Iowa City Acupuncture   •   Ear Acupuncture

For many years the Chinese have known that the ear presents a map of the body upon its surface. This is much like the map of the body that occurs on the foot in Reflexology, or upon the iris in Iridology. The ear map has the body represented upside down, with the head in the earlobe area, and the feet at the tope of the ear. The inner organs are found in the deepest part of the ear, and the spine runs along the raised ridge near the curved edge of the ear. This model was originally proposed by a French physician and has been refined greatly over the past 50 years.

We know that particular points on the ear surface will become tender or show some mark like a flaky spot or pimple when a disease affects that area. By the same token, placing a needle in the corresponding part of the ear can help the diseased part of the body.

We also know from research that when an acupuncture point is active or pertinent, it allows a greater amount of electricity to pass through it. The skin shows an increased electrical conductance, or a decreased resistance to the passage of electricity. This resistance of the skin to the passage of electricity is called Galvanic Skin Resistance or GSR. GSR is measured as part of the standard lie detector test, and is used in biofeedback training since it becomes lower as people relax. The acupuncture points on the ear also allow greater amounts of electricity to pass through the skin (decreased GSR) when they are active or relevant to a condition. We can use a point detector like that pictured at right (the Stim Flex instrument), to find the exact location of the active acupuncture points on the ear.

Auriculotherapy is another term for Ear Acupuncture. We call it auriculotherapy because in this procedure, we might use a gentle electrical stimulator known as the Stim Flex or the Japanese Hibiki instead of needles for treatment of the ear acupoints. This is more comfortable and more accurate than ear needling. The Stim Flex instrument was developed as a part of a research study done at UCLA in which the traditional ear maps of China and France were validated. Patients with known medical conditions were assessed with the Stim flex, and maps of their ears showed where their disease showed up on the ear surface. The Stim Flex allows us to have a great degree of accuracy in finding the active points for a given patient, and has produced a much more detailed ear map than we have ever had before. Point detection instruments such as the Stim Flex and Hibiki give us real objective data about the condition of the patient and how best to address it. Patients can hear an audio signal that indicates when the probe is touching the active point. They enjoy knowing that the most effective points are being located by the acupuncturist.

Patients like the ear machine because due to the audio feedback speaker, they can hear when the probe detects an active ear point, and they find the treatment so gentle. Patients often become relaxed during the ear treatment with the machine, just as they would with the ear needles, but with much less pain. They also appreciate the fact that we are basing our treatment on scientifically valid data from the machine, rather than just pulse or tongue diagnosis.

Sometimes we will send the patient home with tiny seeds taped into the ear to continue the effects of the treatment. These are vaccaria seeds and are traditionally used in China. Experience has shown them to be safe and effective. The tape will stay on for a few days. They may be removed at any time by the patient if they are uncomfortable. Some types of ear seeds are shown here.