Heroin is a highly addictive substance. It is both the most often abused and the most potent of all of the opiates.
Heroin is made from the processing of morphine, which is a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seedpod of the Asian poppy plant. Street heroin is usually mixed with other substances, sometimes even rat poison. Heroin addicts rarely know the actual strength of the drug or the added substances resulting in an increased risk for accidental overdose and/or death. Chronic users manifest collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulitis, and liver disease. They are prone to pneumonia, which results from poor respiratory health and are very prone to HIV and hepatitis. Heroin works by attaching to receptors on neurons in the nervous system and tissues of the immune system. The opioid receptors work by altering the feelings of the user. There is a surge of euphoria that may last several hours. After the euphoria, a phase of an alternately wakeful and drowsy state takes over the person. The mind is subjected to altered states of consciousness due to the depression of the central nervous system. Heroin is a very harmful substance due to the body’s mental dependence on it developing after repeated use.
Bellmore Acupuncture is a very popular modality for heroin abuse since it has proven to work as a treatment for addictions from nicotine to cocaine. Acupuncture is used more often for its pain relieving properties through sensory stimulation. Furthermore, acupuncture has been known to successfully treat depression, which arises after the potency of heroin has dissipated. Acupuncture causes the body to heal and relax, which is good for heroin users who are on withdrawal. Detoxification therapy through acupuncture involves the insertion of acupuncture needles to the ear, also called auricular acupuncture. The various points in the ear have networks connected to different bodily functions and organs. Auricular acupuncture allows the individual to feel relaxed, to decrease his/her anxiety and restlessness, to sweat less and to avoid abdominal cramps among others. It also helps the body rid the toxic substances more rapidly. Acupuncture allows the patient to acquire a positive mood, help relieve stress, and control cravings. It also heals the mind especially with the calming and euphoric effect coming from this treatment. In some states, heroin addicts are now forced to try acupuncture first before getting methadone treatment. Heroin addicts have lowered energy and are very physically weak which gives them more reason to use heroin to feel much better. Acupuncture always restores the body’s energy balance, which helps a lot in reducing cravings for heroin. Overall, acupuncture has helped heroin users mitigate their withdrawal symptoms, helped them control their urges and cravings and have given them peace of mind and good feeling of well-being physiologically, which methadone treatment can never give.