- AURICULOTHERAPY -
What is Auriculotherapy?
Auriculotherapy is a procedure in which stimulation of the auricle of the external ear is utilized to alleviate pain and dysfunction in other parts of the body. This procedure can be performed using acupuncture needles or the needle-less system, which utilizes electrical stimulation. While the original basis of Auriculotherapy is in ancient Chinese Acupuncture, the late Dr. Paul Nogier, a French Neurologist developed the current methods in France utilizing painless stimulation, without Acupuncture needles. In the 1950’s he began to notice that several of his patients had an unusual scar on a specific area of the ear. His patients informed him that the scar was a treatment of sciatica, which had given them relief within hours or minutes of treatment. After studying this phenomenon, and doing research, he began mapping other parts of the body. This research lead to the inverted fetus principle. This was the basis for his diligent work to advance this technique to what we know today.
How Does it Work?
Auriculotherapy works by stimulating the central nervous system through the cranial nerves and spinal nerves on the auricle (external ear). This stimulation results in neurotransmitters being stimulated within the brain and spinal cord of the central nervous system. This stimulation of neurotransmitters modulates the pain and modulates nerve function beginning the healing process within the body to that organ or body part that is affected.
What is the Microsystem of the Body?
When using the transcutaneous electrical stimulation technique, we can detect and treat auricular acupoints. The external part of the ear is considered a “Microsystem” of the body. Microsystems are like small images of the whole body, located in different locations on the body and in this case, the ear. All parts of the body are represented in an inverted pattern on the ear. There are other Microsystems in the body but the ear has been shown, through research, to be the most effective Microsystem. This is due to the type of tissue that makes up the ear and due to its direct connection to the nervous system, which controls every single cell and bodily function.