Autonomic Response Testing (ART) Overview
ART is a noninvasive, complementary and alternative medicine assessment developed by Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, PhD, that uses the autonomic nervous system to indentify potential underlying stress, (or “stress patterning”). Dr. Sparks utilizes ART, her clinical experience, and treatment outcomes to address, monitor, and resolve the stress patterning that can contribute to chronic health issues. ART is not a substitute for traditional care. Dr. Sparks will address some issues with traditional care, including potentially referring patients to specialists.
The Work of Dr. Klinghardt
Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, PhD has spent the past several decades exploring the connections between the autonomic nervous system, stress, and chronic health conditions. The autonomic nervous system is an extensive network of nerve connections between the organs, including the skin. The autonomic nervous system controls many of the involuntary functions in the body, (such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and, digestion), and is involved in the “fight or flight” reaction. Dr. Klinghardt’s doctoral and PhD research focused on the relationship of the autonomic nervous system with the immune system.
Dr. Klinghardt focused on biophoton emission, the spontaneous emission of ultraweak light, as an indication of organ stress. He believes that stressed cells may lose the ability to produce coherent light, which can lead to dysfunction. Dr. Klinghardt developed ART (Autonomic Response Testing), which uses muscle testing of the autonomic nervous system to gain insight into the energetic balance of organs, systems, and subsystems.
A Layperson’s Perspective on ART
I am Brett Sparks and I have no clinical experience. I am a practice manager/consultant, a former high school English teacher, and, because I am married to Dr. Sparks, I help her with ART sessions. With that in mind, I wanted to provide a layperson’s perspective on ART and what patients can expect.
The basis of ART is that the autonomic nervous system can show stress through muscle testing. This involves a patient lying on a table with my right hand placed above or below their knee with my left arm held out from my side. ART equipment is placed above the patient’s head on the table. Dr. Sparks adds and removes test vials to the ART equipment while focusing on a symptom, organ, or area of the body. Dr. Sparks applies pressure to my outstretched arm. Whether or not the arm remains firm indicates something to Dr. Sparks.
There is a scientific explanation for this process that involves light emission, physics, and blocked regulation, but my explanation reflects my super simplified perspective. I can’t tell you why my arm remains firm sometimes and goes weak other times, but I can tell you that whatever that indicates to Dr. Sparks matters.
You might wonder whether I can influence my arm. This is something I’ve thought about as well. I try not to influence my arm and, honestly, I don’t think I can. When we started ART, I concentrated on forcibly resisting Dr. Sparks’ pressure to push down on my arm. This didn’t seem to matter, except for the fact that my arm became terribly sore. I certainly don’t want to influence the results, so when the ART process allows, I try not to pay too much attention to what Dr. Sparks is investigating.
The ART process starts with balancing the autonomic nervous system, then moves to investigating stress from common stressors such as toxins, mold, viruses, parasites, and blood-borne pathogens, as well as complicating factors such as dental stress, trauma, diet and EMF exposure. The premise of ART is that the stress patterning caused by these stressors can compromise the immune system, resulting in chronic health issues. Once stress patterning is addressed, Dr. Sparks often sees that the immune system is better able to function.
Along with a functional medicine review of history and symptoms, lab testing, and physical exam, ART is a tool used by Dr. Sparks in the Evaluation phase of the ATP Reset approach. Dr. Sparks uses the results from ART to guide patient treatment in the subsequent Mitigation and Management phases of ATP Reset. Patients may repeat the ART session after working on mitigation and management to explore their treatment progress.