Asthma: The Noncommunicable Epidemic

Asthma is on the rise in the United States. In fact, asthma is the most common chronic illness in childhood. Almost 10% of American children have an asthma diagnosis, and there are likely many more who suffer with symptoms, yet have not been diagnosed. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, “asthma is under-diagnosed and under-treated. It creates substantial burden to individuals and families and often restricts individuals’ activities for a lifetime.”

If you have asthma (or know someone with asthma) and seek alternative treatment methods, it is important to remember that asthma attacks can be dangerous or even life-threatening. As such, continue to take any prescribed medications, avoid asthma triggers, and work with your doctor to create a treatment plan.

However, acupuncture and ear acupuncture (also called auriculotherapy) can be powerful adjunct treatments that may improve quality of life, boost immune system function, decrease the incidence of asthma attacks and safely lessen the negative side effects of medication. If you’d like to learn more about ear acupuncture before you dig into using it for specific conditions, click here.

Disclaimer: This blog post is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content is for general information purposes only. If you have medical questions or concerns, you should always seek guidance from a licensed practitioner who understands your personal medical history.

What is Ear Acupuncture?

Ear acupuncture is an ancient system of medicine that works with the body’s own healing systems. It’s safe, effective, and free of harmful side effects. During ear acupuncture treatment, acupuncture points on the ear are stimulated with pressure, microcurrent, or light. Best of all, it’s something you can do safely for yourself, right from the comfort of your home.

Below, you can read 4 compelling reasons why ear acupuncture could be a positive addition to your treatment regiment for asthma.

1. Ear acupuncture helps the body reach homeostasis.

According to the British acupuncture council, “acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of neurochemical messenger molecules. The resulting biochemical changes influence the body’s homeostatic mechanisms, thus promoting physical and emotional well-being.” Ear acupuncture, which uses the same mechanism of treatment and also stimulates acupuncture points, likely has the same effect.

Homeostasis is the state of equilibrium where our bodies function best. Returning to homeostasis is one of the important thing that our bodies do subconsciously—it keeps us alive! Right now, without your conscious thought, your body is, at this very moment, managing the pH of your blood, regulating your temperature, controlling blood flow and heart rate, digesting food in your system and so much more! Ear acupuncture helps the body return to homeostasis, especially after a stressful experience, like being exposed to an asthma trigger.

With time, ear acupuncture may help train your body to return to this state more easily. This encourages less stress, less extreme negative emotion, less illness, better immune system function, less susceptibility to inflammation, more energy and a higher sense of wellbeing. All of this combined may decrease the frequency and severity of asthma attacks, and help you feel better in general.

2. Ear acupuncture may regulate mucosal and cellular immunity.

There are a few different kinds of asthma, but they are all related to inflammation.

Of all the types, allergic asthma may be the most common. It involves exposure to allergic triggers (like pollen or pet dander). When such substances enter the mucous membranes of the nose and throat, the body generates an immune response and amps up production of histamines, flooding the area with inflammatory cells to fight off the invader. This response is designed to protect you from foreign invaders like viruses or bacteria. However, in many cases, the foreign invaders are actually completely harmless substances that the body has learned to attack needlessly. This can lead to constant inflammation in the bronchial tubes–or, in other words, asthma.

In one study, acupuncture was found to regulate and normalize this response, helping the body respond less to harmless invaders, and more to dangerous pathogens. This boosts immunity while also reducing chronic inflammation. Wow!

Because ear acupuncture also uses acupuncture points and stimulates them in a similar way, it is generally understood to have a similar effect.

3. Ear acupuncture strengthens overall immunity.

Just like allergens, recurrent respiratory infections often trigger asthma. Some children or adults who have never experienced asthma before will suddenly find themselves with a diagnosis after falling ill with several respiratory viruses in a row.

Although the occasional cold is very normal, catching multiple respiratory viruses in a short period of time and may be an indicator of weakened immune system function. When the immune system is weak, you will be more susceptible to illness, and your body will also be more susceptible to inflammation and other lasting effects after the illness has faded away.

By strengthening your immune system with ear acupuncture, you may be less likely to fall ill in the first place, and better equipped to fight off any sickness you catch.

Remember, respiratory illnesses can be a major trigger for asthmatics. Even a minor cold can sometimes be devastating. You can decrease your chances of experiencing an asthma attack by avoiding getting sick. Acupuncture has been shown in multiple studies to increase immunity against pathogens while also regulating unnecessary inflammatory responses. Regular, preventative ear acupuncture may help strengthen your immune system over time, keeping you healthy and strong.

4. Acupuncture may inhibit structural changes in the airways.

The constant narrowing and mucous production of the bronchial tubes that occurs during an asthma attack may lead to permanent structural changes over time. It is important to regulate and prevent asthma attacks as much as possible to avoid this complication.

A large 2012 study suggests that acupuncture may actually help inhibit these structural changes in the airways. Another 2012 study indicates that acupuncture may regulate the expression of genes and proteins that control the airway’s inflammatory response.

In other words, acupuncture has been shown to help prevent the worsening of asthma symptoms overtime, and may secure a better future quality of life to asthmatics. Several ear acupuncture points have been traditionally used for this purpose, too.

How Do I Treat?

Okay, now that you know that ear acupuncture is a valuable ally against seasonal allergies, you’re probably starting to wonder… how do I treat these points? And with what?

You’re on the right track! There are a few vital components to effective, accurate ear acupuncture.

1. A Good Reference Guide

The first thing you’ll need in order to treat the ear is a really good reference guide. Something that will show you WHAT points to treat, and WHERE the points are in an understandable, accurate picture. The only problem is, there are acupuncture points in all the nooks and crannies, including on the back of your ear. It would be pretty hard to see them all in a 2D image.

