Neural therapy has been around since the early 1900s and its popularity has been growing ever since. It has become one of the most popular healing methods in Germany, and it’s now used all across the US and Europe. Here in the United States, neural therapy is sometimes called nerve block or trigger point injections.
Neural therapy is a safe and effective therapy for the treatment of chronic pain. But even more than that, neural therapy is a wonderful complementary technique that offers a variety of benefits for conditions related to the autonomic nervous system, from digestive issues to menstrual irregularities and much more.
Don’t worry if that all sounds a bit confusing! We’re going to explain everything in detail, from the benefits of neural therapy and how it works to who can benefit from the treatment.
What is Neural Therapy?
Chronic illness and pain are often preceded by a dysfunction of the Autonomic Nervous System, or the ANS. In short, neural therapy is a treatment that repairs dysfunction in the ANS.
The ANS is part of our central nervous system. It controls the automatic functions within our bodies. This includes, breathing, digestion, metabolism, regulating body temperature, hormone production, circulation, immune function, and much more.
In fact, every cell in our bodies is connected to and controlled by the ANS. When there’s trauma in a certain area of the body, the ANS increases circulation to that area. If the circulation doesn’t eventually return to normal, interference fields develop.
Scar tissue is one of the most common causes of interference fields. The damaged tissue creates an abnormal signal within the ANS, which is then transmitted throughout the body. That’s why we sometimes experience pain in areas that aren’t close to the scar.
Interestingly, the ANS can sometimes react to interference fields in remote places of the body. For example, a scar from a C-section could be contributing to a patient’s chronic migraines.
Interference fields can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Chronic illness
- Physical and Emotional Trauma
- Surgery
- Infections
- Childbirth
- Vaccines
- Tattoos
- Cuts and Burns
- Dental Work
Neural therapy is used to correct interference fields and restore optimal function to the ANS. The treatment restores the body’s natural ability to heal itself and allows complementary therapies to work more effectively.
How Does Neural Therapy Work?
Now that you understand how the Autonomic Nervous System functions and what interference fields are, let’s explore how neural therapy works and how it all ties together.
The first thing you need to know is that the surface of the cells within an interference field have an abnormal electrical charge, which causes abnormal signals to be sent from the nerves to the brain. These signals trigger an abnormal response in the ANS.
During a neural therapy treatment, an injection of local anesthetic (usually procaine or lidocaine) is inserted into these abnormal cells, which normalizes their electrical charge. This improves cellular function and helps stabilize the system by allowing toxins to leave the cells and essential nutrients to enter. This reduces pain in that area and restores the cells’ ability to heal.
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How is a Neural Injection Treatment Performed?
Usually, a neural therapy injection is done into the subcutaneous tissue just below the skin’s surface with a very fine needle. The anesthetic is injected into an acupuncture point, nerve, scar, gland, or another trigger point. In some cases, a series of injections may also be utilized to cover a widespread area of pain.
Sometimes, a deeper injection may be required, depending on the location of the interference field and what is required to restore the body’s natural flow. Once the scar tissue is injected, a small amount of the anesthetic may also be injected into a vein to encourage stabilization of the autonomic nervous system.
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Is a Neural Injection Painful?
For many of our patients, the discomfort of a neural injection treatment is the equivalent of a mosquito bite. But for others the pain can be much more intense. The amount of pain you’ll experience from the injection comes down to the sensitivity of the area being injected, the depth of injection required, and the thickness of the scar tissue.
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How many injections are required?
The number of injections required varies from person to person, but most patients require around three to six injections. The good news is, many of our patients with chronic pain and health conditions notice that subsequent injections are more effective and the benefits last longer than the initial treatment.
The Benefits of Neural Therapy
Neural therapy is kind of like a reset button that restores the healing capacity of damaged cells. Our practitioners will take a complete medical history at your first visit and discuss your individual concerns before creating a customized plan specific to your individual needs.
Neural therapy injections can offer a variety of benefits for chronic symptoms, including:
- Restored Gut Health: Gastrointestinal and digestive issues are extremely common in our society. Unfortunately, the bulk of our immune system resides in the gut, so poor gut health can be at the root of many chronic health issues. Neural therapy injections over specific points of the abdomen can help to restore gut health. It’s beneficial for anyone suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), chronic diarrhea, and more. Neural therapy can also address scar tissue in the abdomen related to past surgery or injuries.
