Health and Fitness/Holistic

Acu-Stim for Recovery

By Nicholas J Segal

Article Word Count:

1080

"The choice of a Drug Free scientific treatment protocol delivered by Mindfulness Practitioners, trained by Nick Segal in the new improved, evidence based version of "Acu-Stim", Originally created by him using Street Talk's Acu-Stimulation Treatment Regime, would be beneficial for the human condition today, if made available on a par with other mainstream accepted treatments. Treatments such as methadone drug treatment, anti depressant drug treatments and other pharmacological treatments". At the time of the original writing, in the year 2000, this article was in the form of a training manual for a course called, ' A Safer Way to beat Drug dependence'. Back then, and prevalent today, electro therapeutic interventions such as 'Acu-Stim' still had many myths and misconceptions, attached to their use and ultimate benefits. Over the last 13 years 'Acu-Stim' has been shown to work on many levels, and can be used safely and efficiently, as a primary treatment, for drug withdrawal symptoms from chemical dependence, use, or misuse. As well as being used for dealing with painful, stressful thoughts, (the radio chatter in your head) images, (the video or camera pictures in your head) and sensations, (the feelings in your body) As well as being complimentary to traditional drug and medical treatment interventions, by offering individuals this form of non-invasive treatment intervention, in conjunction with other accepted drug treatments, it opens the door to a fully integrated and holistic care pathway. Thereby, producing greater opportunities for people to either abstain from, or reduce their drug use, chemical dependency, or addiction, physical or psychological, now or in the future. This also helps dissolve some of the stigma and prejudice attached to treatments termed, 'Alternative, or Complimentary Therapy '. Complimentary therapies are sometimes classed as secondary, or as 'something you need to believe in' with only anecdotal evidence, and therefore, called 'nonscientific'.

HISTORY AND BACKGROUND The use of 'complimentary' medicine for the treatment of drug addiction, mental health, i.e. emotional well-being and pain, has been around for over 5000 years that we know of, even before Chinese acupuncturist's stimulated points on the body to improve balance and harmony between the spiritual and the physical. Moreover, a Mind and body balancing treatment such as 'Acu-Stim' has the advantages of current developments in healing technology, in addition to providing a total life enhancing methodology akin to Ayurvedic medicine. 1. Scientific / Fact / Evidence / It either works or it does not. This form of treatment is also used by Veterinary surgeons for ailments with animals who obviously do not have to 'believe' it works. 2. Electro stimulation of the body has been used previously, by the ancient Egyptians for therapeutic purposes, as can be seen from stone carvings dating back to the 5th Dynasty circa 2700.B.C. depicting an electric fish being used to treat pain. (Kellaway 1946). Even earlier, Ayurveda, "The Science of Life", a totally holistic and natural healing healthcare system was developed in India more than 5000 years ago. The principles and practices of Ayurveda have been used and preserved over the millennia. Whereby, Ayurvedic practitioners teach a comprehensive method of healing, detoxification and rejuvenation. An ancient healer and philosopher, called Socrates (470-399. B.C.) inferred "It's no good healing the eyes without healing the head and it's no good healing the head without healing the body," or in other words the brain without the mind. A more up to date treatment, Electro-Acupuncture in the form of 'Acu-Stim', i.e. without the use of needles, is one of the practices that are at the cutting edge of healing technology today. As we move into the third millennia, the term Acupuncture is also used to describe many different techniques, such as Acupressure, Auricular Acupuncture, etc. The needle-less acupuncture this article is concerned with known as Acu-Stim, also has many names for the same form of treatment, such as: 'Black Box'. ALTENS (Acupuncture Like T ranscutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) ALTENS and TENS, which simply consists of applying micro current to the surface of the skin. CES (Cerebral Electro Stimulation) NET (Neuro Electric Therapy) EST Electro Stimulation Therapy, not to be confused with ECT (Electro Convulsive Therapy), which can cause brain damage and fits to occur. i.e. Convulsions, produced by applying excessively high current and voltage that eventually burn out brain cells. Basically, Acu-Stim is a safe and simple form of treatment used in many areas of medicine. whereby, tiny electrical pulses that feel similar to a pleasant tingling sensation, are passed through the body via the natural Acu-point system. Firstly, by applying gentle stimulation via a probe to specific acupuncture points on the ear. Secondly, by applying a specific frequency or pulse speed for 30 minutes, delivered through self adhesive pads (electrodes) which are placed on master acupuncture points on the body. Acu-Stim is a combination of the best principals of T.C.M. (Traditional Chinese Medicine) This is coupled with the scientifically tested benefits of the Western medical practice of T.E.N.S. In short, we have the benefits of the "healing wisdom of the ages" combined with modern technology. By applying Acu-Stim to 'acu' points that are situated on electrical pathways or channels, (these are the same energy lines that cover the whole body)called meridians as used by traditional Chinese acupuncturists. Two main principals of healing take place, these are Biophysical and Biochemical. This will now be discussed from a combination of a T.C.M. and Neuro-psychological perspective.

