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Neural Therapy
Neural therapy according to Huneke is a regulatory therapy. It was discovered by the two brothers Walter and Ferdinand Huneke in 1925.
Neural therapy is a treatment which uses precise injections with local anaesthetics for diagnosis and therapy. Pathological strains (e.g. vicious circle in pain) are interrupted with specific stimuli. The system can then reorganize and recover a physiologic state.
From Fischer L. Neuraltherapie nach Huneke. Neurophysiologie, Injektionstechniken und Therapievorschläge. 3.A., Hippokrates, Stuttgart, 2007.
Indications
Acute and chronic pain, inflammation, circulatory problems, autoimmune diseases, problems of the vegetative system and more.
Types of therapy
1. Local therapy
Injections are directed directly into the affected structure: e.g. muscles (trigger points), painful tendons, joints, etc.
2. Segmental therary
Skin, muscles and inner organs are reflectory, i.e. connected with each other through nerves via the spinal cord. The sympathetic system is mainly responsible for these connections. Segmental therapy has a regulatory effect on the skin, muscles and inner organs. Injection points are sympathetic ganglia, nerve roots, peripheral nerves etc.
3. Interference field therapy
An interference field is an asymptomatic chronic irritation of certain structures (changes in the teeth and jaws, scars, chronic inflammations, etc.). Interference fields can lead to pain and diseases in other parts of the body. After precise questioning and examination of the patient the interference field is momentarily disconnected from the autonomic nervous system by injections with local anaesthetics. This way engrams (“memories“) of the autonomic nervous system can be "erased".
Further principles of neural therapy
The injections do not only have therapeutic purposes. A precise and momentary interruption of irritated or painful structures also allows a precise diagnosis, e.g. painful contractions of the muscles (trigger-points), nerves, blocked joints, etc. This treatment uses primarily the autoregulatory mechanism of the autonomic nervous system. Pain and irritations can originate from and be maintained by a certain part of the autonomic nervous system, the sympathetic nervous system. In such a case repeated neural therapeutic treatment and interruption of the "vicious circle" of pain and irritation is efficient.
Scientific proof
Scientific proof of effectiveness, usefulness and cost-effectiveness of neural therapy has been provided by numerous publications of case studies and different clinical trials.
Egli S, Pfister M, Ludin SM, Busato A, Fischer L. Können Lokalanästhetika (Neuraltherapie) bei überwiesenen, therapieresistenten, chronischen Schmerzpatienten einen Circulus vitiosus durchbrechen? Neurophysiologie und klinische Daten. Accepted as doctoral Thesis at the University of Bern 2010, in publication.
Institute for Evaluative Research in Orthopedic Surgery, MEM centre, University of Bern, Switzerland (A. Busato); Institute for Complementary Medicine, KIKOM (L. Fischer), University of Bern, Switzerland
Pfister M, Fischer L. Die Behandlung des komplexen regionalen Schmerzsyndroms (CRPS) der oberen Extremität mit wiederholter Lokalanästhesie des Ganglion stellatum. Praxis 2009;98:247–57. (peer reviewed)
Dönges A, Fischer L, Marian F, Widmer M, Herren S, Busato A. Evaluation of neural therapy and comparison with conventional medicine: Structure, Process an Outcomes. 2005. Institute for Evaluative Research in Orthopedic Surgery, MEM centre, University of Bern, Switzerland (A. Busato); Institute for Complementary Medicine, KIKOM (L. Fischer), University of Bern, Switzerland
Mermod J, Fischer L, Staub L, Busato A. Patient satisfaction of primary care for musculoskeletal diseases: A comparison between Neural Therapy and conventional medicine. BMC 2008;8/33:1-10. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/8/33 (peer reviewed)
Institute for Evaluative Research in Orthopedic Surgery, MEM centre, University of Bern, Switzerland (A. Busato); Institute for Complementary Medicine, KIKOM (L. Fischer), University of Bern, Switzerland
Bissig P, Schoeni-Affolter F, Fischer L, Busato A. Is Neural Therapy cheaper than conventional medicine? A comparison of cost structure in Swiss primary care providers – An observational study. Accepted as doctoral Thesis at the University of Bern 2008, in publication.
Institute for Evaluative Research in Orthopedic Surgery, MEM centre, University of Bern, Switzerland (A. Busato); Institute for Complementary Medicine, KIKOM (L. Fischer), University of Bern, Switzerland
Fischer L. Wie Lokalanästhetika chronische Schmerzen kontrollieren können. Hausarzt Praxis 2007/11 (40-43).
Fischer L, Pfister M. Wirksamkeit der Neuraltherapie bei überwiesenen Patienten mit therapieresistenten chronischen Schmerzen. Schweiz Zeitschr GanzheitsMedizin 2007;19/1:30-35.
Fischer L, Barop H, Maxion-Bergemann S. Health Technology Assessment Neuraltherapie nach Huneke (HTA) im Rahmen Programm Evaluation Komplementärmedizin (PEK) des Schweizerischen Bundesamtes für Gesundheit. Januar 2005. Abstract (in German) available: http://www.santh.ch/assets/files/downloadsection/de/3_Literatur/40_Publikationen/Health%20technology%20assesment-Bericht%20Zusammenfassung.pdf