Auricular acupuncture

1

• Auricular acupuncture

Lecturer Qu Hongyan
2
Contents

• Relationship between the ear, channels and
  zang-fu organs
• 2. The anatomy of the auricle
• 3. The concept and distribution of
  auricular points
• 4. Locations and indications of some points
• 5. Exploration of auricular points
  

3
Concept

• Auricular acupuncture is one of the
  acupuncture therapies used to prevent and treat
  diseases. It is done by needling or stimulating
  areas on the ear.

? a wide range of indications ? a good
therapeutic effect ? convenient for everyday
use and easy to perform ? safe and no side
effect
Features
4
The origin of auricular acupuncture

• Auricular diagnostic and therapeutic
  methods were first recorded in Chapter 20 of Ling
  Shu that when pathogenic factors attack the
  liver, it will cause pain in the
  hypochondrianeedle the blue vessels around the
  ear to relieve the dragging pain. In the 24th
  chapter of Ling Shu it says, for the deaf who
  cant hear, needle the center of the ear. It is
  also recorded in Qian Jin Yao Fang( Prescriptions
  Worth a Thousand Gold (Invaluable ) for
  Emergencies that needling Point Center is an
  appropriate treatment for jaundice, diseases due
  to cold, summer-heat or epidemic, pathogenic
  factors. In other classic medical literary texts
  there are descriptions of stimulating the ears
  and certain auricular areas with needles,
  moxibustion, massage and herbal suppositories to
  treat and prevent diseases as well as inspecting
  and palpating the auricles to assist in disease
  diagnoses. These methods are still used as folk
  remedies, which demonstrates that auricular
  therapy has a very long history associated with
  the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in China.

5
Relationship between the ear and channels

• The channels of the hand-taiyang,
  hand-shaoyang, foot-shaoyang and the collateral
  of the hand-yangming enter the ear
• The channels of foot-yangming and
  foot-taiyang travel to the front of the ear and
  above the ear respectively
• The divergent channel of the hand-jueyin
  comes out from the back of the ear
• The vessels of the yang heel and yin heel go
  to the back of the ear
• The six-yin meridians connect to the ear by
  means of their divergent channels that separate,
  enter, resurface and finally join their
  interior-exterior related yang channels
  respectively.

6
Relationship between the ear and zang-fu organs

• The ear has close relation with zang-fu
  organs as well. According to records in Nei Jing,
  the ear links to the five-zang organs
  physiologically.
• In Li Zheng An Mo Yao Shu(The Extensive
  Techniques of Massage) the back of the ear is
  divided into five parts that correspond to the
  five-zang organs respectively.

7
The anatomy of the auricle
8
The concept and distribution of auricular points

• Auricular points are the specific areas
  distributed over the ear. When there is an
  illness in the body, it may manifest on the ear
  as tenderness, deformities, discoloration, and
  disturbance in the skins electrical properties.

concept
9
Points related to the portion of the head are
located on the ear lobe Points related to
the upper limbs are located on the scapha
Points related to the trunk and lower limbs are
located on the body of the antihelix and superior
and inferior antihelix crus Points related
to the organs in the abdomen are located on the
cymba concha Points related to the organs in
the chest are located on the cavum concha
Points related to the digestive tract are
distributed around the helix crus
Regularities
10
(No Transcript)
11
Locations and indications of some points
12
Points on the Helix

• Erjian(HX6,7 ) ear apex
• ?Location? At the apex where the ear is
  folded forward at the juncture of area 6 and 7 of
  the helix
• ?Indication? Fever, hypertension, ocular sty,
  acute conjunctivitis, toothache

13
Points on the Antihelix

• Jiaogan(AH6) sympathesis
• ?Location? At the junction of the end of the
  inferior antihelix crus and the medial edge of
  the helix in the front of area 6 of the antihelix
• ?Indication? spasm of the stomach and
  intestines, angina, biliary colic, ureterolith,
  functional disorders of autonomic nerves

14
Points on the Triangular fossa

• Shenmen(TF4)
• ?Location? At the upper part of the
  posterior 1/3 of the triangular fossa, at area 4
  of the triangular fossa
• ?Indication? Insomnia, profuse dreaming,
  withdrawal syndrome, epilepsy, hypertension,
  neurasthenia, pain disorders

15
Points on the concha

• Neifenmi(CO18) endocrine
• ?Location? On the inside of the notch of
  the intertragus and anterioinferior part of the
  cavum concha at are 18 of the concha
• ?Indication? dysmenorrhea, irregular periods,
  menopause syndrome, acne, malaria,
  hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism

16

• Exploration of auricular points

• ? Inspection
• ? Detection of the tender spot
• Measurement of electrical resistance

17
Inspection

• Auricular inspection is to check for
  abnormal changes on the ear in order to diagnose
  diseases or disorders.
• The most commonly seen positive changes
  include deformities, discoloration, pimples,
  desquamation, nodules, congestion, depression
  blister and so on.

