Advancements in Functional Neuroscience Acupuncture

Anatomy & Physiology  

Assessment and Treatment

of the 

Cranial Nerve Plexus

I've had an interest in the assessment and treatment of the cranial nerves for over 20 years, it all started from learning a Qi gong system called “The head and face tranquillising method.”

This system of self-massage and breathing techniques had a profound effect. I felt calm and centred, my sleep pattern improved and the consistent issues with headaches, dizziness and motion sickness from a head injury as a child started to resolve.

I was only 19 at the time and it sparked a question in my mind: “What is the anatomy of these special pressure points I am massaging and why do they have such a profound effect on my state of consciousness and sense of wellbeing?”   

24 years later I have had the privilege to have a career as a Neuropuncture, functional neurology and Tuina specialist.  This has allowed me to learn about, and work with, cranial nerve pathologies with many patients. Stroke rehabilitation, traumatic brain injuries, post-concussion syndrome, migraine, vertigo, tinnitus, facial pain pathologies, the list goes on of the many conditions that an acupuncturist may encounter which belong to the cranial nerve networks.

Adopting a neuro anatomical mindset 🧠🤓 

A few years ago, as part of the Neuropuncture certification process, I was honoured to take up the opportunity to complete the Marc Institute upper body and torso dissection module. This experience confirmed to me the importance of adopting a neuroanatomical mindset when assessing and treating conditions of the cranial nerve plexus which I had been researching for many years through learning functional neurology. It galvanised the reality that many of the traditional point locations and channel pathways I had been taught at school were in fact functional neuro anatomical units!

Although the observations of traditional Jing Luo and Mai (Channels, networks and vessels) were outstanding for the time periods they were discovered and have many obvious overlaps with the anatomy of the cranial nerve distributions, the reality is the cranial nerves are far more complex in the structure, function and integration within the  central nervous system.

When we start to look at the functional neuro anatomical units which underlie the traditional pressure points and the functions that these traditional locations were thought to perform, it is hard not to recognise that the early acupuncture physicians had an in-depth understanding of the nervous system for the time period and were really the first people in the world to map the nervous system in such detail. With this in mind, we must also recognise that mistakes were made that simply need to be updated to our current 21 century anatomical knowledge. There was no way the traditional anatomist 2500 years ago could have truly understood the neuro modulating effects of the cranial nerve nuclei and their relationships to the cortical regions of the brain, neurochemistry and supply tissues without the modern technologies we have now.

I find it amazing how the traditional Chinese medical practitioners of the past pieced so many parts of the mystery of the nervous system together in such a beautiful and holistic way. I have continually strived to respect this tradition while evolveing acupuncture and answer the many mysteries that still remain.  

Let's take traditional pulse diagnostic techniques as an example. We all know what it's like as an acupuncturist to feel a tight wire pulse relax during treatment and the association with free coursing the movement of Qi and Blood.

This mechanism is actually mediated by cranial nerve 10, the Vagus nerve.🧐

One of the Vagus nerve's many functions is the primary parasympathetic outflow of the nervous system and sensory reception from the thoracic and abdominal cavities. The general visceral afferent (sensory) fibres of the vagus nerve have baroreceptors that attach to the carotid and aortic bodies, they help regulate heart rate via stretch receptors and detect changes humoral in stimuli via chemo receptors. When we stimulate a functional neuro anatomical unit like St 36 Zusanli (anterior tibial nerve😉) it is the Vagus nerve that picks up incoming signals from the baroreceptors and relays this information to the nucleus tractus solitarius within the brain stem. This nucleus is the cardio and respiratory control centre of the body. Some of its functions are to neuro regulate the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (HPA), cardiovascular-respiratory synchronisation and heart rate variability (HRV). We can sense these changes in the pulse with improved HRV dynamics, and changes in pulse quality (less tight and wiry).

Therefore in a modern context its not so much the changes in the flow of Qi and Blood and organ function that we are listening to during pulse diagnosis, it is cranial nerve 10 the Vagus nerve! 🤯

It is imperative that the modern acupuncturist strives to recognise and communicate to our communities and referring physicians how our medicine works with modern medical terminology, working to advance and evolve the effectiveness of acupuncture with the emerging knowledge which research has revealed.  Adopting a neuro anatomical mindset does not detract from the tradition or efficacy of traditional acupuncture in any way, it only serves to explain and enhance integration and the impact acupuncture can have in the health and wellbeing of our communities.  

Treatment of cranial nerve pathologies 

Our needles and electroceutical devices are the perfect tools to access the cranial nerves and their nuclei. With Neuropuncture interventions we can rehabilitate damaged nerves, regulate the function of the automatic nervous system and modulate cranial nerve nuclei and neurochemistry for a multitude of different pathologies related to these tissues.

 To do this we must be able to know the intricacies of the anatomy, physiology, assessment and treatment of the cranial nerves, review our needling locations, harness the power of bio electro physiology to target specific nerves and neural plexus. Learn the neuro modulating functions of the cranial nerve nuclei within the mid brain, pons and medulla and the tissues they supply. 

Over this six hour workshop I will share with you everything you need to know about the cranial nerves as an acupuncturist, a detailed overview of their anatomy and physiology, functional neurological assessment, diagnosis, clinical correlations and Neuropuncture treatment prescriptions.

If you are looking to upskill and build your practice and ability to work with patients who have complex cranial nerve pathologies, combine functional neurology into your acupuncture interventions and master the power of bio electrics then this workshop is for you!

 Register here to secure your spot at the Neuroscience Acupuncture conference .

 Neuroscience Acupuncture 

Conference

You can also book with Pete Larking for private acupuncture mentoring online, or an initial consultation if you are in New Zealand.

Pete is the medical director at Neuromedtec in Masterton Medical Centre Wairarapa, offering Neuropuncture, Functional Neurology and Movement Therapy with the specialisation in cranial nerve pathologies.

Pete and the Neuromedtec team.