Ear Acupuncture
John B Fontana Dip Hyp, Dip TPT, GHR Registered, EAR Registered

More at www.therapyinbromley.co.uk/earacu.htm

Ear Acupuncture is a wonderfully flexible therapy, that combines well with other treatments, and in which practitioners can be trained to a variety of different levels. For example several of the different training organisations either: a) include Ear Acupuncture as part of Naturopathic training, b) focus specifically on all aspects of Ear Acupuncture, or c) train practitioners in the 5 needle drug detoxification protocol only.

Treatment is normally given with the patient sitting; hence the therapy lends itself equally well to one to one treatment or to drop in clinics where patients may be treated as a group. This enables the therapy to be offered both privately or in charitably run clinics allowing the treatment to be available to low paid and unwaged clients.

A little about the history of Ear Acupuncture. Although the earliest surviving written record is The Yellow Emperor's Classic (500 BC), there is archaeological evidence that various forms of needling therapy have been around since as early as 3,000 BC. During the 16th and 17th centuries missionaries brought back some of the techniques of oriental medicine that they had learned during their visits to China and one technique, ear cauterisation for sciatica was introduced into Europe at this time.

In 1950 a French Physician Dr Paul Nogier noticed that some of his patients had healed scars from cauterisation for Sciatica. He investigated further and his researches led him to develop a complete somatotopic map of the ear. A report on his research was published in a European Acupuncture Journal in 1956, and came to the attention of Chinese researchers, who enthusiastically pursued this new speciality. Nogier's work was pioneering and his somatotopic and reflex maps are still in use today. He passed away in 1990, but is recognised as the 'Father' of modern Ear Acupuncture.

In the 1980's double blind controlled research was carried out using Ear Acupuncture in the USA. Further studies focussed on the effective use of Ear Acupuncture for withdrawing addicts from the narcotics, alcohol, and nicotine. A five-needle protocol was developed and adopted for use in drug and alcohol detoxification programs throughout the US and later in Europe. Where the protocol has been implemented in Drug Treatment Centres, recovery rates have risen from around 50% to over 90%

At the time of The Yellow Emperor's Classic only 6 ear points were known, those that connected the Yang meridians to the auricle. Due to Nogier's pioneering work and continued research in China, Europe and the USA more than 200 usable points have now been mapped and treatment protocols have been developed for a wide range of conditions. In addition to needling, treatment methods have been developed using ear seeds, magnets, electro stimulation and laser therapy.

I recommend reading: "Auriculotherapy Manual" Terry Oleson PhD, Health Care Alternatives, ISBN 0-962415-5-7 (contains a full list of treatable conditions), or "Modern guide to Ear Acupuncture, Ear gateway to the body" - Mario Wexu ISBN 0-943358-08-6

Courses are organised by all of the following Colleges:

The Yuan Traditional Medicine College Tel: 020 7 622 9079

The Auricular Acupuncture Society Tel: 01474 813 902

The College of Naturopathic Medicine (*with Naturopathic Training) Tel: 01342 410 505

Each college maintains a register of graduates, but you can also locate a practitioner by writing (enclosing s.a.e.) to:
The Registrar, Ear Acupuncture Register, 7a High Street, Clapham, London, SW4 7TS