Auriculotherapy is a form of alternative therapy that involves the stimulation of specific points on the external ear to treat various health conditions, including pain, anxiety, addictions, allergies, insomnia, and digestive disorders. It is also used to support weight loss and improve sports performance. Some practitioners even use auriculotherapy for psychological and emotional issues, such as depression and stress.
This therapy has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. In modern times, it was developed and popularized in France by the physician Paul Nogier in the 1950s.
Auriculotherapy points are often represented on an auricular map as an upside-down fetal position, where the head corresponds to the earlobe and the feet point towards the top of the ear. This fetal position is known as the “inverted homunculus”. The auricular map or the inverted homunculus helps practitioners to locate specific points on the ear and to understand the corresponding organ or body part that it relates to.
In auriculotherapy, the practitioner uses small needles, pressure, magnets, or electrical stimulation to activate specific points on the external ear that correspond to different parts of the body. The treatment may be performed alone or in combination with other therapies.
In Acupuncture and Natural Medicine Clinic, Helena Amos often uses a combination of Auriculotherapy, Electrical Stimulation, and Acupuncture to address the patient’s unique health situation.