Acupuncture for Stress

What does “Liver” mean in the Traditional Chinese Medical system?

Stress affects your health at all times of year, of course. However, in the spring it can particularly affect your Liver. To understand this we first need to look at what is meant by “Liver” in the Traditional Chinese Medical system, because it’s a little bit different from the usual definition.

In the TCM view of the human body, each organ is actually a system, comprising the organ itself, its related meridian and a group of physiological functions performed by the system. When I refer to the Liver in the TCM system, I’m referring to more than just the the physical liver itself. We know that the liver is primarily responsible for filtering our blood. In the TCM view it has an additional and very important function: the liver is responsible for the smooth flow of qi in all the meridians.

How stress affects the liver

The first organ to be affected by stress is the liver. Chronic stress causes liver qi to “stagnate” in other words qi does not flow smoothly and freely through the meridians which can result in all sorts of problems. Sometimes stagnant liver qi can attack the spleen and stomach system and cause a variety of digestive complaints such as stomach aches, bloating, acid reflux, IBS and more. Stagnant liver qi can also prevent clear qi from rising up to the head causing headaches, irritability and that “foggy” feeling. When qi gets blocked in the meridians that move through muscles all sorts of aches and pain can result. Since qi is the energy that moves blood, if qi flow is impeded then circulatory problems will eventually result.

How Acupuncture can help with stress

In the cycle of seasons spring is the time when Liver is dominant. That means that right now Liver qi is rising and flowing more than usual. However all this extra qi is especially susceptible to stress and stagnation. In the spring the days get longer, we feel our energy increase and we often get busier with new projects, more outdoor activities or maybe even just some extra spring cleaning. It is really important to make sure that as we increase our activity level we also add time to take of our health so that any added stress doesn’t accumulate and begin to impact our bodies.

The function of acupuncture is essentially to adjust the flow of qi in the meridians which means it is a great way to protect your body from the effects of stress and prevent all sorts of health problems down the road. Making time for a couple of acupuncture treatments in the spring is a great way to regulate the liver and keep qi flowing smoothly.