Below, you will find educators from around the world who integrate auricular methods to assess and treat a range of conditions by stimulating the ear.

Ear stimulation, as it relates to a history of acupoint cauterization and acupuncture, is arguably rooted in centuries (even millennia) of medical and healing practices, with references to Ötzi (3200 BC),[5-6] Huangdi Neijing (2600 BC),[7] Hippocrates (460-380 BC),[8] Albucasis (1013),[9] and numerous other references leading up to modern neurological research including that of Hsiang-Lai Wen (1973) and the development of the 5-point protocol promoted by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA),[10] as well as current advances in neuroscience and neuromodulation.

Auricular Therapy (Auriculothérapie) is a method of medical treatment using auricular stimulation developed by the French physician, Paul Nogier, MD, who first reported on the somatotopic representation of the human body on the ear in 1956-57.[1-4]

The methods of Paul Nogier follow the somatotopic arrangement by the central nervous system on the ear, using palpation of the Vascular Autonomic Signal (VAS), e.g. Réflexe Auriculo-cardiaque (RAC), the application of frequencies (via color filters and other means) for identification of active points to diagnose and treat body dysfuntion.[11]

With advances using lasers on other frequency-based assessments and treatments, Auricular Medicine (or Auriculomédecine as coined by Paul Nogier), like Auriculothérapie is based on nerves-to-function through the represenation of the homunculus, as well as embryological tissue layers, on the ear.[12] Although Nogier later stuck with the term Auriculothérapie, his ideas for Auricular Medicine continue to be advanced by his former students and colleagues around the world, representing organizations such as the DAA, OGKA, SACAM, and EATCM, featuring the educational work of Drs. Bahr, Dorfer, Litscher, Strittmatter, and others.[13-15]

Auricular acupuncture (of which Auricular Therapy and Auricular Medicine are often considered a part) is also based in the neuro-functional principles of the auricular microsystem. Often Auricular Acupuncture refers to specific auricular protocols such as NADA, BFA, and ATP.

Owing to the important role of vagal regulation in health, on both biological and behavioral paths, there are several approaches for vagus nerve stimulation: invasive vagus nerve stimulation, cervical vagus nerve stimulation, and auricular vagus nerve stimulation. aVNS includes biomedical devices, as well as methods performed by medical professionals (direct care using acupuncture, acupressure, laser, electrical, or acoustic therapies).

Ear acupuncture in TCM predominantly emphasizes meridian theory, using the concept of energy flow through meridians to guide diagnosis and treatment. While modern research may explore the role of the nervous system, traditional practice remains grounded in the principles of meridian theory and regulation of Qi (or in biomedical terms, function).

[1] Nogier R. History of Auriculotherapy: Additional Information and New Developments. Med Acupunct. 2021 Dec 1;33(6):410-419. doi: 10.1089/acu.2021.0075. Epub 2021 Dec 16. PMID: 34976274; PMCID: PMC8716479.

[2] Nogier P. F. M. Über die Akupunktur der Ohrmuschel. German Journal of Acupuncture and Related Techniques (DZA) 1957;(3-4):25–33. [Google Scholar]

[3] Nogier P. F. M. Über die Akupunktur der Ohrmuschel. German Journal of Acupuncture and Related Techniques (DZA) 1957;(25-26):58–63. [Google Scholar]

[4] Nogier P. F. M. Über die Akupunktur der Ohrmuschel. German Journal of Acupuncture and Related Techniques (DZA) 1957;(27-28):87–93. [Google Scholar]

[5] Zink A, Samadelli M, Gostner P, Piombino-Mascali D. Possible evidence for care and treatment in the Tyrolean Iceman. International Journal of Paleopathology. 2019; 25:110-117.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.07.006.

[6] Dorfer L, Moser M, Bahr F, Spindler K, et al. A medical report from the stone age? The Lancet. 1999; 354(9183):963-1044.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(98)12242-0

[7] Hou PW, Hsu HC, Lin YW, Tang NY, Cheng CY, Hsieh CL. The History, Mechanism, and Clinical Application of Auricular Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:495684. doi: 10.1155/2015/495684. Epub 2015 Dec 28. PMID: 26823672; PMCID: PMC4707384.

[8] Romoli M, Rabischong P, Puglisi F, eds. Auricular Acupuncture Diagnosis. London: Churchill Livingstone; 2010. [Google Scholar]

[9] Albucasis. On Surgery and Instruments [in Persian]. London: Wellcome Institute of the History of Medicine; reprinted; 1973. [Google Scholar]

[10] Stuyt EB, Voyles CA, Bursac S. NADA Protocol for Behavioral Health. Putting Tools in the Hands of Behavioral Health Providers: The Case for Auricular Detoxification Specialists. Medicines (Basel). 2018 Feb 7;5(1):20. doi: 10.3390/medicines5010020. PMID: 29414848; PMCID: PMC5874585.

[11] Gori L, Firenzuoli F. Ear acupuncture in European traditional medicine. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2007 Sep;4(Suppl 1):13-6. doi: 10.1093/ecam/nem106. PMID: 18227925; PMCID: PMC2206232.

[12] Round R, Litscher G, Bahr F. Auricular acupuncture with laser. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:984763. doi: 10.1155/2013/984763. Epub 2013 Jun 26. PMID: 23935695; PMCID: PMC3710613.

[13] Strittmatter B. Ear Acupuncture: A Precise Pocket Atlas Based on the Works of Nogier/Bahr. 2nd ed. New York: Thieme; 2011.

[14] Strittmatter, B. Identifying and Treating Blockages to Healing: New Approaches to Therapy-Resistant Patients. New York: Thieme; 2004.

[15] Agnes, M. Auricular Medicine: Window to the Brain. Blurb, 2018

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Why Auricular?

The ear offers a neural portal accessible by medical and wellness professionals in any area of healthcare practice.

The instructors represented here offer research, publications and training in (or related to) a longstanding field of medicine practiced around the world, Auricular Medicine and Auriculotherapy. Instruction from schools such as the Canadian Institute of Auricular Medicine (CIAM), Deutsche Akademie für Akupunktur (DAA), Groupe Lyonnais d’Etudes Médicales (GLEM), the Goudse Akademie, and many others deliver practical clinical skills applicable in all areas of medicine and wellness to increase assessment and treatment possibilities.

Coming soon... the most comprehensive compilation of medical professionals offering training and treatment in auricular- and resonance-based fields of clinical practice — all to apply the neural portal of the ear for improved patient outcomes.

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integrateauricular.com and contents copyright ©2019 IntegrateAuricular | Disclaimer: Content presented by IntegrateAuricular.com (website, training, or any other) is provided for educational purposes and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. IntegrateAuricular reserves the right to make any changes (content, programming, policy, etc.) at any time and without notice. Users waive the right to any claims against IntegrateAuricular related to the application and/or the practice of Auricular Medicine or related methods presented. It is to be understood that to drive a field forward, many educational aspects may be theoretical and/or based on clinical observations. Any statements regarding intended outcomes should be understood to have limitations. Proper application of the methods presented on IntegrateAuricular is the sole responsibility of the user, for which IntegrateAuricular cannot reasonably assume liability.