Ear Acupuncture | Body And Ear

Both ear and body acupuncture take their origins from China. However body acupuncture has remained essentially unchanged whereas ear acupuncture has been greatly modified by the discoveries of Dr. Paul Nogier and further research is continuing to yield never developments in auricular diagnosis and treatment.

Body acupuncture is based upon a system of 12 meridians, 6 yin and 6 yang meridians. The ear is a self contained microsystem that affects the whole body.

Acupuncture points are anatomically defined in the areas of the skin. They are set at fixed specific locations in body acupuncture and can always be detected. In ear acupuncture , the auricular point can be detected only when there is a problem without he corresponding part of the body in which the ear point represents. The deqi that accompanies stimulation of the body acupuncture point is not observed in stimulation the ear acupuncture point.

In both body and ear acupuncture, the points are localized regions of lowered skin resistance or higher skin conductivity. When there is pathology in an organ represented in the meridian point or the auricular point the epidermal skin conductance of the acupuncture point is high.

Ear acupuncture points are ipsiladeral or same side as the pain or pathology. This representation on the ear is due to two contralateral projections from the ear to the opposite side of the brain and from the opposite side of the brain back to the opposite side of the body. Using traditional Chinese medicine theory, ear points are ipsilateral because Qi flows up the ipsilateral meridian.

Ear acupuncture provides a more scientifically verified means of identifying areas of pain or pathology in the body than traditionally Chinese medicine approaches such as tongue or pulse diagnosis. In auricular diagnosis one can identify specific problems in the body by detecting areas of the ear in which there is discolored, flaky, tender, or have high skin conductivity. This increased conductance is measured by a probe and is repeatable and verifiable. The subtle changes in auricular diagnosis may identify conditions in which the patient and the physician may only be marginally aware of.

Both ear acupuncture (auriculotherapy) and body acupuncture can be chemically utilized to relieve pain pathology. They both can be used together or applied separately. Healing not just pain relief. Both body acupuncture and ear points do not simply reduce the experience of pain but also facilitate natural healing processes within the body. Auricular therapy facilitates the natural self regulating homeostatic mechanisms of the body by diminishing over active body functions and increasing underactive physiological processes. Both body acupuncture and auricular therapy can have deep physiological and psychological affects.

Direct evidence of endorphinogenic response to auricular therapy has been provided by Abbot et al in 1980, they observed a significant increase in endorphins after acupuncture stimulation was combined with nitric oxide inhalation. Whereas the controlled subjects given nitric oxide without acupuncture showed no elevation of the endorphins.

The primary side-effects of ear acupuncture (auriculotherapy) is that the ear itself can become tender and inflamed. Auricular therapy and acupuncture generally is not recommended for patient with pace-makers and during pregnancy. While auriculotherapy does not require the use of needles, ear points may be sensitive to any applied simulation through auriculotherapy treatment. Infection is almost never heard of in auricular therapy and acupuncture and if a patient is afraid of needles, auricular electrical stimulation is the preferred treatment.