Acupuncture for Substance Use
The Radical History of Acupuncture for Substance Use
Acupuncture's introduction into American mainstream was largely fueled by young revolutionaries in the early 1970’s. At Lincoln Hospital in South Bronx, New York City community groups such as the Black Panther Party and Young Lords demanded better access to healthcare as they witnessed their communities disproportionately incarcerated for drug crimes under the facade of America’s “War on Drugs” and New York’s Rockefeller drug laws.
With no other way to address the lack of medical care in their communities, these community groups, healthcare workers, and physicians organized a grassroots take over of Lincoln Hospital to demand the creation of a drug-detoxification center. Within a couple of days, hundreds of people stood in line seeking treatment for addiction. Within a month, hospital administration had come to terms with the immediate need and established a drug treatment program that became Lincoln Detox Center.
Along with services such as counseling, welfare advocacy, legal assistance, and job placement support, the Center provided acupuncture for drug detoxification and addiction. Inspired by analgesia research out of Hong Kong, physicians and community members treated patients undergoing detox with just the Lung point in the ear. Amazed by the effects of one ear acupuncture point, many went on to study acupuncture.
Building upon the success at Lincoln Hospital, Dr. Michael Smith developed a 5-point ear acupuncture treatment known as the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol, also known as 5-Needle Protocol or AcuDetox.
To dive deeper into this history, check out the award winning documentary by Mia Donovan Dope is Death.
The Protocol
The NADA protocol, also known as 5-Needle-Protocol and AcuDetox, consists of 5-acupoints in the ear: Shen Men, Kidney, Sympathetic, Liver and Lung. These points help regulate the nervous system via the vagus nerve - shifting the body out of fight-flight-freeze state, reducing stress, anxiety, and sleep disorders, helping alleviate symptoms of withdrawal and cravings, as well as supporting patients suffering from trauma and PTSD. It is used in thousands of programs around the world and has been taught to over 25,000 providers.
In 2011, the Bureau of Justice Assistance produced a summary of research finding “patients who receive acupuncture services experience reduced cravings and symptoms of withdrawal and are more amenable to treatment services than patients who do not receive acupuncture. Patients who are more open to treatment may then have a greater chance of achieving remission and potentially avoid more frequent relapses.”
According to the Surgeon General’s 2016 Report on Addiction, only 10% of people with substance use disorder receive specialized treatment. This is due to insufficient involvement by primary care providers, shortages in the supply of specialty care, and unaffordable treatment options. The report notes substance use is influenced by and influences other mental and physical health conditions and, "integration can help address health disparities, reduce health care costs for both patients and family members, and improve general health outcomes.”
Sometimes, it helps to look back in order to move forward.
The 5-Needle Protocol is simple, extremely affordable, and clinically proven to be supportive with no serious side effects. In addition to reducing cravings and symptoms of withdrawal, these tiny needles tap into something deeper - bridging the gap between primary health care and the treatment of other mental and physical conditions. Acupuncture is widely used to treat anxiety, sleep disorders, fatigue, depression, digestive disorders, hormonal imbalances, physical pain conditions, and much more. Sadly, acupuncture for detoxification and substance use recovery is completely inaccessible for many; most treatment programs don't offer it as an option and outside of these programs the cost of treatment is often a significant barrier.
Opportunely, there is a growing infrastructure in place for people to receive the myriad of benefits acupuncture provides.
The Role of Acupuncture in Recovery
Twenty-three states have adopted legislation that supports the training and practice of Acupuncture Detox Specialists (ADS). ADS law allows non-acupuncturists to be trained in the 5-Needle Protocol, often under the supervision of a licensed acupuncturist or medical doctor and to practice in various settings. These laws make it possible for mental health programs, detoxification centers, and organizations working with emotional trauma to provide acupuncture within the framework and budget of their existing programs and staff.
In states where acupuncture is covered by Medicaid, folks have more access to treatment that they would not be able to afford otherwise. Acupuncturists accepting Medicaid are valuable resources to doctors and patients seeking to alleviate pain without the use of opiate pain-killers. In patients who have already developed dependency to opiates, acupuncturists accepting Medicaid would be able to use the 5-Needle Protocol as a part of the recovery process.
Another way acupuncture is becoming more accessible in recovery treatment is through the growth of community or group acupuncture. Boise Acupuncture Co-op is a proud member of The People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture (POCA) - a multi-stakeholder cooperative, with 700 acupuncturist members who share a mission: to provide affordable, accessible, effective treatments in a communal setting. POCA members have played a large role in helping pass ADS legislation and support ADS training in many states. POCA clinics charge on a transparent sliding scale, making acupuncture more accessible to more people.
If we want to bring acupuncture to the table to support folks recovering from substance use disorder, we need to improve access to affordable acupuncture care. Acupuncture, and more specifically the 5-Needle Protocol, is an effective adjunct to standard recovery treatment. It addresses the gap between primary health care and the treatment of other mental, emotional, and physical conditions, gives people a sense of power and choice in their healing journey, and provides more treatment options to our communities devastated by overdoses.
Boise Acupuncture Co-op will soon offer discounted 5-Needle Protocol treatments for anyone seeking additional support during periods of acute need. Stay tuned for more into.
Sources:
Alba, Vicente “Panama,” and Molly Porzig. “Lincoln Detox Center: The People’s Drug Program.” Abolitionist Paper, Wordpress, 15 Mar. 2013, abolitionistpaper.wordpress.com/2013/03/15/lincoln-detox-center-the-peoples-drug-program/.
Bemis, Ryan. Evidence for the NADA Ear Acupuncture Protocol. National Acupuncture Detox Association, 2013, pp. 1–5, Evidence for the NADA Ear Acupuncture Protocol.
Bondi, Mason. The Lincoln Story, National Acupuncture Detox Association, www.acudetox.com/the-lincoln-story-2.
Carter, Kenneth et al. “NADA Ear Acupuncture: An Adjunctive Therapy to Improve and Maintain Positive Outcomes in Substance Abuse Treatment.” Ed. Scott J. Hunter. Behavioral Sciences 7.2 (2017): 37. PMC. Web. 4 Feb. 2018.
Howe, Neil. “America's Opioid Crisis: A Nation Hooked.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 30 Nov. 2017, www.forbes.com/sites/neilhowe/2017/11/30/americas-opioid-crisis-a-nation-hooked/.
Keane, Helen. “Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL Washington, DC, USA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2016 382 Pp. Online (Gre.” Drug and Alcohol Review, vol. 37, no. 2, 2018, pp. 282–283., doi:10.1111/dar.12578.
Lopez, German. “The Opioid Epidemic, Explained.” Vox, Vox, 3 Aug. 2017, www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/8/3/16079772/opioid-epidemic-drug-overdoses.
Merica, Dan. “What Trump's Opioid Announcement Means.” CNN, Cable News Network, 26 Oct. 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/10/26/politics/national-health-emergency-national-disaster/index.html.
“POCA.” POCA, www.pocacoop.com/.
United States, Congress, Bureau of Justice Assistance. “Frequently Asked Questions Series: Effectiveness of Acupuncture as an Adjunct to Substance Abuse Treatment: Summary of Recent Research Findings.” Frequently Asked Questions Series: Effectiveness of Acupuncture as an Adjunct to Substance Abuse Treatment: Summary of Recent Research Findings, 2011, pp. 1–5.
Yang, Chae Ha, Bong Hyo Lee, and Sung Hoon Sohn. “A Possible Mechanism Underlying the Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Drug Addiction.” Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM 5.3 (2008): 257–266. PMC. Web. 4 Feb. 2018.
