Tony van Gelder, MD

Rotterdam, The Netherlands

* Reported at the 2nd IAAM Congress, September 19-21, 1997, Oisterwijk, The Netherlands

SUMMARY

The author describes his experience in pain control through auricular medicine. In coping with the problem of pain in the lumbar region, this article contains a comparison of different techniques in point stimulation and a subsequential system to manage the process of pain reduction. Topics involved are the three phases, pain axes and the use of chakrapoints.

Key words: pain, auricular therapy, acupuncture, chakra's.

INTRODUCTION

Generally speaking, in auricular therapy there are different ways to deal with pain. First there is the stimulation of the corresponding anatomical site at the earlobe, the so called Ear Corresponding Point (ECP). Secondly, the use of the associated chakra appears to be very effective, and thirdly, we can make use of an extension of the ECP, the so called pain axes. Of course the background of the painprocess is an important factor to be considered in the treatment, but in this article I concentrate on pain relief and I don't consider the preconditions that have led to the pathological status. Mainly there are three sequential strategies for symptomatic treatment.

STIMULATION OF THE ECP

In the case of pain, my experience is that you get the best immediate results if you apply an electrical stimulation or stimulation with gold or silver needles. Due to practical problems, like sterilisation, cost and monitoring the process, I prefer the electrical stimulation. At forehand you ask the patient to rate his pain from 1 to 10 (10 is for severe pain and 1 is for no pain at all). Then you directly apply to the ECP the electrical stimulation in an intensity that is just felt by the patient. After half a minute you ask the patient if any changes occur. If not, go on for another half a minute and repeat the question. If there is still no change, stop the stimulation. If a positive change in the pain experience happens, you go on with the stimulation. Interrupt the procedure every 30 second to ask the patient about further pain relief. The stimulation goes on as long as there is any improvement. At a certain moment it seems that a fixed equilibrium is reached and any further stimulation is fruitless.

The electrical stimulation can be given with a wide range of instruments. Normally I use the Pointer Plus, an instrument that gives an adjustable electrical current in a frequency of 10 Herz. 10 Herz corresponds roughly to the C frequency of Nogier.

After an electrical stimulation I usually puncture the point with an ASP (semi-permanent needle).

At the earlobe, the body has a triple projection. We call them phase 1, 2 and 3 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4). Of course, there is some difference; the first phase has to do with acute and actual pain, the second and the third phases are more related to the experience of chronic pain. The phase 1 projection is the best known and best detailed. For instance, in the phase 1 localisation we can differentiate between the muscular, ligamental, cartilagenic, bony and nervous structures of the lumbar spine (Fig 2).

Ideally, a choice between the different ECP's is made on the basis of an investigation to decide which ECP is best suitable for treatment. This investigation can be done with an electrical pointdetector device. If you are accustomed to the use of the VAS you check with a pointdetector the three localisations of the lumbar spine; the reactive localisation is your first choice localisation. If you are planning to stimulate the ECP electrically, it seems to me the best to use the electrical hammer for the detection of the earpoint. Of course the response to the electrical stimulation acts as a guideline for future treatments.

Figure 1. Lumbar spine (phase 1): A

Figure 2. Different structures of the
lumbar spine in phase 1:

1 - muscles and ligaments, 2 - vertebral body, 3 - intervertebral disc, 4 - paravertebral sympathetic ganglionic chain, 5 - concha

 

Figure 3. Lumbar spine (phase 2): A

Figure 4. Lumbar spine (phase 3): A

STRATEGY 2: CHAKRAS

If there is (after two or three sessions) little or no response in treating the ECP's, treatment of the associated chakra is the second step. Low back pain is always related to problems of the first and second chakra (Figs. 5 and 6). The sacro-iliac joint is a key point for the first chakra. The lumbar vertebrae are related to the second chakra. In general, the vertebral spine is under control of the first chakra. The treatment consists of the reactive ECP in combination with a chakra point. Usually treating the chakra points will give a pain relief of about 30 percent. The chakras are controlling systems and have nothing to do with phases. The phases are only for anatomical projection.

Figure 5. The first chakra, Rootchakra

Figure 6. The second chakra, Spleenchakra

STRATEGY 3: PAIN AXES

Again, if the response is too little, we consider the pain axes. There are two often used axes. The first one is the classical pain axe, described by Paul Nogier; "pain axe 1" (Fig. 7). It combines the ECP, the edge point, the point of the sympathetic chain and the zero point. The main indications are referred pain or pain which involves segmental disturbances or an involvement of the spine.

This pain axes only work with the phase 1 localisation of the lumbar spine.

The second axe is more indicated in situations in which the pain is restricted to a relatively small area and especially if the pain diminishes on distraction. The axe has 4 points, again the ECP and the edge point, plus two points that are geographically defined. One point lies halfway the ECP and the point zero. The other point is the mirror point of the ECP, opposite of the zero point. Pain axe 2 (Fig. 8) is first described by Steven Hofman of the Netherlands and proves to be very effective.

Figure 7: Pain axe 1

Figure 8: Pain axe 2

INSUFFICIENT RESPONSE

If neither of these techniques work, a symptomatic treatment alone will not help and the therapist has to deal with the preconditions of the pathology and obstructions in the healing process of the body.

POINT DETECTION

First, there is the electrical point detector. If you are skilled in the relevant techniques, the Nogier pulse offers you several ways to find points on the earlobe and to check if a point really is suitable for treatment. In auricular medicine we consider pathological points, satellite points, mobile points, fixed points, biotic points, hidden points etc. With the Nogier's reflex (VAS) you find the relevant points mainly with the black/ white hammer. Other investigations devices are the electrical hammer, Nogier's thread, light emitters, the Tourelle D4 or lasers with special frequencies.

POINT STIMULATION

One has to differentiate between the ECP and the other points. The first choice for treating an ECP is electrical stimulation. Often there is a direct response in pain relief, muscle relaxation or warming up of the area. The direct response reveals us which points are really useful. Best frequencies for locomotor areas are 10 and 40 Herz.

The second choice is needling. For symptomatic treatment I use semipermanent steel needles. The response is more delayed in comparison with the electrical stimulation but the effects are longer lasting.