Auriculotherapy has very ancient origins: that of massaging or pricking the ear to restore the balance of the organism from various ailments is a practice of which there are millenary testimonies.

• Auriculotherapy, what it is
• Origins and evolutions of auriculotherapy
• Useful tools for auriculotherapy
• How auriculotherapy works
• Benefits and contraindications
• For whom is  uriculotherapy useful
• How much does an auricular therapy cost?

Auriculotherapy, what it is

Auriculotherapy consists in the intervention for therapeutic purposes on specific points of the auricle . Also known as auriculopuncture or auricular acupuncture, it is based on the assumption that the auricle is the detailed reflection of the human organism .

The ear is the place of confluence of the energy channels corresponding to specific organs and functions of the organism. These acupuncture points are stimulated, through different ways, to treat organic diseases and energy imbalances of various types.

In the auricle there are important branches of the cranial nerves and it is the only area of ​​the body that can exploit such a neural heritage. These connections allow a continuous exchange of bi-directional information between the ear and the brain , where the brain in turn sends messages to peripheral organs and systems.

These correspondences have then found confirmation in the studies recently completed by Professor David Alimi of the University of Paris , who published important research on the subject in 2002. These works have made it possible to verify brain activity in anatomical and functional terms with modern methods and tools, verifying how the mechanical stimulus of a certain part of the body (in this case, the auricle)  “turns on” signals in the corresponding brain area .

Origins and evolutions of auriculotherapy

The first traces of auriculotherapy date back to 3500 BC in some finds attributable to the Qabalists , considered the scholars of the time, who gave indications on how to treat the ear to treat the disorders manifested on the same side of the body.

In later times also in the Hippocratic Corpus there are traces of similar arguments by Hippocrates . Treatments for the treatment of seizures and cataracts through ear palpation date back to the Chinese Ming dynasty . In medieval monasteries the friars treated inflammatory disorders and  sciatica pain with cauterization of specific points on the ear.

We thus slowly arrive at modern history indications of auriculotherapeutic practices by the Portuguese Zacutus Lusitanus, in La Praxis Medica Admiranda  in the seventeenth century, and by the Italian surgeon Antonio Valsalva who in an article described an H point useful for treating dental neuralgia.

In the nineteenth century these researches were resumed by various doctors such as Giambattista Borelli in Turin and Luciani di Bastia (Corsica), who describes the Corsican point still used for sciatica pains .

The discipline of auriculotherapy, however, owes its scientific classification to the French doctor  Paul Noiger  who, again through a series of cases linked to the treatment of sciatica, was able to trace a map of the reflex points of the ear.

In 1950, during a visit to a patient, Dr. Noiger noted the cauterization of a specific area of ​​the ear for the treatment of a sciatica, he hypothesized that this area corresponded to the fifth lumbar vertebra and from there he began to trace references . In 1956 he published the first reflexology map of the ear; in the same years in China the somatotopy of the ear began to be scientifically documented .

Useful tools for auriculotherapy

The tools that can be functional to an auricular reflexology therapy are of different nature and also linked to the figure of the professional involved:

• Disposable needles , for the exclusive use of doctors.
• Metallic stylus or point finder / stimulator to identify reflex points (absolutely non-invasive tools). The latter is a small instrument that highlights the electrical potential of the various points through a nociceptive stimulus .
• Cow seeds, which have an excellent energy activation function of the points and do not create allergies . The vaccaria is a plant whose seeds of tiny size and irregular surface are suitable for stimulating the skin of the ear. In traditional Chinese medicine they are widely used in the therapeutic field, since they mobilize the blood , improving its flow and the transport of oxygen, energy and nutrients to the tissues.

How auriculotherapy works

The therapist identifies the points to be treated among the topographical ones , the reflex points of the organs on the ear and the functional ones , called Maestro Points, and tests the laterality. Statistics show that in 85% of cases the point to be treated is on the same side as the disorder.

The main Master Points are the Zero Point , Shen Men , Thalamus , Sympathetic System , Cerebral . The other functional points are indicated on the basis of their functional specificity, with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxant, appetite control, psychic action.

In particular, the Shen Men point , also called Heaven’s Gate , is located in the center of the upper third of the ear (imagine dividing the pavilion into three parts from bottom to top) and is the most used. It is considered an anti- stress point  because, if stimulated with a massage or needle, it disperses states of agitation, stimulates energy and strengthens the organism, regulating the sympathetic nervous system. It is also used for the treatment of addictions , in inflammatory states and to relieve pain. Together with the stimulation of the Zero Point it also acts on the conditions of insomnia  and on the neurorehabilitation processes.

Auriculotherapy works on the whole microsystem , that is the whole organism represented on the auricle, based on Nogier’s neuro-reflexogenic consideration of connection to the embryological origin . Nogier had in fact “drawn” an inverted fetus inscribed in the auricle, and then traced the reference map.

Benefits and contraindications

The effectiveness of the treatment is perceived after the first sessions, especially for therapies aimed at addictions to smoking , food and alcohol . It is precisely in the context of these last applications that auriculotherapy enjoys the greatest success among the average population, also considering the presence of specific ear stimulators on the market, sponsored as useful for quitting smoking or for losing weight.

Precisely for the control of compulsive hunger  and  states of anxiety generated by an overly strict diet, auriculotherapy can be an integrative approach, which assists the weight loss process. In fact, it works on several levels: it stimulates the metabolism , reducing localized adiposity, eliminates toxins, counteracting water retention and facilitates the process of fluids.

Like Chinese acupuncture  , auriculotherapy is also characterized by a scarce presence of side effects . This allows all age groups to approach this discipline and to undergo auricular stimulation treatments.