Why Some People Turn to Acupuncture for Drug Addiction

Success in quitting was defined as discontinuation of the smoking habit and the breathing test for carbon monoxide level showing less than 6 ppm. Failure was defined as a continuation of the smoking habit or absence from follow-up . Opiate physical dependence more about alcohol addiction and abuse can berapidly developed after only 2 to 10 days of continuous consumption of opiates, particularly with heroin. Numerous examples reveal that the regulatory effect of acupuncture has the characteristics of holism and bidirectional regulation.

Many of the same chemicals are present, and of course nicotine, the addictive substance. Even though they dispensed methadone, the Lincoln Detox staffers and their allies seemed ambivalent about the drug. Acupuncture might seem like an odd thing to spring up in Sandtown, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Baltimore, where rows of abandoned homes sit boarded up and correlation of the incidence men hobble from injuries sustained in the drug trade. But the addiction-focused acupuncture used at Penn North and other facilities has a surprising—and revolutionary—history. Its role in addiction treatment has wound through Maoist China, to the Black Panther Party, to the stepfather of the rapper Tupac Shakur, and finally to two white hippies from Maryland.

In recent years, increasing research publications gave strong evidence that acupuncture could be explained on a physiological and neurobiological rather than a metaphysical basis . For example, in traditional Chinese medicine, the vision-related acupuncture point is believed to be an effective acupuncture point that directly treats eye-related disorders. Various acupoints are related to corresponding specific organs rather than via the central nervous system. Based on the knowledge of Western medicine, it is difficult to believe that acupuncture treats disorders and diseases by direct control of organs or organ-related disorders and diseases. It is known that many disorders are either controlled or affected by the brain, i.e., specific corresponding brain functional areas. Recently, Cho et al. demonstrated that when acupuncture stimulation is performed at VA1 (vision-related acupuncture point), activation of occipital lobes is seen by functional magnetic resonance imaging .

Dealing With Someone Addicted to Alcohol: 9 Tips To Cope

Recently there have been studies that have asked the question, Can Acupuncture Help Addiction? Those studies are showing that acupuncture can be a highly effective tool in treating drug addiction and aiding in detoxification. By combining acupuncture treatments with counseling and group therapy, patients can find relief from their cravings. In addition, they find a way to sustain a life of sobriety after substance abuse and addiction. Conflicting results from two large randomized single-blind, placebo-controlled trials suggested that acupuncture was not effective in reducing alcohol use .

The principal suggestion is that acupuncture operates largely through neurotransmitters, particularly endorphin-related mechanisms. These studies demonstrate conclusively that acupuncture’s effects are related to the release of a variety of neurotransmitters including natural opiates and, furthermore, that this effect is naloxone-reversible. Basic research work carried out has demonstrated that any noxious stimulus will result in endorphin release through the neurophysiological mechanism described as diffuse noxious inhibitory control .

2. Health hazards related to opiate addiction

The NADA protocol advises that 5-point auricular acupuncture relieves withdrawal symptoms, prevents symptoms of craving, and increases patient participation rates in long-term treatment programs . This pilot study sought to determine whether auricular acupressure could be an effective anti-smoking intervention and if it could help with the relief of withdrawal symptoms. As revealed from the Contemplation Ladder estimation at pretreatment, 67% of participants were still in the precontemplation and contemplation stage (i.e., they were not yet totally committed to quit smoking).

•Acupuncture reduces drug seeking via direct activation of brain pathway. A Penn North staffer named Genard Barr sprang out from behind a partition and said, “There is another option! The man declined acupuncture, but he agreed to come back to Penn North for Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Duggan, a priest from New York City, met Dianne Connelly, then a college junior, in Rome in 1966, during an event that was meant to foster dialogue between clergy and laypeople. Bob left the priesthood to marry her, and together they set out on a tour of the world as part of the late-’60s “human potential” movement.

Importantly, acupuncture has become a standard procedure in many detoxification programs for drugs, worldwide. Research results show evidence that acupuncture raises the level of endorphins in the nervous system. Therefore, cravings and withdrawal symptoms can be alleviated by raising endorphin levels. However, Chinese medicine explains the efficacy of acupuncture in a different way. In a healthy person, yin and yang are described as being in relative balance. However, substance abusers suffer from a deficiency of yin, which is only aggravated by their drug use.

Some research shows acupuncture as a promising depression treatment when combined with antidepressants and therapy. AcuDetox draws on auricular acupuncture protocols targeted to addictions, trauma, and mental health disorders. The actual acupuncture session and experience is much like a regular acupuncture session. An acupuncturist inserts very small, sterile needles into your skin and then you sit still and quietly for at least minutes.

