Welcome to Malula Productions
Malula Productions seeks to restore global healing traditions through educational outreach. Trainings with various American Indian tribes and other indigenous cultures have brought to light parallels between their healing methods and those of oriental medicine. We hope to shed light on those parallel philosophies by producing a series of videos that will help underserved and working class people gain access to acupuncture services and contribute to the body of knowledge on the power of traditional medical practices to bring health and wholeness to the modern world.
In 1991 Otzi, a 5,000-year-old mummy, was discovered in the Austrian Alps. His body bore non-ornamental tattoos on acupuncture points of a protocol appropriate for the ailments from which he indeed suffered. This discovery supports the notion that very similar forms of energy medicine have been known throughout the world for ages. With each acupuncture training in a traditional community—as old practices are rediscovered, acknowledged, reintroduced, and re-invigorated—we discover further similarities in healing techniques.
Please help us to document the stories of hope and transformation that emerge within acupuncture programs as we assist in facilitating the restoration of global healing traditions!
Why Use Ear Acupuncture for Traumatic Events?
Treats the whole community
It can be used on all those who may be involved in a traumatic incident in a group setting such as the survivors and the mental health and medical staff.
The firefighters, police and emergency personnel attending to incident:
Treatments have been delivered in conjunction with services provided by the Red Cross, Medical Reserve Corp, International Association of Fire Fighters, EMS departments, VOAD, CISM teams, and more, during declared states of emergency.
Simple, safe, with no side effects:
A simple protocol of 5 acupuncture points on the ear, referred to as the NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) protocol, has been safely and effectively used for over 43 years, in more than 2,000 programs around the world. The Miami Drug Diversion Court performed over 1 million treatments in one program, and no malpractice claims have been filed with the primary provider of US acupuncture malpractice insurance. St Vincent’s’ Hospital in lower Manhattan treated over 40,000 people following the 9/11 attacks, with no screening and without incident. The most common forms of trauma resolution techniques require screening to eliminate those the technique may harm.
Flexible:
Can be done anywhere, no need for special facilities or equipment, easily integrated into a wide range of settings: medical facilities, community settings, natural disaster situations, outdoor clinics in developing countries, wherever people are waiting in line for other services.
Accessible:
Placing needles in the ear, recipients can easily receive a treatment fully dressed (for e.g.: on the scene emergency workers who need a break). Large groups can easily be done, with one practitioner treating 15 people an hour. Can provide immediate “treatment on demand” without lengthy intake or any screening. Neither do those receiving need wait to feel its impact, as relaxation generally occurs within minutes.
Many disciplines of healthcare professionals can be trained easily in this technique for greater access to this service. NADA has trained more 10,000 people to do ear acupuncture worldwide.
Economical:
Treatment supplies are .40 cents, or less, per person.
Can help with challenging medical conditions in a disaster:
Community Clinics have shown a reduction in hypertension. Emergency evacuations leave some people without their medications in a temporary shelter. We have 2 techniques on the ear that can lower blood pressure. Likewise, those addicted to opiates or maintaining with Methadone and Buprenorphine will likely be disconnected from their prescribed medication in a disaster or shelter situation, as well as those actively using and not in treatment. We can assist in calmer withdrawal when opiates are suddenly decreased.
Acceptable:
No Stigma need apply, no one need reveal mental illness or addiction to receive services. This allows those typically resistant to seeking help to receive help. It’s surprising acceptance across many cultures and classes makes ear acupuncture an excellent outreach tool and a useful bridge to other needed services.
Survivors of traumatic events report ear acupuncture to be useful in alleviating symptoms of Acute Stress Disorder. Surveys show:
Improved mental clarity.
Improved alertness.
Improved ability to sleep.
Improved ability to cope.
Reduction of depression and anxiety.
Reduction of flashbacks and intrusive thoughts.
Reduction of aches and pains, muscle spasms.
Why We Practice
Physically acupuncture stimulates production of the body’s natural opiates and increases neurotransmitter activity. Many pain syndromes and muscular spasms can be improved and/or alleviated. There is evidence that acupuncture stimulates the immune system.
Psychologically, one’s capacity to cope with stress increases, and hyper-alert/hyper-vigilant states can be released, potentially interrupting the process of developing PTSD. The many forms of trauma that befall humans are known to impact our ability to be resilient, our physical health and the capacity to care for ourselves effectively. Coping strategies that impact physical health, such as addiction and overeating, add to our beleaguered health care system’s challenges when attempting to address behavior that results in poor health outcomes and requires behavioral change to improve. Ear acupuncture is a tool that has the capacity to be useful in the intersection of where psychology and physiology meet, addressing both at the same time.
Non-Verbal:
It is a non-verbal treatment, and requires little or no conversation to be delivered and received. As a wellness treatment, the focus is on strengthening a person, and in regulating the nervous system, not in establishing a mental health diagnosis. This avoids the stigma of receiving mental health services. Its surprising acceptance across many cultures and classes makes ear acupuncture an excellent outreach tool and a useful bridge to other needed services.
A proven track record:
Ear acupuncture was used by St Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan following the events of 9/11 as a way of reducing insomnia and offering relief to their medical staff, city residents and emergency personnel. For 6 years, St Vincent’s accepted anyone who walked through their doors, and without any advertising delivered over 40,000 treatments. Following 9/11, FEMA emergency workers utilized acupuncture and massage 24 hours a day on location at ground zero. Ten years later, New York City Fire Dept provides acupuncture to their fire fighters. It was included among the services the Red Cross 9/11 Mental Health program provided. Survivors of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma were also entitled to ear acupuncture treatments, provided for by Red Cross funds.
Ear acupuncture has, and is, being used on Lakota reservations in the aftermath of a series of tornadoes, by Lakota Search and Rescue personnel as a de-stressing, re-vitalizing and coping tool, in the Honduras after a hurricane displaced 2 million people, and in refugee camps in Burma. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in treating refugees in the US diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In Louisiana, residents affected by the Gulf Oil Spill received services, and demand continues to grow.
For info about training, ear acupuncture, obtaining services for individuals or a group, contact:
Laura Cooley, LAc
Reg NADA Trainer
603 2769158
malula@malula.net