NEUROMUSCULAR TAPING and ACUDETOX
“Viable treatment options for managing collective social disaster recovery and sustainable health care”
This International NMT Training Project, created by the NeuroMuscular Taping (NMT) Institute, aims to equip medical professionals in rehabilitation with innovative and effective treatment protocols and skills to improve patient outcomes, quality of life, and overall therapy. The NMT Institute was established in Italy in 2003 and has headquarters in Rome, New York, Jakarta, Buenos Aires, and Sydney.
NMT methodology focuses on enhancing professional skills through patient evaluation and treatment, applicable in various healthcare settings. The institute’s sustainable healthcare project is built on comprehensive training and treatment protocol management, which creates therapeutic algorithms. This system invests in human resources and skill development, enabling healthcare workers to manage a wide range of health situations, including primary trauma care, post-surgery rehabilitation, wound treatment, and subclinical post-trauma related conditions. These conditions may cause post-trauma pain, mobility issues, edema, hematoma, and muscle tension in patients of all ages.
Advanced training in Disaster Health Care management for public and private healthcare clinics and hospitals is designed to achieve specific goals, including differentiation of hospitals into primary and secondary trauma care, occupation of non-emergency healthcare workers in treating clinical and subclinical trauma-related conditions, use of acute and post- acute surgical treatment protocols to maximise patients’ rehabilitation time, facilitation of fracture and wound care and healing, and diversified and effective treatment of subclinical conditions such as neck and back pain.
Other benefits of this training include the reduction of pain and overuse of medication, decrease in complications, and 24-hour therapeutic benefit, improvement of mobility and autonomy, enhancement of patient compliance in ongoing therapy, provision of continuing healthcare assistance, and maintenance of high-quality standards to improve short and long- term rehabilitative care.
SAVA rehabilitation LINK, in partnership with the NMT Institute, provides an ear acupuncture treatment protocol known as ACUDETOX, which has been utilised in various post traumatic social collective situations. Originally created by Dr. Michael Smith (NADA) in the early 1980s in New York, this protocol was specifically designed to alleviate anxiety, insomnia, emotional disturbances, fatigue, and other subclinical withdrawal symptoms associated with drug and alcohol addiction.
In 2001 World Trade Center and the 2005 New Orleans hurricane disaster the protocol was used to treat post traumatic stress disorder among thousands of affected individuals and disaster help and rescue teams. When human resources are depleted during prolonged disaster situations, the post traumatic ear acupuncture protocol has been found to be effective in improving sleep, reducing anxiety, enhancing mental focus, and alleviating pain and fatigue.
Individuals with subclinical PTSD exhibit similar symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks, fear, fatigue, hyperarousal, and social withdrawal and avoidance, as those with full PTSD. However, subclinical PTSD is diagnosed when these symptoms are not persistent or when some symptoms are present, but not all.
NMT Institute’s sustainable healthcare project is built on:
- comprehensive training
- treatment protocol management evident fast track treatment results
- creation of therapeutic algorithms
- cost effective treatment
- human hands on non pharmacological approach
World Health Organisation – Five Principles of Sustainable Healthcare
The following have been proposed by the WHO as a model to facilitate sustainable decision making at all levels of the healthcare system and clinical practice. The order of the principles was specifically designed to reflect their power (and therefore importance) to achieve sustainable change
- Prevention (preventing disease and encouraging healthier populations)
- Patient self-care. (equipping patients to manage own health)
- Lean service delivery (improving efficiency)
- Low carbon alternatives (of treatments or interventions where available)
- Facilities (minimising environmental impact of infrastructure)
NMT Principles of Sustainable Healthcare
NeuroMuscular Taping treatment processes for surgery, neurological trauma such as stroke, wound healing, pediatric and geriatric rehabilitation aims to facilitate sustainable decision making at all levels of the healthcare system and in clinical practice. Objectives include:
- Engaging human medical staff resources through training
- Encouraging disease prevention and deterioration through fast-track treatment processes
- Encouraging a non pharmacological approach and involving patients to assist in managing own health Community based programming and clinics
- Lean service delivery and algorithm processes improving treatment efficiency
- Low level pollution aspects – recyclable paper, plastic cotton based tape to reduce carbon emissions
- Low tech facilities minimising environmental impact of infrastructure and consumables
At times, there is a misconception that Kinesiology taping, Kinesio taping, and NeuroMuscular taping are synonymous, reflecting a limited grasp of the underlying methods and techniques. However, what sets these various taping approaches apart?
