The Use of Auricular Acupuncture for Low Back Pain
Advanced Needling Techniques 1: Auricular Acupuncture Module
AOMA Spring 2014
Advanced Needling Techniques 1: Auricular Acupuncture Module
AOMA Spring 2014
Patient, G.G. first came into the clinic for a flare up of her chronic low back pain
in January 2014. G.G. is a 69-year- old female who has worked as a massage therapist 5
days a week for the past 20 years. She’s returned for continuing treatment approximately
3 times a month since her first visit. Though her lumbago has improved by at least 50%,
due to the physical stress of her work it seems that her treatments have reached a plato.
She has received needling, tuina, cupping, guasha and e.stem, which all work temporarily
until her next shift at work. She has yet to have been offered any auricular treatment,
which according to multiple articles, can be very effective for this type of pain.
According to an article published in 2013 titled, A Randomized Clinical Trial of
Auricular Point Acupressure for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Feasibility Study, pain
was statistically reduced in patients who were administered auricular ear seeds in the
correct locations versus those that were given sham points. The correct points used were
shen men, sympathetic and ashi in the low back area. The sham points selected were
simply located away from areas where the patient was experiencing pain (Yeh et al.
2013). In another article published in 2003, the effectiveness of e.stem on ear points for
chronic low back was investigated. In this study they used both shen men and low back
with or without e.stem. Patients who received e.stem were able to return to work full-time
earlier than patients treated with manual auricular acupuncture. The frequency of low
back pain decreased in 82% of patients who received e.stem while it decreased by 54% in
patients without it, which is still a significant amount (Sator-Katzenschlager et al. 2004).
While these two studies found shen men and the low back points to have clear
analgesic effects there remain other auricular points which could be used as well. It’s
important to understand what underlying factors are involved in the low back pain. For
example, it could be more stress related, caused by muscle tension, bone spurs,
subluxation, or nerve impingement. In the case of G.G., she had undergone
decompression surgery 30 years previously and had lots of scar tissue in the L3-L4 area.
She also suffered from sciatic and some thoracic pain aggravated by overuse. For G.G. it
would be beneficial to start off with points such as, lumbo-scaral, sciatic and thoracic. It
could also be useful to use shen men for general pain, tension, inflammation and to assist
with auxiliary symptoms caused by the chronic pain such as insomnia and depression.
The Thalamus point could also be used for it’s ability in reducing chronic pain (Shores).
It will be interesting to see how including these auricular points will effect the length of
analgesia provided by acupuncture for G.G..
in January 2014. G.G. is a 69-year- old female who has worked as a massage therapist 5
days a week for the past 20 years. She’s returned for continuing treatment approximately
3 times a month since her first visit. Though her lumbago has improved by at least 50%,
due to the physical stress of her work it seems that her treatments have reached a plato.
She has received needling, tuina, cupping, guasha and e.stem, which all work temporarily
until her next shift at work. She has yet to have been offered any auricular treatment,
which according to multiple articles, can be very effective for this type of pain.
According to an article published in 2013 titled, A Randomized Clinical Trial of
Auricular Point Acupressure for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Feasibility Study, pain
was statistically reduced in patients who were administered auricular ear seeds in the
correct locations versus those that were given sham points. The correct points used were
shen men, sympathetic and ashi in the low back area. The sham points selected were
simply located away from areas where the patient was experiencing pain (Yeh et al.
2013). In another article published in 2003, the effectiveness of e.stem on ear points for
chronic low back was investigated. In this study they used both shen men and low back
with or without e.stem. Patients who received e.stem were able to return to work full-time
earlier than patients treated with manual auricular acupuncture. The frequency of low
back pain decreased in 82% of patients who received e.stem while it decreased by 54% in
patients without it, which is still a significant amount (Sator-Katzenschlager et al. 2004).
While these two studies found shen men and the low back points to have clear
analgesic effects there remain other auricular points which could be used as well. It’s
important to understand what underlying factors are involved in the low back pain. For
example, it could be more stress related, caused by muscle tension, bone spurs,
subluxation, or nerve impingement. In the case of G.G., she had undergone
decompression surgery 30 years previously and had lots of scar tissue in the L3-L4 area.
She also suffered from sciatic and some thoracic pain aggravated by overuse. For G.G. it
would be beneficial to start off with points such as, lumbo-scaral, sciatic and thoracic. It
could also be useful to use shen men for general pain, tension, inflammation and to assist
with auxiliary symptoms caused by the chronic pain such as insomnia and depression.
The Thalamus point could also be used for it’s ability in reducing chronic pain (Shores).
It will be interesting to see how including these auricular points will effect the length of
analgesia provided by acupuncture for G.G..
Chao Hsing YehLung Chang ChienBalaban, D. (2013). A Randomized Clinical Trial of
Auricular Point Acupressure for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Feasibility Study. Evidence-
Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine (Ecam), 1-9.
Auricular Point Acupressure for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Feasibility Study. Evidence-
Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine (Ecam), 1-9.
Sator-Katzenschlager, S., Scharbert, G., Kozek-Langenecker, S., Szeles, J., Finster, G.,
Schiesser, A., et al. The Short- and Long-Term Benifits in Chronic Low Back Pain
Through Adjuvant Electrical Versus Manual Auricular Acupuncture. Anesthesia &
Analgesia, 98, 1359-1364. Retrieved June 28, 2014, from
http://journals.lww.com/anesthesia-analgesia/Fulltext/2004/05000/The_Short__and_Long_Term_Benefit_in_Chronic_Low.3
Schiesser, A., et al. The Short- and Long-Term Benifits in Chronic Low Back Pain
Through Adjuvant Electrical Versus Manual Auricular Acupuncture. Anesthesia &
Analgesia, 98, 1359-1364. Retrieved June 28, 2014, from
http://journals.lww.com/anesthesia-analgesia/Fulltext/2004/05000/The_Short__and_Long_Term_Benefit_in_Chronic_Low.3
Shores, J. Auriculotherapy: Evaluation Survey : Protocols : the Ultimate for Pain
Management. Tulsa, OK: Electro Therapy Association.
Management. Tulsa, OK: Electro Therapy Association.
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