Esodynamic Therapy

Stephen Barrett, M.D.

Esodynamic therapy is an obscure system of diagnosis and treatment based on the idea that central nervous system (CNS) "danger points" can be diagnosed with a leg test and corrected by applying pressure to these points. On October 16, 2001, Using Google to search for information, I found a description of this system on a cached page whose original was no longer posted. The page had been posted by Michael Lapointe, BSc, EP, who practices in Ontario, Canada. The article stated:

Esodynamic therapy was developed by two chiropractors, Robert and Jean-Charle Bourbeau. In 1994, after Jean-Charle's death, Robert founded the Institute Esodynamie to teach the practice.
The Esodynamic philosophy states that human malfunction (disease) and chronic or acute pain, are simply the result of a systems auto-protection mechanism. These adaptations are the sole and primary factors responsible for human malfunction, as well as any or all resulting pain.
The Esodynamic leg test is based on the principal of provocation versus reaction. Through the leg test, the esodynamic practitioner is able to locate all of the "molecular level CNS compression points (danger points)" found within the muscular, bony and visceral human systems. Not only does the test locate these points, it also reveals the direction in which these compressions need to be corrected in order for them to be eliminated from the human system.
After locating each "danger point," the practitioner "corrects" them by generating impulse through the use of high-speed low-force hand impact. The practitioner places his or her thumb (correction hand) on a specific danger point and then proceeds to create impulse by impacting the free hand onto the correction hand. This impact or impulse eliminates the danger points, which subsequently "send the body into auto-correction." Once all danger points have been located and corrected, the patient is given a two-week period for correction.
The Esodynamic correction is an effective way of eliminating and or improving most acute and chronic malfunctions. Most patients correct within 2-7 corrections (@$30 Canadian per session) and when needed, maintain their condition once every 6 months. In most cases, correction is successful within 50-89% of the time.

This description is not credible because no leg test can diagnose multiple problems throughout the body and no treatment can "eliminate or improve most acute and chronic malfunctions."

In December 2004, Lapointe's Web site listed four other practitioners who practice in Ontario Canada. Further searches for information about Institute Esodynamie, esodynamic therapy, the Bourbeau brothers, and LaPointe yielded nothing, which suggests to me that that there are very few practitioners.

This article was revised on December 1, 2004.