Ear Acupuncture in European Traditional Medicine

Abstract

Auricular acupuncture is a diagnostic and treatment system based on normalizing the body's dysfunction through stimulation of definite points on the ear. Rudimentary forms of acupuncture which probably arose during the Stone Age have survived in many parts of the world right down to present day. It was used in the ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece and all the Mediterranean area. It is a microacupuncture technique similar to reflexology, and was first described in France in 1950 by Paul Nogier who is considered the Father of modern ear acupuncture. It was speculated that the technique works because groups of pluripotent cells contain information from the whole organism and create regional organization centers representing different parts of the body. Nevertheless stimulation of a reflex point in the ear seems relieve symptoms of distant pathologies. Modern research is confirming the efficacy of ear acupuncture for analgesia and anxiety related disease, while tobacco dependence and other substance abuse still need confirmation. Actually main methodological problems with auricular acupuncture are that exist too many maps with little agreement regarding point location in the ear, and that the correspondence or reflex systems does not correlated with modern knowledge of anatomy and physiology.

Aplicabilidade da auriculoterapia com agulhas ou sementes para diminuição de estresse em profissionais de enfermagem

“…The stimulation of the reflex point in the ear provides an action of relief in symptoms in distant parts of the body (20) . Stimulating points may also activate small myelinated nervous fibers that send impulses to the spine, brain, pituitary and hypothalamus, causing the release of endorphins in the blood in the treatment of pain (21) .…”

Applicability of auriculotherapy in reducing stress and as a coping strategy in nursing professionals

“…Conventionally, auricular acupuncture employs semipermanent or systemic needles as instruments to stimulate the points (9) . Seeds or magnets can also be utilized to perform the stimulation (10) .…”

“…When the reflex points in the ear are stimulated the relief of symptoms in distant parts of the body can be achieved (9) . Stimulating points can also activate small myelinated nerve fibers that send impulses to the spinal column, brain, pituitary and hypothalamus, causing the release of endorphins into the blood in the treatment of pain (11) .…”

Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Neurological and Mental Disorders: From Germination to Future

“…The Egyptologist Alexandre Varille has demonstrated that women in ancient Egypt, who did not want any more children, had their external ear pricked with a needle or cauterized with heat [1]. Mediterranean sailors' wearing gold earrings were not just used as decorations, but were said to improve vision [2]. Hippocrates, who was the father of Greek medicine, reported doctors made small openings in the veins situated behind the ear to facilitate ejaculation and reduce impotency problems [3].…”

“…Cutting of veins situated behind the ear was used to treat leg pain as well [4]. The Greek physician Galen introduced Hippocratic medicine to the Roman Empire in the second century CE, commentating on the healing value of scarification at the outer ear [2]. After the fall of Roman Empire, the medical records of Egyptian, Greek and Roman medicine were best preserved in ancient Persia and Arabian world.…”