Acupuncture for Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia: a Case Report

This report details a case of effectively managing severe panic attacks in a panic disorder (PD) patient with agoraphobia by acupuncture treatment.

A 38-year-old Japanese woman suffering from PD with agoraphobia presented at our acupuncture clinic with complaints of repeated panic attacks and anxiety. Initially starting to experience symptoms in her late teens, she avoided psychiatric consultation due to reluctance toward psychotropic medications. An unbiased psychiatrist used the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) to assess her PD severity. The PDSS score decreased from 21 on the first to 12 points on the sixth visit. The patient experienced reduced frequency and severity of panic attacks, with restored confidence to go into public despite agoraphobia.

This is the first report to demonstrate the effectiveness of acupuncture on PD with agoraphobia using PDSS, suggesting its potential as a nonpharmacological treatment for patients with PD and agoraphobia.