Ear Acupuncture

The basic theory of ear acupuncture is that certain points in the ear have an effect on other organs, body parts or functions. Ear acupuncture is a treatment involving stimulation of these points to prevent and treat illness and relieve pain.

In France, where modern ear acupuncture was refined and developed in the 1950s, the method became known as auriculothérapie — in English ‘auricu- lar therapy’ — a term which combines the Latin words for ‘ear’ and ‘treatment’.

Ear acupuncture is a concept that embraces both diagnoses — examination of the ear to find ‘active points’, and treatment — the stimulation of these active points with acupuncture needles, semi-permanent needles or with pellets including Swarovski crystals, so very famous with Hollywood stars.

The principles of ear acupuncture treatment are different from those of body acupuncture. Ear acupuncture can be used in combination with body acupuncture, or as a separate treatment.

Acupuncture literally means ‘to prick with needles’. The method has been used for thousands of years in Asia. Along with pulse and tongue diagnosis characteristic of Chinese medicine ear points also can be used for diagnostic purpose.

The basic idea of modern ear acupuncture is that every part of the body has a corresponding reflex point in the ear, which can be used both for diagnosis and treatment. If something is out of balance in the body, this will be reflected in the particular part of the ear. The reflex point can be sore or change color. If exactly that point in the ear is treated, the corresponding part of the body reacts in a positive fashion. The ear’s active points may be linked to form the figure of a tiny human being turned upside down. This theory was launched by the French doctor Paul Nogier in the 1950s.

Nogier and his colleagues upon completing many clinical trials that involved mapping the brain discovered that the spine could be located on the ear and began his mapping of the homunculus (the man in the ear) in 1956 in Marseille, France. Nogier went on to discover the anatomical relationship between the points and made a publication in 1957 showing the results of his study. The homunculus represents the anatomical correlation of the inverted fetus in the ear. As such, points of the body, for example, the knee, or back correspond with the fetal representation of the ear. Every point treated on the ear triggers an electrical impulse from the ear to the brain reaching the specific part of the body being treated. This, in turn, releases endorphins which block the pain receptors offering natural pain relief in the affected area.

Ear Acupuncture is a fast and easy way of treatment for busy people, who can't find time in their overloaded schedule to have a full body treatment.