The NeuroMuscular Taping technique introduces a distinctive concept centered around decompression and dilation methodology, distinguishing it from other forms of kinesiology taping and bandaging. Originating in Italy in 2003, and created by David Blow, this novel taping approach, known as NMT, enhances the process of clinical reasoning. Its foundation lies in specific decompression taping applications, which form the core of this innovative rehabilitation method. Precise application of this technique proves effective in alleviating pain, addressing sports-related injuries, reducing muscle tension, and concurrently enhancing athletic performance, rehabilitation, as well as outcomes in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.
Human Resources
With a substantial number of certified physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, and doctors trained in NeuroMuscular Taping (NMT), a robust community stands ready to assist in the recovery of individuals traumatized during natural disasters. To ensure an efficient recovery process, the following flow chart outlines essential steps, beginning with mobilizing trained NMT specialists, establishing temporary clinics, conducting initial assessments, delivering treatments, and providing follow-up care. This flow chart serves as a guide for hospitals and medical organizations to optimize the deployment of trained NMT specialists during disasters, offering relief and care to those in need.
Advanced training in Disaster Health Care NMT management for public and private community-based healthcare clinics and hospitals is designed to achieve specific objectives:
- Classification of hospitals into primary and secondary trauma care facilities.
- Deployment of non-emergency healthcare personnel for clinical and minor trauma-related conditions.
- Application of acute and post-acute surgical protocols to maximize patient rehabilitation.
- Provision of fracture and wound care to facilitate healing.
- Diverse and effective treatment of subclinical conditions such as neck and back pain.
Additional benefits of this training include:
- Reduction of pain and minimization of medication overuse.
- Prevention of complications.
- Continuous therapeutic benefits round-the-clock.
- Improvement in mobility and autonomy.
- Enhancement of patient compliance with ongoing therapy.
- Provision of sustained healthcare support.
- Maintenance of high-quality standards for enhanced short and long-term rehabilitative care.
NMT-trained specialists include:
- Physicians
- Physical therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Nurses
- Speech therapists
- Other medical personnel
NeuroMuscular Taping Disaster Health Care Model
Following WHO recommendations, a seven-step guide has been developed to illustrate how an available database of NMT-trained professionals can be redirected for specific disaster recovery emergency programs. The NMT Institute recommends requalification training for recovery operations:
- Assess the Situation:
- Evaluate the extent and severity of the disaster’s impact on the local population.
- Assess available resources, including medical supplies (tape, scissors, disinfectant gel, acupuncture needles), and trained NMT personnel.
- Identify centralized and decentralized areas requiring assistance based on local demographics.
- Mobilize NMT Specialists:
- Contact NMT-trained specialists in the affected area through the national registry.
- Request their assistance and deploy them to designated mobile clinics at disaster sites.
- Set up Mobile Clinics:
- Establish temporary clinics in safe and accessible locations.
- Collaborate with community services to decentralize mobile clinic setups.
- Equip clinics with essential medical supplies, blood pressure monitors, taping equipment, air mattresses, covers, and other necessary items.
- Conduct Initial Evaluations:
- Screen patients for injuries and assess blood pressure.
- Identify individuals with injuries, pain, mobility issues, and potential subclinical PTSD suitable for Acudetox treatment.
- Refer patients with severe injuries or medical emergencies to primary emergency facilities as needed.
- Administer Treatment:
- Apply NMT techniques to alleviate pain, swelling, inflammation, bruising, and enhance mobility.
- Implement Acudetox ear acupuncture protocols for seated patients.
- Utilize other ear acupuncture techniques to manage pain, swelling, inflammation, and improve mobility.
- Monitor patients closely for adverse reactions or complications not detected during initial evaluations.
- Provide Follow-up Care:
- Schedule follow-up appointments to monitor patient progress and adjust NMT treatments as required.
- Monitor PTSD symptoms, anxiety levels, and sleep patterns.
- Offer self-care instructions, pain management advice, mobility exercises, and additional supportive therapies.
- Document and Report:
- Maintain detailed records of patient medical histories, evaluations, and treatment outcomes.
- Report any adverse events or complications promptly to hospitals or primary emergency facilities for further management.
Contact DAVID BLOW: david.blow@nmtinstitute.org
Please view the NMT professional REGISTER of certified practitioners