What is Auricular Therapy?

Ear acupuncture, also known as auricular therapy, is about 3,000 years old and is based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Auricular therapy is widely used for many conditions including:

	Pain
	Addiction Treatment
	Mood Disorders
	Weight Problems
	Osteoarthritis
	Rheumatoid Arthritis
	Digestive Disorders
	MS

This medical system emphasizes a holistic approach to medicine, an approach that treats the whole person. The acupuncture points found on the ear help to regulate the body's internal organs, structures, and functions.  Auricular therapy has been shown to stimulate the release of endorphins, the body's own feel-good chemicals. It has a high success rate for helping these complaints and many more for instance; we see a success rate as high as 90% for migraine and hay fever ailments.

How is auricular therapy used in a treatment?

Ear acupuncture is generally incorporated into a regular acupuncture treatment. In addition to using acupuncture points on the rest of the body, your acupuncturist may select a few ear acupuncture points that they feel will be helpful for your particular condition.

What are ear seeds?

Ear acupuncture points may be stimulated for a longer period of time by using ear seeds. Ear seeds are small seeds from the Vaccaria plant. These seeds are held in place on the ear with a small piece of adhesive tape. Ear seeds may be left in the ear for a few days or up to two weeks.

How does auriculotherapy work?

Auriculotherapy works by stimulating the central nervous system through the cranial nerves/spinal nerves on the auricle of the ear. This stimulation results in a neurotransmitters being stimulated within the periactal ductal gray and pituitary and spinal cord of the central nervous system. This stimulation of neurotransmitters modulates the pain and modulates nerve function beginning the healing process within the body to that organ or body part.

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