly exaggerated startle responses to stimuli such as noise or presence sudden people.
 
Understanding anxiety phenomenon the theoretical framework of traditional Chinese medicine – acupuncture
Anxiety word is a Western word that refers to a somatopsychic state described by the Psychology and Western Medicine. In these terms, the anxiety terminology is not an Oriental terminology, therefore, in the classical literature of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is impossible to find descriptions of treatments for anxiety. Allied to this, MTC, there is no separation between mind, body and spirit therefore no ratings exclusively psychological or psychiatric diseases or disorders, such as occurs in the West, for example in the case of anxiety disorder.
However, according to Shu-Ling (1995), MTC, there is a classification of diseases in which fit the conditions which present greater psychological / emotional symptoms, calls dian-Kuang, which can be translated from mental disorders. In dian-kuang, however, they are framed more severe pathologies, which, in the West, can be translated as psychoses. Thus, less severe disorders such as, anxiety disorders or states could not be classified as dian-Kuang pathologies