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Auriculotherapy History

Auriculotherapy is a type of acupuncture that focuses on the visible and external part of the ear. It is a fairly common practice in this form of alternative medicine that is believed to treat pain, internal disorders, and certain addictions. The addictions treated include smoking, gambling and drinking. The history of this practice is relatively short.

  1. Ancient Roots

    • Although modern auriculotherapy is rather recent, it has its roots in acupuncture techniques from China in 500 BC. Ear treatments were part of this, but they were done in a different fashion than today.

    Modern Birth

    • Patients of Dr. Paul Nogier, a French neurologist, said their scatia pain was helped by eastern ear treatments; they began research into the topic and developed modern day auriculotherapy.

    Introduction into China

    • Nogier's auriculotherapy procedures were introduced into China in 1958. While it was praised during the country's "Cultural Revolution" of the time, it was gradually worked into China's own medicinal techniques. No credit today is given to Nogier as a result.

    Further Research

    • Further research into the procedure was done by western scientists. Dr. Terry Oleson backed up auriculotherapy by identifying certain points on the ear and their relationships with other parts of the body.

    Auriculotherapy Today

    • Modern auriculotherapy is practiced across the world, although it has not been validated by the scientific community as a whole. Still, patients do consider it to work, with head pain treated by working on the lower ear lobe. Foot pain is treated with acupuncture along the top of the ear. Those are just a couple of examples.

    Scientific Proof

    • Little evidence exists to suggest that this works any better than a placebo.

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