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FAQs

How long do the benefits of auriculotherapy last?

The range of responses to an auriculotherapy session are quite varied, but it is common that a patient suffering from severe pain will notice mild to marked reduction of their complaint during the very first session. This reduction in pain can actually improve for several hours after treatment, and the benefits are typically sustained while the ear needles or beads remain in place for three days. Symptoms may gradually return several days after needle or bead removal, but generally to a lower severity and frequency. With each successive treatment, symptom severity continues to improve and the duration of symptom relief progressively extends for longer periods. In general, long-standing (chronic) symptoms require longer time or more treatments to resolve or control than newer (acute) symptoms.  

How many treatment sessions are needed to help patients?

There is no set number of treatments for any health condition treated by auriculotherapy, but it is common that the severity of most conditions are moderately reduced by four to six sessions and greatly alleviated by eight to twelve sessions. Again, long-standing (chronic) symptoms require longer time or more treatments to resolve or control than newer (acute) symptoms.  

How many times per week are treatments provided?

The number of treatment sessions per week depends upon the schedule of the patients, as well as the severity of their health condition. When possible, severe conditions can be treated on a daily basis, but many patients are not available to come in that often. Typically, patients are given two treatments per week for two to three weeks, then once a week for several more weeks. The frequency of sessions progressively decreases to once a month as the medical disorder becomes less pronounced.

How long is a typical treatment session?

While the first auriculotherapy session requires greater time for an intake evaluation and patient history, a typical auriculotherapy treatment lasts 15 to 30 minutes. With auricular acupuncture, three to ten acupuncture needles are inserted and left in place for approximately three days. Each ear acupuncture point is first detected by an electrical device followed by transcutaneous electrical stimulation for 10 seconds, before applying the sterile needle or bead. The patient removes the ear needles or beads at home three days later.  

How does auricular needle insertion compare to electrical stimulation?

While both the insertion of acupuncture needles into the skin of the ear and the transcutaneous electrical on the surface of ear reflex points can effectively alleviate various health conditions, using electrical stimulation with acupuncture (electroacupuncture) is generally more effective in providing rapid pain or symptom relief. Very accurate localization of auricular acupoints is achieved by detecting a point with an electrodermal measurement device. Unlike the wide spaced body acupoints, ear points are only a few millimeters from each other. Moreover, decreased electrical skin resistance at an ear reflex point is one of the primary indicators that there is pathology in the corresponding part of the body. Acupuncture points on the body demonstrate decreased electrical resistance whether or not there is pathology or any underlying condition.

What are ear beads?

Small adhesive band-aids are often used to hold a small grain or a small metal ball onto a specific area of the ear to allow for maintained pressure at that ear reflex point.

What are the contraindications for auriculotherapy?

As with other forms of acupuncture, there are few contraindications for the use of auriculotherapy. It is important not to treat any symptoms that require further diagnostic evaluation, or injuries that should be treated by Western therapies such as medications, procedures or surgery. Caution is taken in treating pregnant women. Patients with an implanted pacemaker or defibrillator should be treated with caution and avoid electrical stimulation.

What are the side effects that occur from auriculotherapy?

Because tenderness of ear points is one of the primary diagnostic features of auriculotherapy, soreness on the ear points stimulated can sometimes continue after the treatment.

What is the role of Endorphins in Auriculotherapy?

The endorphins, endogenous morphine molecules that relieve pain in a manner similar to external opiate chemicals, have been used as one explanation for how acupuncture relieves pain. Both animal research and human studies have shown that stimulation of ear acupuncture points appears to cause the systemic release of endorphins. 

The World Health Organization lists 150 conditions for which it recommends auricular therapy as an appropriate and viable treatment procedure. Auricular therapy is exceptionally effective in the treatments of acute and chronic pain, addiction, anxiety, depression, insomnia, hormonal imbalances, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Auricular acupuncture is clinically used to rapidly relieve pain and reduce significant traumatic stress in emergency situations, such as in military soldiers wounded on the battlefield.

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