Standardized Ear Acupuncture Nomenclature Utilizing Auricular Landmarks and 3-D Graphic Imaging for Delineating Different Auricular Zones

The Medial Surface of the Auricle: Historical and Recent Maps. What Are the Possible Expectations of the “Thumb-Index Technique”

Introduction: The medial surface of the auricle (MSotA), as compared to the lateral, has been less studied and has limited consensus among schools of auricular acupuncture (AA) due to its small size, greater difficulty in carrying out an adequate physical examination on it, and less precise and limited agreement on its anatomical references as compared to the lateral surface. The thumb-index technique TIT is performed using a guiding finger (taking advantage of the anatomical conformation of the lateral surface) to guide the explorer finger (placed on the MSotA) to project the therapeutic areas and land marks on the MSotA. TIT could be considered useful and effective in AA to make the most of diagnostic and therapeutic MSotA potential. Methods: An investigation was carried out on the impact of TIT in AA practice through a survey collected from former AA students. Results: TIT showed a high consensus, and is used and appreciated by AA practitioners. Discussion/ Conclusions: To date, in AA, there is no thoroughly shared nomenclature for MSotA. TIT is simple and quick to project on to MSotA the well-coded lateral surface auricular maps from French or Chinese AA schools.

The History of Ear Acupuncture and Ear Cartography: Why Precise Mapping of Auricular Points Is Important

The current author had the opportunity to present a study on the history of ear acupuncture at the International Summit Forum on Clinical Application of Acupoints in August 2018 (from August 25 to August 27), in Beijing, China, and to introduce the latest ear chart by Frank R. Bahr, MD, there. This article is based on that presentation and includes more historical facts. Although the relationship between the ear and meridians was discussed previously in the famous book, The Internal Classic of the Yellow Emperor (Huang Di Neijing), the first auricular map was published in 1888 by Zhenjun Zhang in his book Essential Techniques for Massage (Lizheng Anmo Yaosu). This map was a drawing of the posterior aspect of the ear showing areas of the five Zang organs: Heart; Liver; Spleen; Kidney; and Lung. Paul Nogier, MD, discovered ear somatotopy, a representation of the whole person on the ear in the shape of a homunculus, or inverted fetus, on the ear. Dr. Paul Nogier's ear map was first published in 1957. A more-detailed presentation, the Loci Auriculomedicinae, elaborated by Drs. Paul Nogier and Bahr as well as René J. Bourdiol, MD, appeared in 1974. A new edition will soon appear in French. Auricular medicine is an excellent method, but only if the ear points are located precisely. Preconditions for this ability are excellent knowledge of the ear's anatomy, documented on a very detailed modern ear chart, such as the one recently created by Dr. Bahr, and constant practice of pulse palpation according to Dr. Paul Nogier with the vascular autonomous signal.