18
(No Transcript)
19
Detection of the tender spot

• This method searches for the tender spots
  on the ears with a probe, the head of an
  acupuncture needle handle, or the end of a
  matchstick by pressing and moving on the surface
  of the ear gently and smoothly.

20
(No Transcript)
21
Measurement of electrical resistance

• This technique detects decreased electrical
  resistance in points with an electrical detector
  that has an indicator lamp or special sound.

22
Clinical application of auricular acupuncture

• 1. Assistant diagnosis
• 2. Principles for selecting auricular
  points
• 3. Indications of auricular acupuncture
• 4. Manipulations
• 5. Retaining and withdrawing of needles

23
Assistant diagnosis

• When there is an illness in the
  body, especially the organic disease, it may
  manifest on the ear as positive reactions. There
  maybe tenderness, deformities, discoloration, and
  disturbance in the skins electrical properties.
  We can establish the diagnosis according to these
  reactions combined with symptoms, signs and
  medical history.

24
Principles for selecting auricular points
? Choosing the corresponding point to the
location of the diseased or affected part of the
body e.g. Select the stomach (CO4) for the
treatment of stomachache
? Choosing the points based on the visceral
manifestation theory e.g. Choose the kidney
(CO10) for alopecia Choose the lung
(CO7) and large intestine (CO14) for skin
diseases
25
Principles for selecting auricular points
? Choosing the points based on the channel
pattern identification e.g. Select the bladder
(CO9) or pancreas and gallbladder (CO11) for
sciatica Choose the large intestine
(CO7) for toothache
? Choosing the points based on modern medical
theory e.g. Choose Shenmen (TF4) and Subcortex
(AT4) for painful conditions and inflammation
Select the endocrine (CO18) for irregular
periods
26
Principles for selecting auricular points
? Choosing the points based on clinical
experience e.g. Select external genital (HX4)
for pain in the lower back and legs
Ear apex (HX6,7i) for bloodletting and for red,
swollen and painful eyes.
27
Indications for auricular acupuncture

• Painful disorders
• Inflammatory and infectious diseases
• Allergic diseases
• Endocrinal and metabolic disorders
• Others

Beauty therapy, smoking and drug addiction,
anti-aging and disease prevention
28
Manipulation

• Select points According to the diagnosis to
  determine the prescription and appropriate
  auricular points
• Disinfection Beside disinfect the needles and
  fingers of doctors, the auricular points should
  be swabbed with 2 iodine first and then with 75
  alcohol as routine asepsis.

29
Manipulation

• Treatment methods
• Filiform needles that are 0.5 cun in length or
  specially made thumbtack type needles are
  selected for auricular acupuncture. To begin with
  the procedure, stablize the ear with the left
  hand and insert the needle with right hand for
  the thumbtack type intradermal needle insertion,
  the needle should be fastened to the ear with a
  piece of adhesive tape and kept in place for 2 to
  3 days.
• The points may also be treated with the
  ear-pressing method. Magnetic beads or wang bu
  liu xing are fastened to the ear with a piece of
  adhesive tape on the auricular points and kept in
  place for 3 to 5 days. The patient is asked to
  press the selected points 2 to 4 times a day.

30
(No Transcript)
31

• There will be local pain or heat
  sensation in most of the patients after the
  needle insertion. They may experience soreness,
  numbness, heaviness or coldness due to the
  needling sensation traveling along certain
  channels. General speaking, patient who
  experience these sensations obtain a relatively
  better therapeutic outcome.

32
Retaining and withdrawing of needles

• Filiform needles are allow to be
  retained for 20 to 30 minutes. However, they may
  be prolonged by 1 to 2 hours or even longer for
  chronic conditions. During the needle retention,
  the needles should be rotate intermittently, when
  removing the needles, stabilize the ear with the
  left hand, and withdraw the needles with the
  right hand and press the needle opening quickly
  with dry cotton balls if bleeding occurs.

33
Precautions

• The ears should be disinfected carefully to
  prevent infection
• Filifrom needling on auricular areas may produce
  strong pain, so explanation is necessary before
  treatment in order to obtain cooperation from
  patients
• When treating a sprain or other soft tissue
  injuries, the patient should be encouraged to
  move the affected part in order to increase the
  therapeutic outcome
• Needling fainting should also be prevented from
  happening during auricular acupuncture. Prompt
  intervention is needed if this happens.

34
Contraindications

• Auricular acupuncture should be contraindicated
  for pregnant women or women who are prone to
  abortion
• This therapy is not advisable for patients with
  frostbite, ulceration, eczema and so on
• It is not recommended for patients with severe
  diseases or bad anemia
• In the treatment of severe heart disease or
  severe hypertension, strong stimulation should be
  avoided