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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that develops after exposure to a terrifying event in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. PTSD can occur in people of any age, including children and adolescents, and more than twice as many women than men following exposure to trauma. Depression, substance abuse and alcohol, or other anxiety disorders frequently occur along with PTSD. The diagnosis requires that symptoms be present for at least a month, and that they seriously interfere with leading a normal life. Symptoms may be individual or in conjunction with each other.
This case study describes the acupuncture and Chinese herbal and biomedical integrative treatment of a 37-year-old male with PTSD, veteran of the Iraq war. The patient underwent treatment with TCM for a period of four years, and during that time he was able to overcome the symptoms to a 95% recovery that allowed him to eliminate the use of pharmaceuticals, and to continue treatment with Chinese medicine for maintenance and other minor unrelated ailments. Chinese medicine offers a cogent theoretical basis for assessing and clinically managing patients presenting with mental health issues. TCM principles integrate well with other systems, including Western medicine.