Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are an incredible tool for healing, the body, mind and spirit. If you’re familiar with the magic of this medicine, you probably have heard it’s a wonderful treatment for pain management. Maybe you’ve heard that patients have found great success in treating fertility or women’s health issues overall. An area that a lot of people might not know about is acupuncture and how it can help addiction.
The Buddhist’s say that we are all addicted to something it’s just a matter of degree, except they would probably use the word “attachment” instead of addiction. Our world is practically set up to fuel addictions, whether it’s alcohol, smoking, vaping, cannabis, gambling, food, pornography or even Netflix, we are all on this ride looking for balance.
Since Acupuncture has such an enormous impact on brain chemistry and helps activate the body’s natural healing processes which includes releasing endorphins and other transmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and melatonin, it makes total sense that it would help with addiction. Over the years, acupuncture has been highly recommended for helping reduce cravings and withdrawals, as well as just improving one’s natural overall well-being and emotional wellness.
It all started in the 1970s in the Bronx, one of the five boroughs of New York City, at Lincoln Memorial Hospital. It was here that doctors found acupuncture to be more effective than prescribing methadone for heroin addiction. One of the hospitals doctors, Dr. Michael O. Smith founded the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association protocol, otherwise known as NADA. This protocol is specifically 5 auricular acupuncture points that treat addiction. Those points are Shen Men, Kidney, Lung, Sympathetic and Liver. Since the 70’s these 5 points have been used countless times in clinics all over the world with great success.
So what do these 5 magical auricular points actually do?
- Reduce cravings
- Alleviated withdrawals
- Eased physical pain
- Regulated emotions, like anxiety and stress
- Improved sleep
So in other words, it helped people feel normal again. Isn’t that such a big part of addiction, after you’ve gone down the rabbit hole for so long, in order to feel like you’re functioning you need to reach for the drug of choice in order to feel normal again. One of the major advantages to receiving acupuncture is the ability to improve moods and reduce stress which helped patients feel better equipped to manage their cravings and maintain their sobriety.
Why just auricular (ear) points as opposed to doing a full body treatment?
There are many Microsystems in the body, meaning ways of treating the entire body through a smaller succinct area. The Koreans use Korean hand acupuncture, massage therapists might utilize the area underneath the foot which is called Reflexology, in this particular situation doctors find the ear is not only easily accessible, especially in groups, but by administering ear seeds or pellets instead of needles, the patient can massage the points throughout the next couple days which can provide more support.
Is this NADA protocol only for addiction?
No, these points are used for any number of imbalances or symptoms in the body. Shen Men is one of the number #1 points used when it comes to auricular (ear) acupuncture in general. Keep in mind, if acupuncture can do that for opioid addiction, imagine what it can do for alcohol, cigarettes, or food attachments.
Is acupuncture painful?
Not so much, there is a sensation and that can range from a dull ache all the way to a mosquito bite. The ears tend to have even less of a sensation since the needle goes in just a tiny bit and the needling method is quick.
Does that mean acupuncture can treat depression and anxiety in general?
Absolutely! At Tao to Wellness, we see patients suffering from depression, anxiety, grief, sadness, fear, worry and just overall stress. Acupuncture can’t not effect the brain in a positive way, which in turn effects the entire body.
If you’re curious and have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out, we’d love to hear from you!