That’s why the best reference tool in the business is Auriculo 360. Check out the GIF below – as you can see, Auriculo 360 gives you a fully 3-dimensional ear that you can rotate, spin, turn and drag. You can also zoom in, toggle between left and right ears, and overlay the Nogier frequency zones (well-studied frequencies for different areas of the ear).

Finally, Auriculo 360 is complete with over a hundred pre-made protocols for common ailments, along with a database of hundreds of individual points. Protocols can be modified as needed to fit your treatment style! It’s an absolute no-brainer for anyone interested in learning and using auriculotherapy.

The best part is Auriculo 360 was designed to be incredibly affordable, with options less than $11 per month when paid annually.

2. A Way to Locate Points Accurately

Naturally, a reliable way to locate points comes next! There are many methods for point location that range from manual probes, to powerful devices that locate acupuncture points electrically.

These location tools range in price from ~$6 to ~$600, so it’s important to do your research and figure out which one will fit your needs.

Here are a few of the indicators that a point is “active,” or in other words, ready to receive treatment.

1. Color Change: Inspect the skin for changes in color at the point you are examining. Is there increased redness? Lack of color? A different color than the surrounding skin? A dry or flaky patch? These are all indications of an active point.
2. Skin structure abnormalities: Carefully look and feel for changes in skin structure. A raised bump or hard nodule, dryness, roughness or moisture may indicate the active point.
3. Tenderness: Is the point tender to the touch? A mechanical point detector with a round probe tip is very useful for detecting tenderness in the auricle. The tip should be small and blunt—small so that you can locate a point easily, and blunt so that you do not cause damage to the ear with pressure. A rounded ball tip is the most comfortable. You can purchase one here.

For beginners, we recommend starting with a manual probe. It will help you locate points and leave a small indentation on the ear that will help you place the seed properly. You can purchase one here.

Electronic Location:  If you’re a practitioner, high-quality auricular treatment devices have a measurement mode to electronically locate active points, and a treatment mode to treat the points once they are located. Active points will show lower electrical resistance than surrounding tissue. This is a more advanced process, but certainly worth it for those who are serious about auriculotherapy. The best microcurrent tool we’ve found is called the Pointoselect Digital. It has all the flexibility you need for advanced auricular work, like bipolar point detection and adjustable sensitivity. Treatment is just as flexible, giving you ultimate control over intensity, frequency, even pulse-width. If you’re serious about auriculotherapy, you can learn more about the Pointoselect Digital here: https://www.pointoselect.com

***Important Disclaimer: If you are not a licensed practitioner, you should not use a microcurrent device on anyone other than yourself.

3. A Powerful Way to Treat the Points

Finally, you’ll need a tool to treat! In some instances, if you’re a practitioner, this tool may be the same tool you use to electronically locate the point, like the Pointoselect Digital. For anyone else who ISN’T a practitioner, don’t worry! You can still effectively treat auricular points with a nifty tool called “ear seeds” or “ear pellets”. Ear seeds are tiny seeds from the vaccaria plant backed with a bandage-like adhesive square that you place on ear acupuncture points. Ear pellets are small, stainless steel beads (sometimes topped with a crystal for a fun look) that have a clear, adhesive circular backing.

Ear seeds and ear pellets work because the spherical shaped vaccaria seeds or stainless steel beads stimulate the acupuncture points on which they’re placed with light but consistent pressure, which sends a constant signal to your nervous system.

Treating Auricular Points with Ear Seeds

Many people apply ear seeds or pellets to treat ear acupuncture points. The continuous stimulation offered by the seeds extends and boosts the treatment, even as you work, travel or sleep. This means that results may be more pronounced, and improvement may occur more quickly. Some people press on the seeds or pellets throughout the day to offer even greater stimulation for a short period of time.

Step-by-Step Ear Seed/Pellet Treatment

1. For best results use the Auriculo 360 3D reference app to locate applicable ear acupuncture points for a given condition. You can do this right on your Android or Apple smartphone using the Auriculo 360 app.
2. Then, treat the suggested points by placing Auriculo 360 brand ear seeds or pellets, using tweezers, on the points recommended by Auriculo 360 for your condition.
3. Leave the seeds or pellets on your ear for up to a week, though they may come off on their own after a few days.
4. Follow the instructions on the ear seed or pellet packages for application, and be sure to always clean the ear before placing seeds or pellets so they adhere correctly!

***Important Disclaimer: If you are not a licensed practitioner, you should not use a microcurrent device on anyone other than yourself.

Asthma Protocol: A Few ‘Points’ of Interest

1. Bronchi

Traditionally used to expel phlegm from the bronchial tubes, moderate bronchial dilation, and improve pneumonia and cough.

2. Asthma Point

Traditionally used to treat all aspects and symptoms of asthma, including cough, inflammation of the airways, excess mucous production, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.

3. Antihistamine

Used especially for allergic diseases, including allergic asthma, to regulate inflammation and histamine response to foreign invaders.

Get the Full Allergy Protocol in the Auriculo 360 App!

For the sake of brevity, we’ll only share 3 points here. But there are hundreds more points and protocols waiting in the Auriculo 360 app!

We hope these three tiny points will make a difference in your journey.

Ear Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to help the body heal and thrive, naturally. For non-life-threatening conditions and wellness care, it can be a powerful holistic addition to your at-home wellness routine, or a great adjunct treatment to add to your professional practice!

To learn more about ear acupuncture, check out this blog post.

Or, learn more about the Auriculo 360 reference app here.

Finally, check out Auriculo 360 brand ear seeds and pellets here, so you can treat yourself at home!

Thanks For Reading!

-The “Ear Acupuncture For” Team

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References

https://acaai.org/news/facts-statistics/asthma

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/asthma

https://www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-of-conditions/a-to-z-of-conditions/3893-asthma.html