Auricular Acupuncture - What is it?

Auricular acupuncture is the stimulation of acupuncture points on the external ear surface for the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions in other parts of the body.  The ear holds a microsystem of the body, consistent with the brain map discoveries of Canadian neuroscientist Wilder Penfield in the 1940's.  Dr. Penfield found that maps of the body exist on the surface of the brain, known as the "homunculus", or "little man".  This same brain map is also projected onto different areas of the body, the ear being one place that the brain projects its "homunculus".  The map on the ear is in the form of an upside down foetus, with all of the fine details of every part of the emotional and physical body represented. The ear has the highest density of acupuncture points of the body.

The earliest use of ear acupuncture, like body acupuncture, dates back to ancient China.  Auricular acupuncture, as we know it today though is largely the result of the work of Dr. Paul Nogier of France.  Nogier, a medical doctor, trained in acupuncture, who taught neurology at the medical school in Lyon, France, discovered in the late 1950's that the ear holds all of the acupuncture points of the body, replicating as a microsystem the entire body.  Dr. Nogier and his colleagues conducted research over the next decades, discovering that stimulation of the ear acupuncture points were very effective in alleviating pain and other symptoms.  Now, fifty years later, many exciting and fascinating developments in understanding this medicine and how to use it for quite complex assessment and treatments are being tested and offered by trained practitioners around the world. This field continues to expand, with thousands of practitioners and exciting developments, particularly in Europe.

When an auricular acupuncture point on the ear is "active", which expresses as increased tenderness upon stimulation and a higher electrical conductivity, this indicates pathology in the body tissue corresponding to that point, making auricular acupuncture a useful form of assessment of ailments. 

For treatment, stimulation of active points can be done with acupuncture needles, ear pellets, manual pressure, lasers, electroacupuncture tools, or magnets. 

While auricular acupuncture can effectively relieve pain, stress and tension when used alone, it also works well in conjunction with other modalities of medicine. The practice of auricular acupuncture is conducted by a variety of practitioners including body acupuncturists, chiropractic doctors, dentists, medical doctors, naturopathic doctors, nurses, osteopathic doctors, physical therapists, and reflexology therapists. 

I also invite you to visit www.vitalprinciple.ca for more information about  Auricular Acupuncture.