Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques

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Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques
Alternative medicine
ClaimsTo identify and treat allergies
Related fields Acupressure, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Applied kinesiology
Year proposed1983
Original proponentsDevi Nambudripad
See also Applied kinesiology

Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques (NAET) is a form of alternative medicine which proponents claim can treat allergies and related disorders. The techniques were devised by Devi Nambudripad, a California-based chiropractor [1] and acupuncturist, [2] in 1983, drawing on a combination of ideas from applied kinesiology, acupuncture, acupressure, nutritional management, and chiropractic methods. [3]

Contents

Clinical research has found no evidence supporting the accuracy of muscle testing to diagnose medical allergies. [4] [5] [6] Supporters of the practice agree that mainstream science has not shown credible evidence for the effectiveness of this method. [7]

History

Devi Nambudripad was a student chiropractor and acupuncturist at the time she developed NAET. Whilst experiencing a reaction to eating carrots she attempted to overcome the reaction through a self-administered acupuncture treatment. After the treatment the reaction to eating carrots did not return. At the time of the acupuncture treatment, a remnant of carrot was on her skin, and Nambudripad concluded from this that the presence of a minute quantity of carrot during the acupuncture treatment was the key to the treatment. She then formulated a hypothesis that contact with a small amount of an allergen during an acupuncture or acupressure session can remove reactions to food and other substances. [8]

NAET is promoted by her Nambudripad’s Allergy Research Foundation (NARF) which also publishes its own journal called The Journal of NAET, Energetics & Complementary Medicine. [9]

She is licensed as a chiropractor [1] and acupuncturist [2] in California. She also identifies herself as an M.D.. Her website states that she received the Doctor of Medicine degree from University of Health Sciences Antigua (UHSA) in January 2002. [10] The California Medical Board does not list an active license, and it does not recognize medical degrees from UHSA as valid, listing it as a "disapproved" school since 1995. [11]

Theory

NAET uses the term word allergy differently from medicine. Nambudripad claims that the central nervous system and associated sensory systems have the ability to detect the "electromagnetic signatures" of all molecules, with the central nervous system either reacting or not reacting to a particular substance. [12] Reaction to a neutral substance is called a sensitivity. In medical science, the reaction may be so extreme as to be called an allergy. In NAET such reaction is said to manifest itself as an energy disturbance or blockage in the flow of life force qi along meridians. In stark contrast to the conventional western understanding of allergies, Nambudripad characterizes an allergy as a condition caused by these "repulsive electromagnetic fields between an individual and the object (allergen)". [13] Allergens may be any of a wide variety of substances, as well as more abstract notions such as emotions and colors. [14] The cumulative effects of these energy disturbances are said to give rise to a variety of health disorders, with Nambudripad suggesting that "95 percent of human ailments arise from some sort of allergy". [15] The theory of NAET proposes that these allergies can be eliminated by addressing the energy blockages through the use of acupuncture or acupressure. Some of these ideas and concepts are adopted from Chinese medicine, which follows a different paradigm from that of western medicine.[ citation needed ]

Technique

NAET practitioners use a form of applied kinesiology called Neuromuscular Sensitivity Testing (NST or NST-NAET) to diagnose allergies by comparing the strength of a muscle in the presence and absence of a suspected allergen, [16] although they recommend Ig-E allergy testing with a physician as well. Practitioners will then aim to remove energy blockages by having the patient hold a glass bottle containing the allergen whilst acupressure or acupuncture techniques are employed. After treatment, patients rest 20 minutes while continuing to hold the jar containing the allergen, after which time the patient will again be tested for a sensitivity reaction using the muscle strength test. If the NAET practitioner determines the sensitivity has cleared, the patient is advised to avoid the substance for the following 25 hours or more. Patients are invited to return for retesting with NAET between 25 hours and 7 days after the treatment. [8] [12]

Evidence

Several reviews of the available evidence for various alternative techniques in allergy diagnosis have determined that applied kinesiology, the primary diagnostic technique in NAET, is ineffective at diagnosing allergies and advise against its use. [4] [5] [6] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] Various medical associations also advise against its use, including the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, [22] the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, [23] [24] the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, [20] the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, [25] the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, [26] and the Allergy Society of South Africa. [27]

Two medical review articles conclude that "NAET has to be the most unsubstantiated allergy treatment proposed to date" [28] and that "there have been no studies supporting the use of these techniques". [21] The Teuber and Porch-Curren review cautions that "there is the potential for an anaphylactic reaction if a patient with severe food allergies seeks such a therapy and tests themselves by oral challenge away from a physician's office after completing the NAET sessions successfully". [21] The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy has advised against using NAET to treat allergies, criticizing its "lack of scientific rationale" and describing it as a "potentially dangerous technique". [26] [29]

