Enterhealth, a premier drug and alcohol addiction treatment company, prides itself on using a variety of techniques to treat drug and alcohol addiction. From neurofeedback therapy to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy to traditional Chinese medicine techniques, the specialists at Enterhealth are equipped to help patients conquer addiction through whatever means works best for them. In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in the possible benefits of techniques used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, many patients are unfamiliar with TCM and its potential benefits, so Dr. Susana Mendez, Clinical Director at the Enterhealth Outpatient Center of Excellence, would like to explain a little bit about them and how Enterhealth is using them to enhance its alcohol and drug addiction treatment program.

“At Enterhealth, we regularly utilize two TCM techniques that we feel help patients in our care the most – acupuncture and herbal medicines,” said Mendez. “Practitioners of TCM maintain that you are wholly connected to nature, therefore changes in nature are always reflected in your body. When it comes to issues of bodily health, TCM factors in the specific time of year, time of day, geographical location, factors such as gender and age, as well as the condition of your body when making diagnoses or prescribing treatment.”

TCM includes many different practices, including acupuncture, moxibustion (burning an herb above the skin to apply heat to acupuncture points), Chinese herbal medicine, Chinese therapeutic massage (Tuina), dietary therapy, and tai chi and qi gong (practices that combine specific movements or postures, coordinated breathing, and mental focus). In TCM, there are five diagnostic methods: inspection, auscultation, olfaction, inquiry, and palpation.

“After going through the diagnostic testing, we’ll determine if a patient is best served by herbal medicines, acupuncture, or both practices,” said Mendez. “Herbal medicine substances are primarily plants, but they can also include some minerals and animal products. In TCM, herbs are often combined in formulas and administered in the form of capsules, extracts, granules, teas or simply powders. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that traditional herbal treatments may have more of an impact when combined with modern medicines used to encourage addiction recovery than when treatments are provided without them.”

Chinese herbal remedies made from plants such as pueraria root (Radix Pueraria), as well as the roots of the kudzu plant, have been shown to inhibit alcohol metabolism, making them particularly useful in conjunction with conventional (modern Western) alcohol addiction treatment. Additional herbs utilized by practitioners of TCM include laurel clock vine (Thunbergia Laurifolia), which has been shown to help protect against alcohol-induced liver disease; Indian ginseng (Withania Somniferous), which may reduce opiate tolerance; red sage (Salvia Miltiorrhiza) which may help to curb alcohol cravings; and milk thistle (Silybum Marianum), which helps with the regeneration of a fatty liver.

“Herbal medicines are safe and are often used to complement Western medicines that have been prescribed,” said Mendez. “Another safe method, acupuncture, can be used on nearly anyone – including pregnant women. When used as a treatment for addiction to opiates, it is simple and has no side effects, and it can actually be used to prevent relapses. There are several different types of acupuncture, with Acudetox (Acupuncture Detoxification) and auricular acupuncture being the two we utilize the most often.”

Auricular acupuncture was developed and tested in Hong Kong as a treatment for acute drug withdrawal in the early 1970s. Dubbed "ear acupuncture," auricular acupuncture involves the insertion of tiny metal pellets in the patient's ear which remain in place for up to two weeks. Due to its promising results, auricular acupuncture is now being utilized in many countries for the treatment of opiate withdrawal. Acudetox therapy involves gently placing five small sterilized disposable stainless steel needles in specific sites in each ear and leaving them in while clients sit quietly for 45 minutes. Acudetox is garnering attention due to its effectiveness in helping to relieve withdrawal symptoms from substances ranging from alcohol to caffeine, prescription drugs, nicotine, and even addictive behaviors such as gambling, as well as PTSD and ADHD.

The World Health Organization and National Institute of Health recognize acupuncture as a solution for many treatable medical conditions including chronic pain, fatigue, addiction, emotional issues, anxiety, insomnia, headaches, digestive disorders and more.

“When applied to alcohol and drug addiction treatment, studies have shown that acupuncture can relieve withdrawal symptoms, reduce cravings, stress, anxiety and depression, improve sleep, alleviate aches and pains and reduce the symptoms of PTSD,” said Mendez. “It is also unique in that it is effective regardless of the client’s level of motivation, and it tends to increase the ability to effectively participate in other aspects of therapy. As a result of the endorsements from the WHO and NIH, more than 2,000 drug and alcohol treatment programs in the U.S. and 40 other countries have added auricular acupuncture to their protocol.”

At Enterhealth, specialists find that the secret to getting the most out of combining traditional Chinese medicine with the conventional, modern approach is to find the right mix for each individual patient. The Enterhealth team of addiction specialists works together to create a unique science-based treatment plan for every patient, and these plans can be tailored to include TCM as a complementary treatment component.