BIO-PHYSICALLY Blocked electrical pathways, meridians or acupuncture points are balanced, according to a T.C.M. viewpoint. Therefore, restoring them to optimum conductivity, while at the same time having a profound (deep healing) effect, on the corresponding organ, muscle, tissue and or area of the body or mind, to which the acupuncture point or meridian is associated. There are twelve paired meridians, half on the right side of the body and half on the left, as well as two mid-line meridians. Robert T. Story (1995) gives an excellent summary of recent research in which these channels have been delineated with radioactive tracings. This gives some basic idea as to how these interact with the neuronal system in the body. The effect of stimulating Acu-Points with the Acu-Probe is similar to; "The initial response experienced with needle piercing termed 'De Qi". (Pronounced Dee chee) Neuro-psychologically, this occurs with stimulation of the primary sensory nerve terminal inside a muscle. Which in turn sends a message to the spinal chord, mid-brain and cortex. When this reaches the hypothalamus (part of the Limbic system inside the brain) it induces the release of AdrenoCorticotropic Hormone." (Stux & Pomerance 1989) also known as anti stress hormone (A.C.T.H) for short. During the first half of the 'Acu-Stim' treatment, Auricular Stimulation is delivered with the 'AcuStim probe', which also induces this effect, simultaneously triggering the release of endorphins. BIO-CHEMICALLY During the second half of the treatment, the pulsed frequency (speed or cycles per second) alone stimulates the production of natural chemicals/ neuropeptides (neurotransmitters /electro-chemical messengers) in the brain, spinal chord and large intestine. The triggering of these neuro-chemicals through Acu-Stim may also help the re-growth of neurons and subsequently new receptor sites. Robert O. Becker (1985) wrote about the very intricate and involved scientific investigations that led to the use in the 1980's of electrical stimulation to stimulate healing in broken bones. Depending on the pulse frequency or speed, i.e. number of pulses per second, (measured in: Hz/ Hertz) this will either stimulate the production of Serotonin and/or Dopamine and/or Endorphins, having a beneficial effect on the whole psycho-immuneendocrine system and subsequent behaviours. According to Levinthall: "Their drug taking behaviours might, in part, be compensation for an inadequate number of dopamine receptors necessary to experience pleasurable feelings without drugs" ( Levinthall. C.F. 2002, Ch3, p71) Furthermore, Becker began his research in an effort to understand bone re-growth in fractures. He did this by studying the regeneration process in salamanders. In an earlier study in 1909, an American researcher named Owen E. Frazee found that if he passed electrical currents through the aquarium water in which larval salamanders lived he could speed up their limb regeneration process. (Becker, Robert O.1985b.. Pp. 74-75) EVIDENCED BASED RESEARCH In an experiment, Hans et al (1991) used serial samples of cerebral spinal fluid taken from human volunteers, and found that different kinds of neuropeptides (brain chemicals) can be released into the central nervous system. This effect was produced by simply changing the pulsed frequency or speed of electrical stimulation. Support for this also comes from earlier studies by Wang et al (1922) using TENS

needle-less acupuncture at all frequencies to produce an 'Acupuncture effect' after a specific time. According to research the optimum length of time for each pulsed treatment of Acu-Stim is 30 minutes. This is due to the fact that, "after this time the production of neurotransmitters begins to be used up". Robinson (1999) Moreover, It is also more beneficial to have a number of treatments timed for half an hour each. This Allows the treatment time to work, and gives the body's own system time to adjust, as well as balance itself naturally. Thus, Equilibrium or Homoeostasis can thus be reached naturally.

The Author of this article is a member of the ACBS Association of Contextual Behavioural Science. See link below http://contextualpsychology.org/ The Author is also contactable at the link below: http://careegen.wix.com/recovery

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