Why Acupuncture Treatment For Drug Addiction Is Important

This review also identified a lack of rigorous study design, such as control of confounding variables by incorporating sham controls, sufficient sample sizes, reliable assessments, and adequately replicated experiments. Acupuncture originated in ancient China and has been used to manage various clinical disorders for thousands of years in China. Acupuncture needles insert into acupuncture points of the body to treat many different disorders. One of the recent technical developments was to use peripheral electrical stimulation applied via the acupuncture needles inserted into the acupoints, that is, “electroacupuncture” . Currently, new methods for stimulating the acupuncture points include applying electric current to skin electrodes over the points, directing a laser light onto the points, or using finger pressure to massage selected points . In addition, many new points and entire “microsystems” of points have been described for specific body parts, for example, scalp acupuncture and ear acupuncture .

Avoiding the side-effects of methadone based detox is one main reason acupuncture use is skyrocketing. Addicts who used a methadone based treatment often find themselves becoming addicted to methadone instead. Therefore, acupuncture treatments are far more desirable than methadone treatments because there are no side effects or addictive qualities.

The Risks of Acupuncture

Compared with 100 Hz, 2 Hz peripheral electric stimulation at Zusanli and Sanyinjiao inhibited the expression of morphine-induced conditioned place preference (see for information on CPP) via activation of opioid receptors . One study found that the release and synthesis of enkephalin in the NAc was find sober living homes in massachusetts accelerated by 2 Hz stimulation of Zusanli and Sanyinjiao . In addition, EA suppression of opiate addiction might involve the release of endogenous μ-, δ-, and κ-opioid agonists in the NAc shell and might activate the cannabinoid, endogenous opioid, and dopamine systems to induce CPP in rats .

It also helps with detoxification, eliminating the toxins from your body so that you won’t crave the same unhealthy foods. The tiny needles that are inserted into the top layer of skin can increase blood flow and promote the flow of energy throughout the body, especially to areas where pain resides. It’s extremely difficult to overcome addiction, which is why many programs fail and many addicts return to their previous behaviors. But there are some options that have a high rate of success and don’t require any medication or time at a rehab facility or hospital. And here I was, wasting his time, implying that salvation could be found in a product made by corporations and endorsed by doctors, groups he’s all too aware have abused people just like him. Community groups reacted by staging sit-ins at several hospitals in the poor areas of New York City to call for better medical care.

Addiction treatment programs increasingly use a combination of conventional and complementary/alternative medicine method as acupuncture. Many studies in acupuncture have used auricular acupuncture for the treatment of addictions in patients, stimulating on a 3–4 point including Shenmen auricular point. However, the clinical data obtained from effects of auricular acupuncture for drug addiction have not been consistent.

• The common thread has been a deep distrust of traditional medicine that stems from a history of discrimination at the hands of doctors.
• Acupuncture has also been used to help cigarette consumers quit smoking; the specific aim is to reduce withdrawal symptoms [32-34].
• This method of healing has been used to promote balance in and improve the functions of the body’s organs.
• It is uncertain, whether the sham points also elicite stimulation on applying pressure.

Acupuncture’s utility for treating drug abuse and dependence is best shown in opioid-dependent patients experiencing withdrawal . Over the past 40 years, acupuncture and EA have been applied with great success to attenuate behavioral signs of opioid withdrawal in addicts [16-18]. L. Wen, a neurosurgeon from Hong Kong, visited China to learn acupuncture anesthesia. Upon returning to his Hong Kong practice, he used electrical stimulation via acupuncture needles to reduce or eliminate the need for anesthetic drugs during surgery. Acupuncture treatment was given over several weeks prior to surgery, as well as during operational procedures.

Anxiety, mood disorders and antisocial personality disorder are the most prevalent comorbid diagnoses . The substantial attrition at follow-up is a main limitation of the study. This review covered a wide body of Chinese and English research investigations into the use of acupuncture for the treatment of opiate dependence from the early 1970s up to 2011. Although this review may provide a basis for clinicians and future research, future well-designed RCT studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of opiate addiction. Footprints to Recovery takes a holistic approach to alcohol and drug addiction treatment.

Shen Men – Also known as the “Divine Point” or “Heavenly/Spirit Gate,” the Shen Men point is believed to have a calming effect on the mind and body. It can also promote detoxification, reduce pain and help energize other acupuncture points. Han JS, Zhang RL. Suppression of morphine abstinence syndrome by body electroacupuncture of different frequencies in rats. Xu YH, Wang QY, Yu ZB, He YW. Clinical observation on acupuncture for treatment of abdominal postoperative pain. The reported courses of treatment in 6 studies [45–48, 50, 52] were between 1 to 2 weeks.