ADD/ADHD and Acupuncture

By Wanzhu Hou, LAc

ADHD (Attention Deficient/Hyperactive Disorder) is one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders of childhood and can persist through adolescence and into adulthood.

A person with ADHD has a chronic level of inattention, impulsive hyperactivity, or both such that daily functioning is compromised.

The symptoms of the disorder must be present at levels that are higher than expected for a person's developmental stage and must interfere with the person's ability to function in different settings in school and at home.

A part of the brain known as the frontal lobes of the cerebrum allows us to solve problems, make plans, understand behavior, and restrain our impulses.

The two frontal lobes, the right and the left, communicate with each other through the callosum. Scientists find that ADHD children showed 3-4 percent smaller brain volumes in all regions the frontal lobes, temporal gray matter, caudate nucleus, and cerebellum, although it's cause is unkown.

How can one naturally solve ADHD problems? According to Chinese medical theories, ADHD belongs to kidney and liver Yin deficiency and liver Qi stagnation, and/or liver Yang increase, and in some cases spleen Qi deficiency. The Yin deficiency is usually due to heredity, unhealthy diet or insufficient sleep.

The points of acupuncture are Liv. 2 or 3, K3, Sp6, H7, Yintang, D20 and scalp 3-5 needles. These acupuncture points are based on integrative medical theories

1. Chinese medicine believes Du meridian controls the Yang of the whole body and that the selected meridian could adjust Yang in the body.

2. Bladder meridian adjusts the functions of all organs in the body.

3. Gallbladder meridian changes pathological emotions.

4. Scalp points on the front of the head may treat problems affecting state of mind. According to recent research at NIH, attention deficit patients have biochemical and bioelectric changes in the frontal lobes of the brain. Therefore, the key of the treatment is selecting the acupuncture points on the front of the head meridian including Du, Bladder, and Gallbladder

5.Metal acupuncture needles have a special characteristic; they conduct electricity which may indirectly change the pathological bioelectricity and correct the imbalanced biochemistry eventually healing ADHD and associated problems such as anxiety and depression.

In practice we also find that simply using fingers to press the meridian and/or areas indicated above temporarily achieves similar results. Clinical research is continuing.