What Is Neural Therapy?

What Is Neural Therapy?

In a healthy person, energy flows freely through the body. Injury, illness, poor nutrition, stress, and even old scars can disrupt this free flow and create what are known as "interference fields" — localized areas of energetic disturbance. German researchers have found that roughly 40% of chronic pain cases originate from such interference fields in the body.

The goal of neural therapy is to correct this interference and treat the illness or symptom at its source, by acting on the nervous system. The autonomic nervous system forms an extensive electrical network throughout the body — stretching, as a network, to roughly 500,000 km. This system governs the function of internal organs such as the heart, lungs, and digestive system, as well as our hormones, body temperature, metabolism, and emotions — in short, it is the involuntary nervous system that maintains the body's internal balance and keeps us alive. Disruptions in this network underlie many illnesses; because neural therapy corrects these disruptions, it offers an effective treatment option across a wide range of conditions.

Neural therapy is the treatment of pain and organ dysfunction using a 1% local anesthetic (typically procaine or lidocaine).

What Conditions Is Neural Therapy Used For?

Neural therapy is most commonly used to treat chronic pain, but its range of application is much broader:

• Migraine and tension-type headaches
• Allergies and hay fever
• Asthma
• Joint degeneration and rheumatic conditions
• Hormonal imbalances
• Sports and muscle injuries
• Gallbladder, heart, and liver conditions
• Dizziness
• Menstrual pain and cramps
• Skin and circulation problems

Suitability is assessed individually; a physician consultation is essential for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

How Is Neural Therapy Applied?

In a neural therapy session, the physician first takes a detailed history — not only of the current complaint, but also of past surgeries, accidents, dental work, and old injuries. Over time, these past events can become an interference field and trigger complaints even years later.

After the assessment, a 1% local anesthetic (usually procaine) is injected in small amounts into the relevant areas — such as trigger points, ganglia, scar tissue, or related nerve structures. Each injection takes only seconds, and a session typically lasts 15-30 minutes.

Treatment is usually planned as a short course of several sessions; the number and frequency are determined by the physician based on the type of complaint, its duration, and how the patient responds.

A Short History of Neural Therapy

The foundations of neural therapy go back to the work of the German physicians Ferdinand and Walter Huneke in the first half of the 20th century, and it gradually became an established method of regulation medicine across Europe. It was introduced to Turkey under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Nazlıkul; training and clinical standards have since been maintained through the Scientific Neural Therapy and Regulation Association (BNR), founded in 2004, under the umbrella of IFMANT (International Federation of Medical Associations of Neural Therapy).

How Does Neural Therapy Differ From Acupuncture or Dry Needling?

Neural therapy should not be confused with other needle-based treatments some physicians use (dry needling, acupuncture, etc.). While there are shared elements and some similarities in mechanism, neural therapy works on a different biophysical principle and aims for lasting regulation in the body.

Frequently Asked Questions About Neural Therapy

Does neural therapy have side effects?

Because neural therapy is a regulation method, it does not carry serious side effects; an allergic reaction to the local anesthetics used (procaine, lidocaine) is rare. For this reason, treatment should always be performed by a trained physician.

Is neural therapy covered by health insurance, and what does it cost?

Cost varies with the injection site and depth, but a neural therapy session currently costs roughly 5,000–12,000 TRY. In Türkiye, private and state health insurance generally do not cover neural therapy expenses. For current pricing, please get in touch.

Is neural therapy the same as acupuncture?

No. Although there is some common ground, neural therapy works on a different biophysical principle and should not be confused with dry needling, acupuncture, or similar needle-based treatments.