Auriculotherapy is an alternative form of treatment that has been receiving a lot of attention lately. Auriculotherapy is stimulation of the external ear to treat health problems in other parts of the body.

Auriculotherapy has been around for a long time. The earliest records date it back to 500 BC in China. Records of using auriculotherapy also have been found in Europe and date back to medieval times. In the 1950’s, Dr. Nogier, a French physician, noticed a scar in a particular place on the ear in several of his patients. When he questioned his patients about the scar, they all told him they had been treated for sciatica by a local natural healer. From there, Dr. Nogier began conducting research to determine if other problems could be treated by stimulating the external ear. His research lead to the development of the more complete system of auriculotherapy that is used today.

Auriculotherapy is a microsystem. This means that a larger system, the whole body, is represented on a smaller scale, on the external ear. The map of the body on the ear is shaped like an upside down man with the head at the lobe and the feet at the top. By stimulating specific points on the ear, you are able to relieve pain in the corresponding area of the body. Auriculotherapy is thought to work through neurological reflexes. Stimulation of the external ear gives information into the brain. This information is then relayed through the nervous system to the corresponding body part. Therefore, auriculotherapy can be used to treat pain in most parts of the body.

However, auriculotherapy is most commonly known for its use in smoking cessation. Auriculotherapy for smoking cessation was first used in the 1970’s and has recently grown in popularity. Smoking is difficult to quit because the body becomes addicted to the nicotine found in cigarettes. Nicotine is highly addictive because it stimulates the pleasure centers of the brain. However, smokers also become psychologically dependant on smoking because of the habits they develop. Both physical addiction and habit must be overcome to successfully stop smoking.

Auriculotherapy is used to reduce the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. While it does not eliminate the symptoms completely, it does reduce the severity of the withdrawal symptoms that range from irritability to headache and feelings of frustration. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms peak at about 48-72 hours after the last cigarette and less severe symptoms can last for two weeks to one month.

Auriculotherapy can help to reduce the cravings to smoke and gives the person a higher chance of quitting than going cold turkey. However, the person must want to quit and be ready for a lifestyle change to have the best chances for success. This is because not only does a physical addiction to nicotine have to be broken, but old habits must be changed to lessen the chances of smoking again. When auriculotherapy is used on someone who is ready to quit, the success rate can be quite high.

For more information on auriculotherapy, call Dr. Emily Brueggeman at 692-0000. Ask about the Smoking Cessation Package that includes a consultation, treatment, counseling to help you quit for good, and up to 2 booster treatments within 30 days of the initial treatment.

Best of Health,
Emily Brueggeman, D.C.
Chiropractic Physician
Brueggeman Chiropractic Center LLC