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Stick it in Your Ear
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. Was Mark Antony promoting auricular acupuncture? Not likely. Not only was there limited, if any, interplay between the Roman Empire and the Chinese Dynasties, but auricular acupuncture had not been developed at that point in history. In fact auricular (ear) acupuncture is one of the most recent developments in the field of Chinese medicine.
Currently, auricular acupuncture is one of the most widespread applications of acupuncture, particularly in the PTSD and recovery fields. Agencies such as the US Defense Department and Justice Department are using ear acupuncture protocols to help service members and vets—as well as people in recovery—rebuild their lives.
Ear acupuncture has wide appeal since it allows a number of persons to be treated simultaneously in a common space, sitting upright, fully dressed—eliminating the need for private rooms and treatment tables. In private practice, ear acupuncture is often used in addition to traditional meridian points on the body. Some practitioners who specialize in auricular acupuncture may use only ear points. Most acupuncturists use ear points to supplement whole body treatments.
One of the interesting things about ear acupuncture is that it is not part of the traditional networks of 365 acupuncture points distributed from head to toe. Instead, it is more akin to reflexology, where pressure points located on the feet (primarily on the soles) are linked via the nervous system to all the various parts of the body. The same with the car, which resembles an inverted fetus in its shape. This analogy was originally postulated by Paul Nogier, a French physicialn in the 1950s. He developed the map of points that correspond to all the various parts of the body. This in turn was explored and refined by acupuncturists in China and continues to this day.
Ear acupuncture points have gained popularity as a treatment for weight loss. Points specific to digestion, the endocrine system and for overcoming compulsive behavior are used with people looking for help in controlling their weight.
Smoking cessation is another popular use for ear points. Points for the lungs, relaxation and detoxification are combined to reduce cravings and help smokers recover from the negative effects of smoking.
Typically tiny needles are used for ear treatments which can last from 20 to 40 minutes per session. After the needles are removed tiny metal heads (or seeds) can be taped over these points which allow the patient to continue therapy by gently massaging the points between treatments when cravings arise.
In the US, ear acupuncture was poineered in the Bronx, NY back in the 60s by community members who were looking for an alternative to methadone and other drug-based therapies as a solution to substance abuse. The effectiveness of auricular acupuncture in helping addicts overcome their addiction let to the formation of the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA), which, through its promotion of clinic–based treatment programs around the world, has exposed countless people to acupuncture who might never have considered or had access to it. Auricular acupuncture has been found to be helpful in the treatent of alcoholism and mental health issues as well.
If you are interested in learning more about how auricular acupuncture may be useful for any number of conditions, feel free to give me a call at (415) 370–3839 for more information.
© 2012 Larry Forsberg. All rights reserved.
Articles posted on this Web site are for personal use only and remain the property of Larry Forsberg, L.Ac.
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