Neural Therapy   -   The Gentle Healing Technology from Germany

Neural Therapy is a treatment system for chronic pain and illness.  It involves the injection of local anesthetics (also, other non-invasive modalities) into structures that are primarily innervated by the autonomic nervous system:  the sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia, perineural tissues of the somatosensory nerves, perivascular autonomic nerves, scars, glands, fascia and periosteum, ligaments and joint capsules, trigger points, and others.  It has been shown that tissues which have been traumatized through surgery, accidents, illness, or exposure to toxins can exhibit long-standing electrochemical changes.  These signals travel in the form of potentials in the unmyelinated nerves - the C-Fibers of the nociceptive system and both different and efferent sympathetic axons.  This constant arousal of the nociceptive and sympathetic system may lead to: 

1. Profound general neurochemical changes with lasting up-regulation of the sympathetic and nociceptive systems.

2. Vasoconstriction (norepinephrine or neuropeptides mediated) and sensitization of specific tissues.

3. Changes of ion and substrate transport across cell membranes.

The symptom(s) caused by these injured tissues may be located far away from the site of the original dysfunction in a non-dermatomal distribution.  A scar from a gallbladder surgery may cause migraine headaches, a tonsillectomy scar - low back pain.  Any injured group of cells may cause dysfunction anywhere else in the body.  By finding the original site of the injury and treating this area with a single injection of local anesthetic, the abnormal signal generation often permanently terminated, restoring again normal function to the organism.

Neural Therapy is a comprehensive treatment system that has evolved in Germany over the last 70 years and is one of the most widely used modalities in the treatment of chronic pain in Central Europe and South America today.  The injection techniques are simple, safe and easy to learn.  Since most papers published on the subject are in German (and some in Spanish), this very effective treatment is largely unknown in the non-German speaking countries.  Neural Therapy is an empirical method which was developed initially through observations and experimentation - very much like acupuncture or osteopathic manipulative therapy.  The physician who is credited with the greatest contributions in this area is Ferdinand Huneke, M.D., D.D.S.  Dietrich Klinghardt, M.D., Ph.D., is considered one of the foremost Neural Therapy practitioners and teachers, both in Europe and North America.