In a critical appraisal of Nambudripad's techniques Stephen Barrett of Quackwatch writes:

NAET clashes with the concepts of anatomy, physiology, pathology, physics, and allergy accepted by the scientific community. The story of its "discovery" is highly implausible. Its core diagnostic approach – muscle testing for "allergies" – is senseless and is virtually certain to diagnose nonexistent problems. Its recommendations for dietary restrictions based on nonexistent food allergies are likely to place the patient at great risk for nutrient deficiency, and, in the case of children, at risk for social problems and the development of eating disorders. [30]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allergy</span> Immune system response to a substance that most people tolerate well

Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are various conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma, and anaphylaxis. Symptoms may include red eyes, an itchy rash, sneezing, coughing, a runny nose, shortness of breath, or swelling. Note that food intolerances and food poisoning are separate conditions.

An allergen is a type of antigen that produces an abnormally vigorous immune response in which the immune system fights off a perceived threat that would otherwise be harmless to the body. Such reactions are called allergies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allergic rhinitis</span> Nasal inflammation due to allergens in the air

Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. Signs and symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red, itchy, and watery eyes, and swelling around the eyes. The fluid from the nose is usually clear. Symptom onset is often within minutes following allergen exposure, and can affect sleep and the ability to work or study. Some people may develop symptoms only during specific times of the year, often as a result of pollen exposure. Many people with allergic rhinitis also have asthma, allergic conjunctivitis, or atopic dermatitis.

A radioallergosorbent test (RAST) is a blood test using radioimmunoassay test to detect specific IgE antibodies in order to determine the substances a subject is allergic to. This is different from a skin allergy test, which determines allergy by the reaction of a person's skin to different substances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhinitis</span> Irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose

Rhinitis, also known as coryza, is irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose. Common symptoms are a stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing, and post-nasal drip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Food allergy</span> Hypersensitivity reaction to a food

A food allergy is an abnormal immune response to food. The symptoms of the allergic reaction may range from mild to severe. They may include itchiness, swelling of the tongue, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, trouble breathing, or low blood pressure. This typically occurs within minutes to several hours of exposure. When the symptoms are severe, it is known as anaphylaxis. A food intolerance and food poisoning are separate conditions, not due to an immune response.

Vega machines are a type of electroacupuncture device used in pseudoscientific Vega testing, which proponents claim can diagnose allergies and other illnesses. The forerunner to the Vega test was electroacupuncture according to Voll developed by Reinholdt Voll in the 1950s. Helmut Schimmel modified the technique in the 1970s and presented it under the name Vega test.

Food intolerance is a detrimental reaction, often delayed, to a food, beverage, food additive, or compound found in foods that produces symptoms in one or more body organs and systems, but generally refers to reactions other than food allergy. Food hypersensitivity is used to refer broadly to both food intolerances and food allergies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allergen immunotherapy</span> Medical treatment for environmental allergies

Allergen immunotherapy, also known as desensitization or hypo-sensitization, is a medical treatment for environmental allergies, such as insect bites, and asthma. Immunotherapy involves exposing people to larger and larger amounts of allergens in an attempt to change the immune system's response.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peanut allergy</span> Type of food allergy caused by peanuts

Peanut allergy is a type of food allergy to peanuts. It is different from tree nut allergies, because peanuts are legumes and not true nuts. Physical symptoms of allergic reaction can include itchiness, hives, swelling, eczema, sneezing, asthma attack, abdominal pain, drop in blood pressure, diarrhea, and cardiac arrest. Anaphylaxis may occur. Those with a history of asthma are more likely to be severely affected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soy allergy</span> Type of food allergy caused by soy

Soy allergy is a type of food allergy. It is a hypersensitivity to ingesting compounds in soy, causing an overreaction of the immune system, typically with physical symptoms, such as gastrointestinal discomfort, respiratory distress, or a skin reaction. Soy is among the eight most common foods inducing allergic reactions in children and adults. It has a prevalence of about 0.3% in the general population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Applied kinesiology</span> Alternative medicine technique

Applied kinesiology (AK) is a pseudoscience-based technique in alternative medicine claimed to be able to diagnose illness or choose treatment by testing muscles for strength and weakness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milk allergy</span> Type of food allergy caused by milk

Milk allergy is an adverse immune reaction to one or more proteins in cow's milk. Symptoms may take hours to days to manifest, with symptoms including atopic dermatitis, inflammation of the esophagus, enteropathy involving the small intestine and proctocolitis involving the rectum and colon. However, rapid anaphylaxis is possible, a potentially life-threatening condition that requires treatment with epinephrine, among other measures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tree nut allergy</span> Medical condition

A tree nut allergy is a hypersensitivity to dietary substances from tree nuts and edible tree seeds causing an overreaction of the immune system which may lead to severe physical symptoms. Tree nuts include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, filberts/hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, shea nuts and walnuts.

