PTSD

Acupuncture for PTSD in Denver

Post-traumatic stress disorder can occur after trauma when the brain and nervous system continue reacting to reminders of danger long after the immediate threat has ended.

Symptoms may include intrusive memories, avoidance, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle, sleep disturbance and changes in mood or cognition.

Why PTSD Can Persist

Fear learning is protective during danger. In PTSD, however, trauma cues can continue triggering strong threat responses even in safe situations.

Part of successful recovery involves learning and experiencing that those cues no longer predict the original danger—a process known as fear extinction.

What Does the Research Say?

A particularly important 2024 randomized VA clinical trial studied acupuncture in 93 combat veterans with PTSD.

True acupuncture produced clinically meaningful improvement in PTSD symptoms and performed significantly better than sham acupuncture. Researchers also found favorable changes in fear-extinction physiology, giving the study an objective biological outcome in addition to symptom scores.

The trial used an intensive treatment course—up to 24 sessions over 15 weeks.

Typical Course of Care

In general practice, treatment can begin once or twice weekly and be reassessed after approximately 6–8 sessions.

We may track:

• Hyperarousal

• Sleep

• Startle response

• Anxiety

• Physical tension

• Frequency and intensity of trauma-related symptoms

Acupuncture and Trauma Therapy

Acupuncture can be an important adjunct, not a replacement for trauma-focused mental-health treatment.

NIMH identifies psychotherapy, medication or their combination as the primary established treatments for PTSD.

Acupuncture may be particularly useful when hyperarousal, insomnia, pain or physical anxiety make other aspects of recovery more difficult.

Schedule an evaluation at Backupuncture of Denver (950 S Cherry St, Suite 1675
Denver, CO 80246; tel. 720.370.2711) to discuss acupuncture as part of PTSD care.