E.WagnerHolisticHealth

                         Blog#46: Ear Acupuncture and a New Year’s Gift

Also called auriculotherapy, this kind of acupuncture is applied to the ears.   Auriculotherapy can be used to reduce or eliminate pain, help balance the autonomic nervous system, and help improve the functioning of internal organs. Although this style of acupuncture is complex and detailed, lay people can learn to locate some points and massage them gently to help in certain situations, especially when dealing with stress.  Highlight and right click or double click on the link below to view an ear chart where some of the important acupuncture points are labeled.  

http://www.agingwithhealth.com/ear%20points.html

When massaged gently, usually in a clockwise direction, some of these points can help calm the mind and relax the body.  Four of the most important and effective points for relaxation and stress reduction are ZERO POINT, SHEN MEN, LUNG and ENDOCRINE.   It is important that if you are massaging these points, you do so in a loving and respectful manner, accepting whatever results occur.  When used  appropriately, ZERO POINT helps balance the entire body, SHEN MEN helps calm the mind, LUNG POINT helps relax the diaphragm and can improve vital capacity and oxygenation of the body, and ENDOCRINE POINT helps improve the functioning of the endocrine glands, which include the adrenal glands, gonads, pancreas, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus, pituitary, and pineal gland.

An acupuncturist often uses small needles on ear points, and also often allows these needles to be left in for several hours or up to a couple of days.  Needles often fall out by themselves, and sometimes they can be gently removed, either by the acupuncturist or the recipient of treatment.  After needle removal, the ear should be cleansed with alcohol or perhaps hydrogen peroxide or iodine to make sure the area does not become infected. 

Recently, “Battlefield Acupuncture”, which uses several ear points, has gained some popularity.  Just as it sounds, these points are sometimes used in emergency situations to calm wounded soldiers, reduce pain, or even slow bleeding when other treatments are not available. 

This blog’s offer:  feel free to contact me with questions regarding these four points.  Also, I offer a “happy hour” treatment which takes about 20 minutes, and can leave you feeling calmer and more relaxed. 

During the month of January, I will mail out something I think will be of interest to you.  Please give me your feedback about the mailing and also let me know if you did not receive it.