An elimination diet, also known as exclusion diet, is a diagnostic procedure used to identify foods that an individual cannot consume without adverse effects. Adverse effects may be due to food allergy, food intolerance, other physiological mechanisms, or a combination of these. Elimination diets typically involve entirely removing a suspected food from the diet for a period of time from two weeks to two months, and waiting to determine whether symptoms resolve during that time period. In rare cases, a health professional may wish to use an elimination diet, also referred to as an oligoantigenic diet, to relieve a patient of symptoms they are experiencing.

The antigen leukocyte antibody test is one that claims to measure adverse reactions to dietary substances. It was created by American Medical Testing Laboratories and is now marketed by Cell Science Systems of Deerfield Beach, Florida. Researched conducted at Yale School of Medicine published in BMJ Open Gastroenterology in 2017 demonstrated improvement for those with irritable bowel syndrome

"These findings reject the null hypothesis and show that a diet guided by leucocyte activation testing results in demonstrable clinical improvement in IBS. These clinical results, associated with a reduction in plasma neutrophil elastase, have implications for better understanding the role of food intolerance and the pathophysiology of IBS."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alain de Weck</span> Swiss immunologist and allergist (1928–2013)

Alain L. de Weck,, was a Swiss immunologist and allergist. His main scientific contributions were in the area of characterization and prevention of drug allergy. He was the founding director of the Institute of Clinical Immunology at the University of Bern from 1971 to 1993 and authored or co-authored over 600 peer-reviewed publications. He is the recipient of a number of patents that led to commercial allergy products and services. He served as president of international scientific organizations such as the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) and the International Association for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (IAACI) and was founder and later CEO of the Centre Médical des Grand-Places (CMG) company, acquired by Heska of Fort Collins in 1997. In later years he continued his research at the University of Navarra in Spain and wrote on a wide range of topics such as the distinction between science and pseudo-science, the emergence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and comparative health care policy.

Suranjith Seneviratne is a doctor from Sri Lanka who practices in allergology and immunology.

Exercise-induced anaphylaxis is a rare condition in which anaphylaxis, a serious or life-threatening allergic response, is brought on by physical activity. Approximately 5–15% of all reported cases of anaphylaxis are thought to be exercise-induced.

