NADA protocol: integrative acupuncture in addictions

National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) acupuncture is a simple, standardized, 1- to 5-point auricular needling protocol that originated as a grass-roots response to the opiate epidemic of the 1970s. NADA acupuncture is increasingly recognized as a universally useful intervention in the treatment of addictions specifically and in behavior health more generally. It is recognized as a best practice in the treatment of substance use disorders. Integrative programs using the NADA protocol are likely to see improvements in engagement, retention, decreased drug cravings, anxiety, and less physical symptoms.