Benefits of 5NP Ear Acupuncture
The 5 Needle Protocol
The 5 Needle Protocol (often called 5NP, acudetox) consists of 5 points needled in each ear with sterile needles. The ears are innervated by the vagus nerve, which means that stimulating points in the ear engages the body’s rest-and-digest and social engagement systems, both of which are crucial in shifting out of trauma and chronic stress responses including fight, flight, freeze, appease, and/or dissociate.
Some people can only tolerate one needle in one ear; some prefer ear seeds to needles; many like to get all 10 needles. 5NP is flexible in that recipients are likely to experience its effects with any of these techniques. 5NP can be administered in a variety of different settings, but is most effective in group settings, given the resonance that happens when groups of people sit together with the shared goal of rest, recovery,and healing. The protocol as a whole has been shown to support people through cravings, withdrawal, recovery, stress, anxiety, trauma, insomnia, and pain. 5NP is not a stand alone treatment for addiction recovery or trauma and works best when incorporated into a treatment program or setting where people are accessing community support and other resources.
The five points are sympathetic, shenmen, kidney, liver, and lung. The kidneys, liver, and lungs are the primary organs of detoxification according to biomedicine. You don’t have to understand each point individually for this treatment to be effective.
While the same words are used, in the traditional east Asian medical theories that the below information is drawn from, the Lungs, Liver, and Kidneys don’t necessarily refer to the physical organs, but to a cluster of physical and emotional bodily functions.
Ear Seed Treatments (no needles)
Small magnetic beads or seeds can be taped to points on the ear by anyone with some simple training. This treatment can be especially useful for the period of time in between acudetox treatments. Individuals can stimulate the ear seed themselves as needed (taking care not to over-stimulate or break the skin).
This is a safe, non-invasive, easy, and cheap method that can be applied in any disaster response or community wellness initiative. The beads/seeds do not interfere with the activities of daily living and are therefore useful for first responders and trauma-affected populations as well as anyone else who is inclined to try them.
A CALM ESCAPE
Welcome to Okie Pokey Clinic, where we use the power of 5NP Ear Acupuncture to help you find your balance. We offer a safe and consistent space for non-verbal treatment. When discussing 5NP Ear Acupuncture, it's important to note that it isn't a singular treatment. Rather, it can be administered on a weekly basis, or even more frequently if necessary. Poke around our site and see how we can help you feel like yourself again!