References

  1. 1 2 "License 16776: Devi S. Nambudripad". California Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  2. 1 2 "License 3433: Devi S. Nambudripad". California Acupuncture Board. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  3. ↑ Nambudripad, Devi S. (2003). NAET: Say Goodbye to Asthma: A Revolutionary Treatment for Allergy-Based Asthma and Other Respiratory Disorders. Say Good-Bye To... Series. Delta Publishing Company. p.  37. ISBN   978-0-9743915-1-9.
  4. 1 2 Niggemann, B.; Gruber, C. (August 2004). "Unproven diagnostic procedures in IgE-mediated allergic diseases". Allergy. 59 (8): 806–808. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2004.00495.x . PMID   15230811. S2CID   36788143.
  5. 1 2 Gerez, IF; Shek, LP; Chng, HH; Lee, BW (January 2010). "Diagnostic tests for food allergy" (PDF). Singapore Medical Journal. 51 (1): 4–9. PMID   20200768.
  6. 1 2 Waserman, Susan; Watson, Wade (January 2011). "Food allergy". Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology. 7 (Suppl 1): S7. doi: 10.1186/1710-1492-7-S1-S7 . PMC   3245440 . PMID   22166142.
  7. ↑ Thyer, Bruce A.; Pignotti, Monica G. (2015), Science and Pseudoscience in Social Work Practice, Springer Publishing, p. 47, ISBN   9780826177698, Another energy-based therapy that is claimed to identify and treat allergies...is called the Nambudripad allergy elimination technique (NAET; Nambudripad, 2003). However, a dearth of studies is not the same thing as evidence which conclusively proves that NAET is either ineffective or dangerous. Organizations that do rigorous clinical trials would have little interest in studying NAET because it is non-drug based. Funding is not usually available for assessing any alternative healing modalities. Defenders of alternative and holistic healing point out that most family doctors treat patients who have a wide range of underlying emotional issues that impair the patient's health. This could happen, for example, through elevated cortisone or adrenaline levels from prolonged stress. NAET testing is carried out through applied kinesiology while a person is holding small vials that are said to contain the energetic essences of various substances. Once the allergies are identified, treatment is carried out through stimulation of points along the spine. These vials contain substances prepared in a process similar to that of homeopathic preparation. Mainstream science claims this method has not been shown reliable or valid in assessing a client's sensitivity to environmental toxins.
  8. 1 2 Nambudripad, Devi S. (1993). Say Good-Bye to Illness. Say Good-Bye To... Series. Delta Publishing Company. ISBN   978-0-9637570-0-5.
  9. ↑ "N.A.R.F. Website". Nambudripad's Allergy Research Foundation. Archived from the original on 31 January 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  10. ↑ Nambudripad, Devi S. "Curriculum Vitae" (PDF). naet.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 24, 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  11. ↑ "International Medical Schools Disapproved by the State of California". Medical Board of California. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  12. 1 2 Nambudripad, Devi S. (2005). "NAET Protocols and Modalities Part 1: Basics". JNECM. 1 (1): 19–28. Archived from the original on 2007-04-30.
  13. ↑ Nambudripad, Devi S. (2008). NAET Pain Relief. Delta Publishing Company. p. 25. ISBN   978-1-934523-07-0.
  14. ↑ "NAET Allergen Kit List" (PDF). NAET. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  15. ↑ Nambudripad, Devi S. (2008). NAET Pain Relief. Delta Publishing Company. p. 42. ISBN   978-1-934523-07-0.
  16. ↑ Nambudripad, Devi S. (2008). NAET Pain Relief. Delta Publishing Company. p. 231. ISBN   978-1-934523-07-0.
  17. ↑ Wüthrich, B (2005). "Unproven techniques in allergy diagnosis" (PDF). Journal of Investigational Allergology & Clinical Immunology. 15 (2): 86–90. PMID   16047707.
  18. ↑ Beyer, K; Teuber, SS (June 2005). "Food allergy diagnostics: scientific and unproven procedures". Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 5 (3): 261–6. doi:10.1097/01.all.0000168792.27948.f9. PMID   15864086. S2CID   72156088.
  19. ↑ Sicherer, S. H.; Wood, R. A. (December 2011). "Allergy Testing in Childhood: Using Allergen-Specific IgE Tests". Pediatrics. 129 (1): 193–197. doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-2382 . PMID   22201146.
  20. 1 2 Bernstein, IL; et al. (March 2008). "Allergy diagnostic testing: an updated practice parameter" (PDF). Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 100 (3, Supplement 3): S1–148. doi:10.1016/S1081-1206(10)60305-5. PMID   18431959.
  21. 1 2 3 Teuber, Suzanne S.; Porch-Curren, Cristina (June 2003). "Unproved diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to food allergy and intolerance". Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 3 (3): 217–221. doi:10.1097/00130832-200306000-00011. PMID   12840706. S2CID   46550353.
  22. ↑ Ortolani C; Bruijnzeel-Koomen C; Bengtsson U; et al. (January 1999). "Controversial aspects of adverse reactions to food. European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Reactions to Food Subcommittee". Allergy. 54 (1): 27–45. doi:10.1034/j.1398-9995.1999.00913.x. PMID   10195356. S2CID   38054021.
  23. ↑ Sackeyfio, A.; Senthinathan, A.; Kandaswamy, P.; Barry, P. W.; Shaw, B.; Baker, M. (February 2011). "Diagnosis and assessment of food allergy in children and young people: summary of NICE guidance". British Medical Journal. 342: d747. doi:10.1136/bmj.d747. PMID   21345912. S2CID   9490164.
  24. ↑ Centre for Clinical Practice at NICE (February 2011). "Food Allergy in Children and Young People: Diagnosis and Assessment of Food Allergy in Children and Young People in Primary Care and Community Settings". NICE Clinical Guidelines. 116. PMID   22259824.
  25. ↑ Boyce, JA; Assa'ad A; Burks AW; et al. (December 2010). "Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of food allergy in the United States: report of the NIAID-sponsored expert panel" (PDF). The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 126 (6 Suppl): S1–S58. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2010.10.007. PMC   4241964 . PMID   21134576.
  26. 1 2 "Unorthodox techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of allergy, asthma and immune disorders". Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy. November 2007. Archived from the original on 28 December 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  27. ↑ Motala, C; Hawarden, D (July 2009). "Guideline: Diagnostic testing in allergy" (PDF). South African Medical Journal. 99 (7): 531–535.
  28. ↑ Morris, A. (March 2006). "Complementary and Alternative Allergy Tests". Current Allergy & Clinical Immunology. 19 (1): 26–28.
  29. ↑ Allergy.org: Unorthodox Testing and Treatment for Allergic Disorders
  30. ↑ Stephen Barrett, M.D. "Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique (NAET)". Chirobase.org. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
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