What is Neural therapy
This is a treatment method that involves injecting local anesthetics (mainly Procaine) into scars, peripheral nerves, autonomic ganglia, trigger points, glands, and other tissues to cure chronic pain and illness.
Neural technique was created by a German physician in the 1920s and taught in the United States. Its efficacy has been demonstrated to aid with a variety of conditions, including autoimmune conditions, chronic pain, and more.
It is based on the theory that trauma can produce long-standing disturbances in the electrochemical function of tissues. Among the types of tissues affected by trauma include scars, nerves, or a cluster of nerves called ganglions. A correctly administered neural therapy injection can often instantly and lastingly resolve chronic long-standing illness and chronic pain.
Types of Neural Therapy
There are three types of neural therapy treatment that are done at clinics:
1. Segmental therapy: This entails intracutaneous injections that indirectly restore the deeper nerves’ function. Many body organs have charts that show where these cutaneous branches are located so that the practitioner knows where to inject them.
2. Scar injection: Scars are frequently the site of malfunctioning nerve tissue. Direct injection of local anesthetic into scars is thought to help restore the function of damaged nerve cells and reduce the mechanical “pull” of the scar on surrounding normal tissue. A huge scar on a patient’s sternum following open-heart surgery, for example, may cause unnatural tension on the thoracic spine, resulting in back pain. Injections soften and lessen the pull on the scar.
3. Locating and treating “interference fields’: This technique involves putting local anesthetics, generally procaine, into areas with hidden, ongoing inflammation (usually found in scars, fractures, teeth, sinuses, and intestines) outside the specific body part being treated.
What Conditions are Appropriate for Neural Therapy?
Neural therapy is potentially useful for any type of:
· Musculoskeletal pain
· Low back pain
· Joint pain
· Painful and sensitive keloid scars
· Chronic Pelvic Pain
· Inflammatory response
· Poor circulation
· Rheumatism
· Internal diseases
Current Research about Neural Therapy
According to a study published in Science Direct, neural therapy can help with acute back pain, hip and knee discomfort, and connective tissue inflammation. In addition, neurodegenerative illnesses and spinal cord injuries have also been proven to benefit from neural injections.
A study conducted in 2019 looked at patients with fibromyalgia (FMS), a condition characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, and tenderness in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Researchers concluded that neural therapy when combined with exercise in FMS patients, could be advantageous in terms of pain and depression, compared to exercise alone.
What is the technique for scar injection?
1. The scar is recognized
2. After that, it’s prepared with benzyl chloride or alcohol.
3. A surgical marker or pen is used to outline the scar.
4. The region is prepared with betadine and allowed to dry.
5. The thinnest gauge needle is chosen and bent to a 45-degree angle, which will suffice for that scar.
6. The needle is put intracutaneously (inside the skin’s substance) and parallel to the skin in the scar.
• For longer scars, re-insert the needle at the end of the previous injection, passing through some of the previous anesthesia, and repeat until the scar is entirely filled.
• This procedure is repeated every one to three weeks.
Usually, 6 to 16 treatments are required.
Side Effects of Neural Therapy
Neural treatment has minimal adverse effects. After the initial injection, some individuals may have slight bruising or increased pain. Some patients may experience dizziness or faintness after receiving an injection, which is caused by the anesthetic’s brief slowing of the heart rate.
In this video from the Integrative Pain and Wellness Centre, the administration of injections at a 45 ° angle is demonstrated on the patient to reduce pain and enhance blood flow.