- Improved Organ Function: Neural therapy can improve organ function throughout the body. The result is improved overall health and relief of chronic issues like headaches, brain fog, high blood pressure, and much more.
- Relief of Chronic Lymph Congestion: Lymph system health is vital to overall health and overcoming chronic disease. Lymph congestion equates to toxic overload, infection, and eventually, chronic inflammation that can be difficult to overcome. Neural therapy can be used to remove stagnation from the lymph system, flush out toxins, and speed healing. It can also be used to relieve chronic sinusitis and sinus congestion.
- Reduced Joint and Muscle Pain: Neural therapy reduces inflammation, decreases muscle and joint pain, and encourages healing of the muscles and joints. In our experience, patients who receive neural therapy often achieve joint repair and stabilization without invasive surgery. The treatment is beneficial for both chronic and acute pain issues.
Beyond all of that, neural therapy offers a viable and effective solution for chronic pain without the need for surgery or harmful and addictive drugs. The patient can avoid the expense of surgery or lifelong prescription medication.
Of course, the treatment is also much more convenient than surgery since it’s done right in our office. And, there’s no need for hospitalization or weeks of missed work.
What Conditions Can Be Treated with Neural Therapy?
Patients with a variety of conditions can be treated with neural therapy injections, including those suffering from:
- Lymph congestion
- Scarring and scar tissue due to surgery or injury
- Chronic joint, muscle, and nerve pain
- Musculoskeletal pain, including acute shoulder pain and low back pain
- Mold toxicity
- Fibromyalgia
- Acne and other skin conditions
- Gastrointestinal/digestive issues, including GERD and IBS
- Brain fog
- Chronic headaches and migraines
- Sinusitis
- Lyme disease
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Infertility and menstrual issues
- Thyroid and hormonal issues
- Depression
- Neuralgia and numbness
- Allergies and asthma
Does Neural Therapy Really Work? What Does the Science Say?
We’ve seen the benefits of neural therapy firsthand in our patients, but you don’t have to take our word for it. The science shows that neural therapy is an effective treatment for chronic pain and a variety of other chronic health conditions.
For example, this study showed that patients received relief not only for their physical symptoms after a series of neural injections, but also for their emotional symptoms as well. Research published by Science Direct reports that neural therapy is helpful for acute back pain, hip and knee pain, and inflammation of connective tissues.
Neural injections have also been shown to be effective for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord injury. According to the Journal of Pain & Relief, neural therapy and the treatment of scar tissue can have a profound effect on the Autonomic Nervous System, including a reduction of nausea, improved circulation, tissue repair, and especially, relief of chronic pain.
Additional research validates the effectiveness of neural therapy for chronic conditions like fibromyalgia, heart disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and much more.
Are There Any Risks, Contraindications, or Side Effects?
The effectiveness of neural therapy treatment can vary depending on the patient’s overall health and lifestyle. The following conditions may diminish the results:
- Chronic fatigue
- Drug use, particularly any drug that inhibits the function of the ANS
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Toxic overload from environmental factors, drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes
We may recommend complementary therapies, such as IV hydration therapy, detoxification, and lifestyle support to correct the above issues and improve the patient’s response to neural therapy.
The side effects of neural therapy are minimal. However, some patients do experience minor bruising or increased pain after the initial injection. Some patients may also feel a bit faint right after an injection, which is due to a temporary slowing of the heart rate caused by the anesthetic. This side effect only lasts a few minutes.
If you are allergic to anesthetics like procaine and lidocaine, you may not be able to receive neural therapy injections. As with any injection-based therapy, there is a risk of infection. However, our highly trained staff uses only sterile equipment and proper medical protocol, so this risk is very slight.
If you have any health conditions or take any medications, be sure to let your practitioner know, just to be safe.
Final Thoughts
In addition to neural therapy, our skilled practitioners may also recommend IV therapy, colon hydrotherapy, or ionic detox footbaths to support the detoxification process and boost the long-lasting effects of neural therapy.
Neural therapy provides remarkable and nearly instant pain relief, as well as a host of other health benefits. The ease of use, low cost, and convenience of neural injections are a major benefit for many of our patients. It’s an excellent complementary therapy for anyone suffering from chronic pain or illness.
At Rahav Wellness, we utilize a combination of holistic therapies, modern medicine, and lifestyle support with the ultimate goal of enhancing the body’s innate ability to heal itself. You can learn more about our integrative treatment options here.