There is no magic bullet that can universally cure ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) no matter what medical doctors say about prescription medications being the best treatment for it. ADHD is a condition that has so many facets that each sufferer experiences a unique set of rather elaborate symptoms. In my opinion, standard medicine’s biggest shortfall is that it does not employ the many non-pharmacological, natural modalities that have been proven to work in the management ADHD.

Regarding ADHD, Chinese medicine has a very interesting perspective towards it. It believes that each individual has a shen or spirit that is housed in the heart. When the shen of a child is too active and too restless, his or her heart becomes overheated causing the child to experience chronic impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention. To cool down the heart, and treat the condition, practitioners need to stimulate specific acupoints. This treatment is known as acupressure, and it’s used to return balance within the body’s energy system, rejuvenate the spirit, calm down emotions, and treat illnesses.

The idea behind acupressure is that mental and physical health comes about when there is a harmonious flow of life energy or Chi within the body. An obstacle to this flow causes sickness in the person. To resolve the illness, the practitioner administers acupressure on the patient’s elbows and/or hands to stimulate the movement of Chi. The practitioner may also need to use other devices to apply pressure to the important acupoints. This leads to relief by bringing back balance to the energy systems and to the flow of Chi. The same principles are used in acupuncture but unlike acupressure, acupuncture uses needles instead of manual pressure. Acupressure is a much preferred treatment for ADHD in children since children are generally afraid of needles.

The use of acupressure ear magnet seeds or beads is one very effective acupressure technique used for ADHD treatment. The round metallic bead which is coated with gold is taped to the surface of the ear. When the beads are attached, there is no need to apply pressure on them in order to stimulate the flow of Chi. After the first week of bead attachment, most ADHD kids respond well to the treatment. They continue to progress well throughout the succeeding weeks.

In the United States, there are now more than 2,000 licensed medical physicians who have integrated acupressure and acupuncture treatments into their medical practice. Because of the extreme effectiveness of Chinese medicine in treating a lot of health conditions, more and more insurance companies are now providing partial full coverage of treatment sessions with an acupuncturist.