Presentation summary
After a brief definition of neural therapy and mention of significant clinical studies, the focus of the lecture is on neurophysiology, and in particular on the neuroimmune system and its influence through neural therapy (targeted therapy with local anesthetics).

Whereas the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the immune system used to be assigned separate functions, it has now become clear that the ANS and the immune system (and thereby inflammatory cascades) work closely together. During an acute immune response (e. g. in viral infection) the ANS and the immune system establish a fast communication resulting in “physiological” inflammation.

Based on our knowledge of the modulation of inflammation by the ANS we propose that a reflectory malfunction of the ANS with hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system is involved in the generation of acute hyperinflammation. The reflectory malfunction of the ANS depends on its “preload” (“interference fields”, “neuromodulatory triggers”). We believe that sympathetic hyperactivity triggers a hyperresponsiveness of the immune system (“cytokine storm”) with consecutive tissue damage. In the communication between the ANS and the immune system we detected several interdependent positive feedback loops. Therefore the “parts” cannot be considered in isolation – we consider the neuroimmune system to be complex and nonlinear (chaotic). Such systems have the fundamental ability to reorganize themselves after an input or a “reset”, e. g. by means of local anesthetics (neural therapy, stellate ganglion block). Since regulation is used instead of suppression, there are no adverse effects.

Fischer L, Barop H, Ludin SM, Schaible HG: Regulation of acute reflectory hyperinflammation in viral and other diseases by means of stellate ganglion block. A conceptual view with a focus on Covid-19. Auton Neurosci 2022; 237: 102903. doi: 10.1016/j.autneu.2021.102903