System and method for reversing the effects of paralysis

A system for applying therapeutic stimulation to a patient stricken with paralysis including:

• an elongate flexible acupuncture needle adapted for nonsurgical transcutaneous insertion into a spinal cavity of the patient whereby a portion of said needle is internal to the patient's body at least partially in parallel with and against the dura and ligament tissue and against one of the dura and ligament tissue of the patient's spine in the epidural space in a spinous process to repair spinal cord transection and restore muscle control;
• a system for applying an electrical potential to a portion of the needle external to the patient's body with a signal that mimics natural neural impulses in the patient's body in order to transmit said signals along the spinal column to restore movement;
• means for moving a limb of the body during the application of the neural impulses, said means for moving including a motor and means for adjusting the motor in response to a detection of neural impulses during the application of the signal;
• means for detecting the patient's neural activity during the application of the signal;
• and
• means for changing the stimulation profile in response to the means for detecting the patient's neural activity.