In the US alone, around 100 million people live with chronic pain.
Much of that number stems from an aging population of people who are more likely to suffer from conditions that create chronic pain. One of the standard pain management approaches is to prescribe opioids, such as codeine.
With the risks of prescription drug addiction becoming better known, some people are seeking out alternatives for pain management. One of those alternatives is auricular therapy, also known as auricular acupuncture.
If you haven't heard of it before, don't worry. We'll walk you through where it comes from, what it is and what it can do for you.
Let's jump in!
Where Did Auricular Therapy Come From?
In its modern form, a French neurologist named Paul Nogier is credited with creating auricular acupuncture. Nogier conducted experiments in which he manipulated portions of the outer ear to see if it reduced pain in other parts of the body. He published his findings in 1957.
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Records show that it dates back as far as ancient Egypt.
A version of auricular therapy also exists in traditional Chinese medicine. While rooted in Nogier's research, it's been adapted to the traditional Chinese medical model. It should be thought of as a related, but separate, approach.
What Is Auricular Therapy?
Nogier put forward the inverted fetus theory. This theory, in essence, claims that the ear resembles an upside-down fetus.
So, say you're experiencing knee pain. The person treating you looks at a diagram of a fetus that's upside down and sees where the knee is located. Then he would locate where that spot is on your ear.
Once he finds the spot on your ear, he inserts an acupuncture needle into the surface skin at that location. The manipulation of that specific spot on your ear should reduce the pain in your