Auricular Acupuncture
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Auricular (or Ear) Acupuncture is a specialized complimentary therapy where acupuncture points (on the outer ear) are treated to relieve many chronic and acute complaints. This form of therapy originated over 2000 years ago along side Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture. Its use diminished in the 1800’s but was populorized once again in the mid-19th century in France by a Dr. Paul Nogier. 
While examining his own patients, Dr. Nogier noticed several with strange scars on their outer ears. With further investigation he found that these patients had sought out treatment for their sciatic/back pain from a lay practitioner, Mrs Barrin. It turns out she was cauterizing their ears at a particular ear point which her father taught her. Her father had learned it from a Chinese mandrian. This specific point successfully relieved these patients of sciatic pain within hours, even minutes after the cauterization. Thus from this came the pioneering work on auricular therapy. You need not worry, I am not going to be cauterizing your ear…infact, if anything, you may only feel a slight prick.
There are as many as 200 acupuncturte points located on the outer ear, each point generally named after our anatomy, i.e. Lung, Heart, Knee, Elbow, Brain etc… Dr. Nogier develeoped a map of the acupuncture points of the ear which takes the form of a homunculus (or inverted fetus). Auricular acupuncture theorizes that the outer ear acts like a switch board communicating directly with the brain. When the points are stimulated, electrical impulses are triggered in the brain which correspond to the specific part of the body being treated. So if you had knee pain and the ‘knee’ acupuncture point on the ear was needled, it would help alleviate that pain. And it treats not only physical symptoms but also mind, body, and spirit.
Today several studies have focused on the auricular acupuncture treatment for the withdrawal from chemical substances. This has become quite popular for smoking cessation, detoxification and weight reduction.
For our purposes treatments will be focused on relaxation, stress reduction, and the alleviation of muscular tension.
You’ll feel rejuvenated!
Hope to see you soon!
I feel that acupuncture can treat almost anything. The World Health Organization of the United Nations (WHO) has cited 104 different conditions that acupuncture can treat; including, migraines, sinusitis, the common cold, tonsillitis, asthma, eye inflammation, addictions, myopia, duodenal ulcer (and other gastrointestinal disorders), trigeminal neuralgia, Meniere’s disease, tennis elbow, paralysis from stroke, speech aphasia, sciatica, and osteoarthritis. More and more studies published in major medical journals are finding the effectiveness of acupuncture to be true. Acupuncture is found to be effective in the treatment of a variety of rheumatoid conditions, and brings relief in 80% of those who suffer from arthritis. There is also evidence to suggest that acupuncture is valuable in treating environmentally-induced illness due to radiation, pesticide poisoning, environmentally toxic compounds, and air pollution. In addition, acupuncture has been popularly and successfully used for weight control, to quit smoking, substance abuse, stress, depression, anxiety relief, cosmetic care, women’s health, and immune support.
There are 3 schools of Chinese Medicine in China, Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and Tui Na (Twee Nah). Tui na is a type of oriental massage at certain acupuncture points and along certain meridians to achieve normal, functional energy (Chi or Qi) flow. It is a method often used for sports medicine conditions, but can be used for generally any condition. When done properly it has wonderful results, but can sometimes go beyond the comfort barrier for some patients. Of the many techniques mentioned, only those necessary for each individual condition are used, all depending on your diagnosis, vitality and willingness.
Cupping is a method of stimulating Acupuncture points by applying suction through a metal, wood or glass jar, in which a partial vacuum has been created, in order to stimulate the body’s healing process. Cupping is used for low backache, sprains, soft tissue injuries, and helping relieve fluid from the lungs in chronic bronchitis. Cupping is generally painless and safe (as long as it is performed by a licensed practitioner). The draw back is that cupping often bruises the skin due created by the suction. Cupping should not be used on people with inflamed, irritated or infected skin (it also should also not be performed if you plan on wearing your nice summer dress - people may stare, however in China people enjoy flaunting the fact they had cupping by showing their marks)
Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves the burning of mugwort, a small, spongy herb, in order to facilitate healing. This technique has been used throughout Asia for thousands of years; in fact, the actual Chinese character for acupuncture, translated literally, means “acupuncture-moxibustion.” The purpose of moxibustion, as with most forms of traditional Chinese medicine, is to strengthen the blood, stimulate the flow of qi, and maintain general health. Moxibustion is used for ailments such as bronchial asthma, bronchitis, certain types of paralysis, and arthritic disorders.
Electric Acupuncture is the use of small electrical impulses through the inserted acupuncture needle. The power used in minimal (a few microamperes) and the frequency varies according to the condition (ranging from 5 to 2000 Hz). Patients feel that the procedure is generally painless (often a small buzz or tickle sensation)and they find that the effect is dramatic.
