Ear acupuncture is an alternative medical method that has its origins in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), among others. Specifically, the ear acupuncture technique (synonym: auriculotherapy) was established by the French physician Dr. Paul Nogier. He discovered the so-called ear somatotope, which, in the form of an upside-down embryo, assigns an equivalent on the outer ear to each of the elements of the human body. For example, the head is located on the earlobe while the spine corresponds to the anthelix (part of the auricle). Nogier’s Auriculo Therapy is both a therapeutic and diagnostic concept. He gained his first experience by successfully treating sensitive points in the anthelix area (the turn in the outer ear opposite the edge of the auricle (helix)) with acupuncture for complaints or pain in the context of lumboischialgia (lumbosacral root irritation syndrome, in which pain occurs in the area of the lumbar spine and in the supply area of the ischiadic nerve). Ear acupuncture is particularly popular because the acupuncture points are easily accessible and regions that are inaccessible due to injury can also be treated. The following text gives a brief overview of the procedural technique of ear acupuncture and its theoretical background.
Indications (areas of application)
Ear acupuncture is performed for or suspected of:
- Acute and chronic pain or discomfort of the musculoskeletal system:
- Acute traumas
- Arthralgia (joint pain)
- Sciatica (irritation of the sciatic nerve)
- Lumbaralgia (pain in the lumbar spine).
- Myalgia (muscle pain)
- Cervicalgia (collective term for pain originating in the cervical spine or affecting the cervical spine).
- Adjuvant therapy for cardiovascular disease – for example, in myocardial infarction (heart attack) or hypertension (high blood pressure), the goal is to increase the potency of the medication or reduce the same with the same effect.
- Allergic diseases – e.g. allergic rhinitis (hay fever).
- Functional disorders
- Respiratory tract – among other things, saving medication e.g. less cortisone intake in bronchial asthma.
- Gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract).
- Genitourinary tract – e.g. urinary incontinence.
- Hormonal disorders – eg, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or menopausal symptoms (symptoms during menopause).
- Cephalgia (headache)
- Migraine
- Neuralgia – pain that is due to irritation of a nerve.
- Psychovegetative mood disorders
- Mental illnesses – e.g. depression or anxiety syndromes.
- Sleep disorders – e.g. insomnia (insomnia).
- Addiction therapy – nicotine addiction, binge eating, adjuvant (accompanying) therapy for drug withdrawal.
- Metabolic diseases – eg, early stages of diabetes mellitus type 2 (adult-onset diabetes, diabetes).
- Vertigo (dizziness)
Contraindications
- Acute pain
- Absolute surgical indications – e.g. appendicitis (appendicitis).
- Hereditary diseases
- Blood clotting disorders
- Local inflammation of the ear – e.g. perichondritis (inflammation of the cartilaginous membrane).
- Local injuries or defects of the ear
- Life-threatening diseases
- Severe infectious diseases
- Severe neurological disease patterns
- Tumor disease
The procedure
The effect of ear acupuncture is explained in different ways, two approaches are described for this purpose: The physiological approach is based on the assumption that the needle pricks irritate physiological structures such as the nervous system and nociceptors (pain receptors) located in the skin. The reflex response to these external stimuli can produce a remote effect on other anatomical structures. Three major nerves or nerve plexuses play a primary role in this process:
- Trigeminal nerve (sensitive facial nerve).
- Vagus nerve (visceral nerve)
- Plexus cervicalis superficialis (sensitive nerve in the neck).
The second approach is the energetic approach.This is based on the assumption of an energy system that flows through the body along with blood and lymph vessels. The goal of ear acupuncture is to stabilize and maintain the dynamics of the energy system. Specifically, this includes the removal of blockages and the support of the body’s own regulatory capacity. Before any therapeutic or diagnostic ear acupuncture, a detailed anamnesis is taken, in which the patient is asked about his or her condition and medical history. In contrast to body acupuncture, the ear acupuncture points can only be localized if a disturbance or irritation is present. In order to find these points, Nogier developed a special method: With the help of the so-called auriculocardial reflex (RAC), the ear acupuncture points can be localized. The radial pulse (the palpable pulse of the radial artery on the forearm near the wrist) is observed when the sensitive points are irritated. If it changes, it is an acupuncture point that indicates a disorder and can be treated. As a rule, the ear of the dominant side is treated in the respective patient, i.e. in the case of a right-handed person, the treatment is carried out on the left ear. If it is a one-sided impairment (e.g. joint pain in the knee), the contralateral ear is treated (in case of complaints in the right knee, the left ear is treated). There are also special points that have effects similar to the special effect of hormones or medications. They are named according to their effect, never describing the exact effect but a direction of action. The treatment includes several sessions. Approximately 1-4 needles are inserted vertically at an angle of 20° about 1-2 millimeters deep. Possible variants are permanent needles or small pressure patches in which seeds are incorporated and are used primarily in the treatment of drug addicts (e.g. nicotine addiction).
Benefits
Ear acupuncture is a useful procedure especially as an adjuvant (accompanying) therapeutic measure in combination with conventional medicine, accompanying the patient on the way to healing and well-being. Although the effect of ear acupuncture has not yet been scientifically proven, it plays a major role in alternative medicine today based on previous experience.