Auriculotherapy is a method for treating a variety of health conditions, explains Fayette Alternative Medicine Clinic. Practitioners use it to help clients with weight loss, pain and stress relief, smoking cessation and relief of addictions to alcohol and drugs. The method involves precise stimulation of acupuncture points located on the surface of the ear. One technique is ear stapling, sometimes called auriculo-staple by clientele.
Features
Over 100 acupoints are located on the ears; these relate to various organs and other parts of the body, according to Fayette Alternative Medicine Clinic. For weight loss, ear stapling at a specific acupoint on the left ear suppresses appetite. The Fayette clinic allows staples to be left in for up to six months, while another auriculotherapy provider, Integrated Medical Group, allows staples to remain in place up to one year. Both facilities use surgical steel staples for the procedure.
How It Works
Like acupuncture needles, the auriculo-staple constantly stimulates specific acupuncture points on the ear. For weight loss, the staple sends a message to the brain to say your stomach is full, thus decreasing appetite, notes the Fayette Alternative Medical Clinic. Many patients develop nausea and cramps if they overeat after ear stapling, and a decrease in food cravings is common, according to the clinic.
Success Rates
Twenty-two percent of people undergoing auriculotherapy for weight loss experience an exceptional degree of appetite suppression, according to Fayette Alternative Medical Clinic. Sixty percent experience moderate appetite suppression, while about 18 percent have a mild response or no effects. The average weight loss is 2 lbs. per week, as noted by Integrated Medical Group.
Considerations
Not all alternative medicine facilities believe ear stapling is a favorable therapy. The Austin Longevity Center, for instance, issued a press release on October 30, 2006, saying they discontinued the procedure after completing a trial program for patients wanting to try ear stapling for weight loss. Only 30 percent of their clients experienced significant weight loss.
Caution
The only health risk associated with the auriculo-staple procedure is a very small chance of infection, according to Fayette Alternative Medical Clinic. They compare it to having an ear piercing, with the same initial level of pain and swelling. However, the Austin Longevity Center press release says stapling ear cartilage involves a high risk of infection and even permanent damage. In their experience, 20 percent of clients had problems that required immediate removal of the device.
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