EDITORIAL: ACUPUNCTURE (WITH POSSIBLE ROLES OF SEROTONIN & MELATONIN) AND RELATED UNORTHODOX METHODS OF DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT: NON-INVASIVE SPHENO-PALATINE GANGLIONIC BLOCK, ABRASION OF NASO-PHARYNGEAL MUCOSA, AND APPLIED KINESIOLOGY
The possible roles of acupuncture induced increase in serotonin level of the jugular vein, originally found by the author in 1972–1973, and of melatonin metabolism were discussed, in order to partially explain the list of more that 20 known effects of acupuncture on the circulatory and nervous systems, as summarized in this paper. Some of the relatively common symptoms of many patients appear to be mediated by autonomic system imbalance, such as essential hypertension, recurrent functional intestinal cramps, muscle spasms on the neck, shoulders and back, with pain, asthma, vertigo, allergy, explosive anti-social behavior, including some hyperactivity, etc. These symptoms are often considered to be indicated for acupuncture treatment, as well as spheno-palatine ganglion topical block and treatment of naso-pharyngitis. However, when acupuncture fails to improve some of these symptoms, often treatment of naso-pharyngitis or spheno-palatine ganglion topical block appears to have beneficial effects. By comparing the spheno-palatine ganglionic topical block method and treatment of often unrecognized naso-pharyngitis, originally emphasized by Dr. Sinsak Horiguti of Japan, the author developed the following simple but effective method, comparable with these 2 methods. In this method, sterilized cotton Q-tips are immersed in 1–4% Xylocaine and these are used to swab as much an area as possible of the mucus membrane of the naso-pharynx. The procedure is then repeated, using new Q-tips. In addition to various degrees of relief from spasticity of muscles and pain in the neck, shoulders and back, significant blood pressure decrease in essential hypertension, rapid recovery from the symptoms of colds, food allergies and various degrees of improvement of hyperactivity and anti-social or explosive behavior, as well as significant relief from recurrent functional gastro-intestinal colic, were often observed. The concept of therapy localization and compatibility tests for drugs and food in recent applied kinesiology were reviewed. In order to avoid subjectivity in muscle testing, grasping force measurement and d.c. skin resistance measurement methods were compared. The author was not always able to reproduce the results o f this test, and much work needs to be done. However, as an extension of d.c. skin resistance and impedance measurement combined for the compatibility test for drugs and food, in applied kinesiology, the author was often able to show that not only can the test be performed without direct contact with the body surface of the test object, but it can also be performed outside of the body in the electrical circuit o f d.c. skin resistance measurement. Its relationship with Voll’s diagnostic method was discussed. Problems and limitations of diagnostic methods and electro-acupuncture by Voll were also presented.