Ear acupuncture (auriculotherapy) is a branch of acupuncture. Several acupuncture points in the ear conch have been used in China for many centuries. It was first mentioned in Europe in the 18th century (Vasalva 1717).
Ear acupuncture in all its complexity, how we know it today, goes back to the French Dr. Paul Nogier (1908-1996). During the last 50 years ear acupuncture has proven to be an indispensable enrichment of the traditional acupuncture.
The ear is a nearly complete representation of the whole organism. The acupuncture points of the ear are active when there is a dysfunction of the corresponding organ. Then the points are easy to find and often painful for the patient.
For treatment these so called reaction points are stimulated. It is striking how immediate the effects of that stimulation are, especially when treating the musculoskeletal system.
Ear acupuncture is relatively painless and easily tolerated. In some cases it is suited as the only treatment, in most cases as additional treatment. It is a possibility to treat various complains without pain and complications.
Ear acupuncture offers a wide spectrum of therapeutic possibilities:
- Acute and chronic pains of the musculoskeletal system
- Injuries
- Painful joints
- Irritation of the sciatic nerve
- Complaints of the spine
- Shoulder arm syndrome
- Tennis elbow
- Painful hamstring
- Arthrosis of the knee and hip
- Increased blood pressure
- Allergies
- Allergic and non-allergic asthma
- Hay fever
- Gastritis
- Menstrual complaints
- Menopausal complaints
- Headache, migraine
- Nerve pain, especially trigeminal neuralgia
- Vertigo
- Sleeping disorders
- Concentration problems
- Fear of exams
- Addiction treatment
- Smoking cessation
- Weight reduction
Image: from „Akupunktur der Ohrmuschel“ by Günter Lange