Autonomic Regulation for Neuromuscular Degenerative Diseases

This article is a follow-up to my last article in the May issue about systemic microcurrent and light techniques for treatment of neuromuscular degenerative diseases. The method detailed in this article has been used to support and heal patients presenting with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), fibromyalgia and other degenerative conditions.

This method of autonomic nervous-system regulation is a direct application of what commonly is called vibrational energy medicine (VEM). It refers to the application of light, sound, electricity or subtle energy frequencies to the body for a wide range of healing, pain-relieving and beautifying purposes. The human body consists of a complex network of vibrating energy fields. Any intervention that benefits our bodies must do so by creating positive energetic resonance with some aspect of our energy fields. This is where the statement comes from: "All medicine is energy medicine."

What we experience as good health and well-being is a state of relative harmony or coherence of our energy fields. This condition promotes the release of neuropeptides associated with good feelings (such as dopamine, serotonin and sex hormones) and smooth functioning of the nervous system. What we experience as pain or poor health is a state of disharmony or sustained incoherence in our energy fields. This is associated with high levels of stress hormones such as cortisols and prostaglandins, which leads to increased physical and emotional pain. It also causes various nervous-system dysfunctions.

We can therefore see that neuromuscular degenerative diseases are a result of (or at least intimately associated with) energetic incoherence. Metaphysics reveals that human beings have at least seven energetic bodies, with the dense physical body being only one of these. We are usually far more aware of our thoughts (mental body) and feelings (emotional or astral body). We only pay attention to our physical body when its needs, pleasures and pains sufficiently grab our attention. When you consider how mentally and emotionally stressed and scattered so many people are, it's not hard to understand a major reason for the rise in degenerative conditions.

Some of the most effective acupuncture treatments are those that work with the linkage systems bridging the physical body and the more subtle energetic bodies. These appear to be the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the endocrine gland system. The ANS and endocrine systems are closely associated with the chakras described by Indian Ayurveda. In fact, I often refer to the chakras as the psychoneuroendocrine (PNE) system.

The VEM techniques I will detail are methods to apply electrical frequencies and wavelengths of light through acupuncture points on the Urinary Bladder channel to support the healthy functioning and communication of these systems.

Back-Shu Regulation

As I explained previously, the Back-s hu acupoints have a strong regulating and tonifying effect on the viscera through the autonomic nervous system.¹ These points directly stimulate the ganglia that have sympathetic and parasympathetic effectors to the major organs. Depending on which needling techniques are used, acupuncture can strengthen organs or drain them of toxic energy.

Each organ also powerfully responds to specific colors of light. The strongest healing effect of moxibustion probably is the release of valuable infrared (and possibly other) wavelengths of light as the herb is burned. This is why it's more effective than other heat sources. Much greater precision can be had, however, by applying the specific colors actually needed by the affected organs. The chart shows which colors are therapeutic for each organ. Colors are classified according to yang and yin.

ORGAN	PRIMARY COLORS Yang Yin		SECONDARY COLORS Yang Yin
Lungs	Red	Green	Orange	Indigo
Pericardium	Scarlet or Magenta	Violet	Orange	Blue
Heart	Scarlet or Magenta	Purple	Orange	Blue
Gall Bladder	Yellow	Violet	Red	Green
Liver	Yellow	Violet	Red	Green
Stomach	Yellow	Violet	Orange	Blue
Spleen/Pancreas	Yellow	Violet	Orange	Blue
Triple Warmer	Yellow	Violet	Red	Green
Small Intestine	Magenta	Green	Yellow	Violet
Large Intestine	Orange	Blue	Yellow	Violet
Kidneys	Red	Green	Scarlet or Magenta	Purple
Urinary Bladder	Red	Green	Scarlet or Magenta	Purple

For each organ, there are two yang colors and two yin colors listed.² The warm ( yang ) colors have a stimulating effect and increase sympathetic tone and energize the organ. The cool colors ( yin ) have a calming, nurturing effect and increase parasympathetic tone. As an example, you would use select cool colors such as green or violet for an inflamed liver. For a deficient spleen, you could use warm colors such as yellow or orange.

I will now explain how this information can be used for treatment of Back-shu points.

Technique 1: Focusing on One or Two Organs

As is common in acupuncture, you simply can select one or two target organs/meridians in a treatment session. For example, when treating for fatigue, insomnia and depression due to disharmony of the heart and kidneys, the shu points of the heart and kidneys can be selected - UB 15 and UB 23.³ For digestive upsets with nervous tension, the shu points of the liver and stomach can be selected - UB 18 and 21. These can be combined with other acupuncture or electro-acupuncture methods.

To perform this technique, a combination of microcurrent and color light stimulation is used. These can be applied separately in a two-step sequence using a microcurrent stimulator and color light pens. A series of three electrical frequencies are applied in sequence for each set of shu points:

1. Set your microcurrent device to 100-200 µA, biphasic polarity, 2.5 Hz frequency. Use two probe electrodes with wetted cotton tips. Set the device timer to 1-2 minutes. If simultaneous color light is available, select a color that will help balance the organ.
2. Place the probe tips bilaterally on a set of shu points. Activate treatment for the time selected. You likely will notice a reddening of the area as micro-circulation is activated by the microcurrent stimulation.
3. Move to the next set of shu points and repeat, changing the color of light to one appropriate for the organ treated by those points.
4. If you need to apply color light as a separate step, go back and treat each shu point with appropriate color pens for 20-60 seconds each.
5. Change the electrical frequency to 5 Hz and repeat.
6. Change the electrical frequency to 10 Hz and repeat.

Technique 2: Treating All Organs (Systemic Balancing)

This second technique is most appropriate for treatment of degenerative neuromuscular diseases. It's more time-consuming than the first technique, but is well worth it. The treatment steps are almost the same as technique one. The only difference is that all the Back-shu points are treated. Each set of shu points receives at least one minute of each electrical frequency, along with a color light that helps balance it. Again, if the organ is in an inflamed or hyper state, select a cool yin color from the chart. If the organ or function is in a weakened or hypo state, select a warm yang color. Total treatment time might be 30 minutes or more for all the shu points. The figure shows an example of a treatment plan using this technique

There are other variations that can be used for treating the ren (Conception Vessel), du (Governing Vessel) and systemic auricular points.

References

1. www.acupuncturetoday.com/
   mpacms/at/article.php?id=30321.
2. The Primary Colors are those taught by Dinshah, the Secondary Colors are those taught by Mandel.
3. This form of microcurrent stimulation will not disturb the Heart except in rare cases. If the patient has a history of heart disease, it may be advisable to treat only the Kidney shu points.