Auricular ear acupuncture
Auricular therapy is a natural health care approach that uses the same concept as reflexology, which considers the feet and hands as microsystems representing the entire body. Auricular therapy stimulates the auricle – or the external part of the upper ear to assess and address health issues in the rest of the body. Note: Some practitioners or other websites may refer to this modality as auriculotherapy; it is the same thing.) Auricular therapy may be considered a type of acupuncture, but there are differences between the two techniques. With acupuncture, energy paths (meridians) are stimulated via insertion of acupuncture needles. Some of these energy pathways flow to the external part of the ear, but stimulation via auricular therapy addresses the ear’s reflexes as related to the central nervous system. The other difference is that with auricular therapy, stimulation is on the external surface of the ear, and instead of needles, magnets or beads (some call them seeds or pellets) are used. Some modern practitioners even use lasers. The beads are left in place, which means that the effects and benefits should continue even after the therapy session. Auricular therapy is not new; there is written evidence that it was used as early as 500 BC in China. However, modern practice of the technique is much expanded beyond what was used at that time. In terms of its use in Western medicine, there are records of ear treatment in ancient Persia, Greece, Rome, and Egypt. In modern times, especially since the 1950’s, the use of auricular therapy has extended throughout the world, including both North and South America as well as Africa. This natural health care approach has been in use in Europe for more than 40 years, but it is not so well known in the United States. But there is enough acceptance of it that in 1997 the National Institutes of Health gave conditional approval of its use based in part on evaluating studies where it was used for pain management as well as treatment for addiction. Hopefully as more research studies are done, it will become better known among MDs and other Western health care providers. What Conditions Is it Helpful For? The modern use of this modality dates back to the 1950s, where a doctor observed that some of his patients had scars on their ears. Investigating the cause, he found that they had been treated by a local woman who stimulated an area of the ear for those having lower back pain. His hypothesis (which proved correct) was that there were other points on the ear that could affect other areas of the body as well. Since the ear is a microsystem reflecting the entire body, almost every health condition may benefit from auricular therapy. However, the common conditions it has been successfully used to address include:
Chronic pain (specifically lower back and sciatica)
Headaches
High blood pressure
Nausea
Addiction, including detoxification
Today you may find auricular therapy offered by chiropractors, acunpuncturists, naturopaths, osteopaths, physical therapists, and even some MDs and dentists. Because of its close alignment with Traditional Chinese Medicine, it may be a good fit for TCM and shiatsu practitioners, and even massage therapists with TCM training. How is it related to traditional Chinese medicine?
“Asian bodywork therapy,” also called ABT, is a term used to describe a wide range of manual (and sometimes mechanical) treatments to the human body. As with most forms of Asian healing, Asian bodywork therapy treats not just the body, but a person’s mind and spirit, and helps one achieve optimal health on a variety of levels. All forms of ABT involve touching to some degree. Some forms are more comprehensive than others. Some therapies involve only light touching on various pressure points or regions of the body; others may involve specific motions along specific parts of the body at specific times, and may include the use of herbs, applications of cold and heat, and stretching. When performing Asian bodywork, a practitioner will first assess a patient’s condition before determining a proper form of care. Most assessments are based on traditional Chinese medicine principles. In addition to bodywork, many ABT practitioners may also recommend dietary and lifestyle changes, and specific exercises designed to promote health and enhance wellness. Although Asian bodywork therapy has existed at least as long as – and perhaps longer than – acupuncture and herbal medicine, it has come to be a recognized form of traditional Chinese medicine only recently. In 1996, the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) developed the first certification program in Asian bodywork therapy, due in large response to members of the Oriental medicine profession. The NCCAOM now offers a written comprehensive examination in Asian bodywork therapy, in addition to its existing exams on acupuncture and herbal medicine. What are the most popular forms of Asian bodywork therapy? Are they all alike? There are more than a dozen recognized forms of Asian bodywork therapy currently practiced in the United States, the most popular of which is shiatsu (which is described in further detail on our “Shiatsu” page). In fact, there are at least five recognized versions of shiatsu, and many practitioners may incorporate one or more versions while treating patients. The most popular forms of ABT include:
Acupressure: Acupressure attempts to balance the body’s energy levels by applying pressure to specific acupuncture points, thus releasing tension and promoting circulation of blood and qi. Amma: Amma is a specialized form of Korean touch therapy that combines deep tissue manipulation with pressure, friction massage and touch to specific acupuncture points, along with various muscles, ligaments, joints and tendinomuscular junctions. Translated literally, amma means “push-pull.” As with acupuncture, the goals of amma are to remove blockages, ease stress and promote the circulation of qi, which helps restore and maintain health. Most amma practitioners also receive extensive training in nutrition and dietary advice. AMMA: Not to be confused with amma, AMMA therapy is an extensive form of ABT that includes not only bodywork, but dietary therapy, supplement use, and applying herbal remedies to the skin. AMMA promotes health by treating the body, along with a person’s biological energy and emotions, which are believed to be intertwined with a person’s neuromuscular system. Five-Element Shiatsu: Five-element shiatsu’s objective is to identify patterns of disharmony in the body, using the traditional Chinese medical methods of examination (observation, listening, asking and touching). Once a pattern is identified, the five-element shiatsu practitioner then implements a treatment plan to bring the pattern back into balance. Five-element shiatsu practitioners may palpate the back and/or stomach, examine the pulse, and take into account lifestyle, emotional and psychological issues to arrive at the correct diagnosis. In addition to shiatsu, five-element practitioners may also use heat and cold therapies to help bring patterns of disharmony back into balance. Japanese Shiatsu: The oldest and most commonly practiced form of shiatsu, Japanese shiatsu consists primarily of pressure (usually delivered with the thumbs or elbows) along acupuncture meridians. Manipulation of soft tissues, and active and passive stretching and exercise routines may also be involved in a Japanese shiatsu session. Occasionally, practitioners may apply pressure to specific acupuncture points instead of entire meridians, although treatment of an entire meridian is usually employed.
