Auricular acupuncture is a form of therapy that began in ancient China in 500 B. C. as part of the system of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Maitland. It blossomed all over the world and a French medical doctor by the name of Paul Nogier, in 1957, who was trained in acupuncture and chiropractic medicine and obviously, Western Medicine, created a map that showed acupuncture points (acupoints) on the auricle or outer ear that can be stimulated to resolve specific illnesses. When stimulated, these acupoints, usually produce positive effects on the targeted areas of the body causing the affected tissues or organs to restore health and function healthily.
What Should a Person Expect from Auricular Acupuncture?
A regular session of auricular acupuncture starts with the acupuncturist examining certain points on the patient’s outer ear(s) that may be associated a health issue. The examination may involve electrical testing, palpation or visual examination. When therapeutically active acupoints are identified, they are treated with one of a number of potential healing modes: taping a seed or tack to the skin or laser or electrical stimulation. None of these methods are uncomfortable or painful.
What conditions can Auricular Acupuncture Treat?
Auricular therapy science has been internationally researched, well documented, and published in medical journals. The WHO (World Health Organization) has listed more than 150 conditions that can be addressed with Auricular Therapy. Some of the conditions are: various orthopedic and neurological and disorders like: migraines, headaches, facial paralysis, trigeminal neuralgia, meniere’s disease, peripheral neuropathy, tennis elbow, intercostal neuralgia, lumbar pain, sciatica, cancer pain, rheumatoid arthritis, hot flashes, dry mouth, etc. Auricular Acupuncture has also been shown to work on people suffering from long-term allergies.
This type of acupuncture is most commonly utilized for cravings and addictions, management of pain, assistance for emotional or mental issues, and weight loss. Protocols and procedure exist as well for the therapy of various internal disorders. Since auricular acupuncture can treat any area of the body, almost all problems can be addressed by it either as a complimentary or primary form of healthcare. The issues listed below are merely examples of what can be treated successfully and it does not encompass all health problems that Auricular Acupuncture can treat.
- Allergies
- Alcoholism
- Bell’s Palsy
- Anxiety
- Bladder Control
- Asthma
- Depression
- Constipation
- Fibromyalgia
- Drug addiction
- Headache
- Gall Bladder
- Hyperactivity
- Hemorrhoids
- Insomnia
- Impotence
- PMS
- Knee pain
- Sinusitis
- Shingles
- Sore Throat
- Smoking Withdrawal
- TMJ
- Stuttering
- Eye Conditions
- Toothache
- Weight Gain & more
Are Needles Necessary in Auricular Acupuncture and what is the Difference between Body and Auricular Acupuncture?
Auricular acupuncture is a specialized form of acupuncture that affects the “microsystem” of the entire human body. It involves identification of electrically conductive acupoints that are ONLY identifiable if there’s something wrong with the body. Most of acupuncturist consider this to be an advantage of auricular acupuncture over standard body acupuncture.
Today’s technology enables current auricular acupuncturists to detect polarity as well as in locating active acupoints. The latest instruments can identify the acupoints that are most active in locating energetic foci/blockages, and the kind of healing approach required for those acupoints. Certain electrical frequencies are then utilized for various conditions and oftentimes, these electrical frequencies on acupoints are just as potent as needles. It also may be used along with lasers, pellets and ear seeds.
Body acupuncture works with fixed energy channels or meridians that have been accurately defined and charted in the body, as well as fixed acupoints found along the meridians. They always can be located because they are always active bio-electrically.
How Many Sessions of Therapy Do You Need?
The number of treatments are on a case to case basis. In any illness treated via auricular acupuncture, there is no set number of treatments. In certain instances, a single treatment is simply needed. Others may require multiple sessions. It will be based on what issue is being addressed. In general, most patients suffering from chronic long standing problems require six to twelve sessions, twice at first, perhaps, then tapering off as symptoms lessen.
What is the Duration of a Typical Therapy Session?
A regular session may last anywhere from fifteen minutes to a full hour. It is all really based on the patient’s age, how much learning the patient needs about the treatment, his illness, as well as the extent of examination required and other supplemental therapies used in addition to auricular acupuncture.
What instances are auricular acupuncture not recommended?
In certain cases, pain can be an important sign of a deeper problem. To determine an underlying issue, it is vital not to treat any pain required. One shouldn’t address any pain required to restrict range of motion of an injured part of the body. Nor should one treat pregnant women, and not bio-electrically activate the ear acupoints of a patient carrying a cardiac pacemaker in his body. Most acupuncturists will not recommend Auricular Acupuncture as a substitute for much needed standard medical care. Auricular Acupuncture is only a complementary form of medicine.
What are the Side Effects of Auricular Acupuncture?
Because soreness of ear acupoints is one of the main diagnostic trademarks of this procedure, after the therapy, the aching on the ear acupoints sometimes can linger for a while. In addition, patients with chronic conditions may experience a “retracing” of symptoms. This means that in certain cases, a patient may sense his body feeling symptoms that took place during the development of a condition – a reversal of symptoms, instead of prompt alleviation of pain. We need to remind ourselves that Chinese medicine aims to trigger natural healing reactions instead of masking the symptoms.