Auricular acupuncture, also known as ear acupuncture, is a traditional Chinese medicinal technique which involves the treatment of different ailments by inserting needles into some defined points of the ear. Auricular acupuncture is based on the principle that there are some specific points on the surface of external ear through which diagnosis of other body parts can be determined and their treatment can also be carried out.

Medical Benefits of Auricular Acupuncture

Auricular acupuncture is used to treat the following health conditions:

  1. Insomnia

Studies have revealed that patients who suffered from chronic insomnia showed marked improvement when subjected to auricular acupencture. The patients suffering from insomnia showed improvement in their sleeping patterns both in the quality as well as quantity of sleep. The positive effects of the treatment lasted for a maximum of six months.

 

  1. Smoking

 

In 2004, a study was published in the Swiss Journal of Research in Complementary and Natural Classical Medicine. The study revealed that a survey was made which showed that 126 people who were smoking addicts were subjected to auricular acupencture. 41.1% of the chain smokers showed marked improvement in terms of cessation of smoking in a span of one year.

  1. Migraine

In 2012, a study published in the Acupuncture and Electro-Therapeutics Research revealed that people who suffered from a chronic case of migraine showed an improvement in terms of reduction of pain when subjected to a form of ear-based acupuncture. The moods of the patients also improved significantly which means this type of therapy can also be used as a stress relief technique.

  1. Post-Operation Pain

Auricular surgery has shown its effectiveness in terms of pain reduction. A report published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2010 demonstrated diagnosis from 17 studies which were made on patients suffering from post-surgery pain. These patients were subjected to ear acupuncture and all the patients showed an improvement in terms of pain management.