Case Report: Male Patient, Status after Cardiac Infarction, Pain in Left Arm and Shoulder, Anxiety Disorder and Panic Attacks

Background: A 54-year-old male patient suffered an anterior wall mycardial infarction in 2003. Although his physical condition had stabilised, he complained of reccurrent pains in his left shoulder and arm. In addition severe anxiety panic attacks and sleep disorder arose after the infarction which affected the patient so greatly that he no longer ventured to leave his house. Objective: Improvement in his general condition so that he can participate again in social Methods: Acupuncture after careful medical and pharmacological Results: The results of western medical investigations, such as stress electrocardiogramme and blood tests did not show any abnormalities. Apart from muscle-relaxing and psychopharmacological agents, which the patient had already discontinued on his own initiative, psychotherapy seemed, from the standpoint of orthodox medicine to be indicated. At this point the patient decided in favour of acupuncture. After four weekly sessions of acupuncture his sleep improved and the intensity of the pain was reduced by 50 %. His anxiety and his refusal to leave his house changed only after eight weeks of therapy. Conclusion: Acupuncture can as a holistic and regulatory treatment complement orthodox medicine even in therapy-resistant patients, and can significantly improve the quality of life.