Rated Acupoints
Acupuncture treatment for Bipolar Disorder (BD)
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mental disorder that causes periods of depression and periods of elevated mood. The elevated mood is significant and is known as mania or hypomania, depending on its severity, or whether symptoms of psychosis are present. During mania, an individual behaves or feels abnormally energetic, happy, or irritable. Individuals often make poorly thought out decisions with little regard to the consequences. The need for sleep is usually reduced during manic phases.1
During periods of depression, there may be crying, a negative outlook on life, and poor eye contact with others. The risk of suicide among those with the illness is high at greater than 6 percent over 20 years, while self-harm occurs in 30–40 percent. Other mental health issues such as anxiety disorders and substance use disorder are commonly associated.2
CONTENTS
SYMPTOMS
CAUSES
TREATMENTS
SYMPTOMS
Mania is the defining feature of bipolar disorder and can occur with different levels of severity. With milder levels of mania, known as hypomania, individuals are energetic, excitable, and may be highly productive. As hypomania worsens, individuals begin to exhibit erratic and impulsive behavior, often making poor decisions due to unrealistic ideas about the future, and sleep very reduced. At the extreme, manic individuals can experience distorted or delusional beliefs about the universe, hallucinate, hear voices, to the point of psychosis. A depressive episode commonly follows an episode of mania.3
CAUSES
The causes are not clearly understood, but both environmental and genetic factors play a role. Many genes of small effect contribute to risk. Environmental factors include a history of childhood abuse, and long-term stress. The condition is divided into bipolar I disorder if there has been at least one manic episode, with or without depressive episodes, and bipolar II disorder if there has been at least one hypomanic episode (but no manic episodes) and one major depressive episode. In those with less severe symptoms of a prolonged duration, the condition cyclothymic disorder may be diagnosed. If due to drugs or medical problems, it is classified separately.4
Abnormalities in the structure and/or function of certain brain circuits could underlie bipolar. Meta-analyses of structural MRI studies in bipolar disorder report an increase in the volume of the lateral ventricles, globus pallidus and increase in the rates of deep white matter hyperintensities. Functional MRI findings suggest that abnormal modulation between ventral prefrontal and limbic regions, especially the amygdala, are likely contribute to poor emotional regulation and mood symptoms. Less commonly bipolar disorder, or a bipolar-like disorder, may occur as a result of or in association with a neurological condition or injury. Such conditions and injuries include (but are not limited to) stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and rarely temporal lobe epilepsy.5
Like many other conditions, bipolar disorder is said to have unclear causes. However, genetic, neurochemical and environmental factors are said to be the major causes.6
TREATMENTS
The manic phase of a bipolar disorder is characterized by stagnation of qi, phlegm that clouds the mind, fire that harasses the mind and causes mania, blood stasis (inactivity) that obstructs the mind, and yin deficiency. In addition, this condition is seen as an imbalance or improper flow of energy / qi in the human body. Therefore, the treatment for bipolar disorder also aims to remove the blockage of qi in the human body, especially at the head. In this regard, the acupuncture treatment is given so that the body is able to release endorphines which in turn should help the body to cure its condition.7
Further, the main organs involved in this condition are the liver, heart and spleen. The mind has to be cleaned of phlegm and then opened up in order to make a difference during a bipolar disorder. The following acupoints are recommended: Lung 3, LI-5, LI-7, ST-25, GB-13, GB-17, GV-16, GV-20.8
Another promising acupuncture treatment is advised for 20–25 minutes, with de-qi sensation through the use of 0.25 × 40 mm2 sterile, single-use stainless needles inserted to a depth of 1–2 cm. Acupoints recommended are HT-3, KD-3, SP-3, LI-4, LI-11, and ST-36 unilaterally. These points are selected to enhance the qi and blood circulation, thus restoring yin-yang balance. Needles are manually stimulated and left in situ for about 20 minutes. While needles are manipulated, the patient is instructed to breathe deeply.9
Footnotes
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – American Psychiatric Association – 2013, https://www.appi.org/Diagnostic_and_Statistical_Manual_of_Mental_Disorders_DSM-5_Fifth_Edition?SKU=2555
- Bipolar disorder explained – blackdoginstitute.org.au – 2017, http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/public/bipolardisorder/bipolardisorderexplained/
- Bipolar Disorder Signs and Symptoms – helpguide.org – 2017, http://www.helpguide.org/articles/bipolar-disorder/bipolar-disorder-signs-and-symptoms.htm
- Mitochondrial modulators for bipolar disorder – sagepub.com – 2012, http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0004867412449303
- The Genetics of Bipolar Disorder – Neuroscience – 2009, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3637882/
- The Causes of Bipolar Disorder – psychcentral.com – 2017, http://psychcentral.com/lib/the-causes-of-bipolar-disorder-manic-depression/
- Treating Bipolar Disorder with Acupuncture – pacificcollege.edu – 2017, http://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2015/01/14/treating-bipolar-disorder-acupuncture
- Acupuncture for Bipolar Disorder – bipolar.newlifeoutlook.com – 2017, http://bipolar.newlifeoutlook.com/acupuncture-for-bipolar-disorder/
- Acupuncture for Management of Balance Impairment in a Patient with Bipolar Disorder – jams-kpi.com – 2013, http://www.jams-kpi.com/article/S2005-2901(12)00206-3/fulltext
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