How Do You Deactivate Painful Scars in Your Practice?

Strittmater¹ describes many instances wherein a scar that is affecting a patient adversely can be treated by needling or cold lasering the corresponding point on the ear. Successful auricular therapy depends on an assessment that leads to the proper selection of points to be treated. Strittmatter also describes the use of Nogier's vascular autonomic signal (VAS) as a means of assessing a scar and its effect on a particular patient's clinical condition.¹

We describe an alternative assessment method that, in our opinion, is easier to learn and requires less time to perform than the VAS. This method combines auricular acupuncture and an applied kinesiology (AK) technique known as autonomic response testing (ART).^2–5 Instead of using the VAS to choose auricular acupuncture points, the ART technique utilizes the deltoid muscle strength of a surrogate as the indicator to help determine: (1) if a scar is abnormal; (2) if it affects a particular area of the body; (3) if treating the scar could improve the patient's condition with respect to the presenting complaint; and (4) where the effective treatment point on the ear is for treating the presenting complaint.

This approach can frequently lead to an immediate change in a patient's clinical condition (i.e. decreasing pain, increasing range of motion, and increasing strength). ART is especially useful for addressing musculoskeletal pain and sports injuries. We have had multiple successes using this technique with National Football League (NFL) players and other athletes. We have also had multiple successes treating low-back pain related to Cesarean section scars.

ART^2–5 is a form of AK developed by Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, PhD, and Louisa Williams, ND, DC; it was developed from the AK methods of George Goodheart, DC, Yoshiaki Omura, MD,^6–9 and others. AK is a form of manual muscle testing wherein an interpretation is made regarding the response (weakness, no change, or strengthening) of a muscle to manual muscle testing. The interpretation of the muscle testing can help predict whether the patient will respond with a positive, negative or neutral response to therapies. Many chiropractors and holistic/integrative medicine practitioners utilize some form of AK. In our experience, and in other practitioners' experience, use of a surrogate whose muscle is tested while the surrogate is touching the patient appears to produce more consistent results and is more efficient than testing the patient's muscle strength directly.⁸ Different forms of AK can produce conflicting results.² In our experience, ART produces useful and consistent information most of the time.

ART enables the practitioner to determine which area of the body is abnormal and allows the practitioner to determine causal links between different areas of the body. We use an assistant as a surrogate for the muscle testing. The assistant makes physical contact with the patient. The assistant's left or right hand touches an unaffected part of the patient's body while holding the other arm extended laterally abducted 90°. The practitioner then tests the patient by pressing down on the outstretched arm of the assistant who acts as a surrogate for the patient. The baseline strength of the assistant is noted.

The practitioner then touches various areas of the patient's body while simultaneously testing the surrogate's deltoid muscle strength and comparing it to the baseline strength that was initially established. The surrogate's muscle strength can change when the practitioner touches an abnormal area on the body, such as an acupuncture point, strained tendon, Ah Shi point, abnormal scar, etc. Prior to the muscle-testing technique described above, a number of other steps are performed in the ART protocol, using specialized low-technology equipment that differentiates ART from other forms of AK. A detailed description and explanation of the entire protocol is beyond the scope of this contribution, however, Dr. Klinghardt² presents a video overview on his website.

Phenomena of “Two Pointing”

If an area (“A”) of a patient is found to be abnormal on muscle testing, and another area (“B”) is found to be abnormal, and both A and B are touched simultaneously and the muscle testing reverts back to normal, it is concluded that there is a causal relation between areas A and B. (This reversal phenomena occurs whether the practitioner, the patient, or the surrogate assistant palpates one of the two areas).

An NFL player presented with knee problems and leg weakness. Upon examination, it was noted that this patient's right hip flexors were weak, his right psoas muscle was markedly tender on palpation, and trigger points were present along the right quadriceps muscle. The patient had three small arthroscopic “well-healed” surgical scars from an arthroscopy of the right knee performed several years before. He denied having knee pain. An ART examination revealed abnormality of the right psoas muscle, right quadriceps muscle, and right knee arthroscopic scars.

The arthroscopic scars “two pointed” to the psoas muscle. That is to say, when the scar and the psoas muscle were palpated simultaneously, the ART testing result was normalized.

It was concluded that the arthroscopic scar was a causal factor of the inability of the psoas muscle to fire fully.

Phenomena of “Three Pointing”

We then “three pointed” the knee region of this patient's right ear by touching the Nogier Phase 1 auricular knee point of the right ear with a metal probe while the assistant simultaneously touched the psoas muscle. When the two areas were touched simultaneously, ART testing results normalized. Within minutes of needling the ear point for the scar, the patient's hip flexors became markedly stronger, and the tenderness to palpation essentially disappeared. The patient was flabbergasted that his long-standing problem was relieved dramatically with a tiny needle placed in his ear for his knee scar.

Generally for centrally located organs, such as the Uterus, the ear on the dominant-handed side is tested and needled. For areas that are clearly on one side, such as the right psoas muscle, the ipsilateral ear is tested and treated.

The ART three-point technique appears to enhance auricular acupuncture treatment of scars and identification of body scars causing or contributing to a patient's medical problems. We are open to collaborations with other colleagues to develop a research agenda to confirm or disconfirm our conclusion.