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Other Names : auricular therapy, Ear acupuncture<br>Auriculotherapy It was developed popularized in the 1950s by a French doctor, Dr. Paul Nogier, and was created as a neurologist, in the 1950'sbridge between Eastern and Western acupuncture. He became interested in the study when several of his sciatic patients related how they had been helped by a middle eastern woman. They reported that their suffering ended after she put a hot needle into their ears. Nogier began his quest to understand more of this system.Since then, researchers such as Terry Oleson, PhD from UCLA, and Dr. Jay Holder in Miami, FL have expanded Nogier's work. Oleson, using radioisotope techniques, showed how these ear points could be located and identified their relationship to areas of the body. The acupuncture meridians do not innervate the ear. Originally, Chinese medicine evolved to include a form of auriculotherapy that used needles placed in the ear to treat opiate addictions as well as other problems, Nogier became aware, however, that auricular points differ from acupuncture points: Auricular points can move; acupuncture points are stationary. To detect the movable points, Nogier used elaborate cameras with filters but it was time consuming. Today, a noninvasive microstimulation device is used to not only detect the points but to deliver a microcurrent that effectively treats the points faster and more accurately than would be possible with a needle. The microcurrent feels like a slight prick with a needle. Although some mild discomfort is possibleThese days, most patients find acupuncturists will use it just barely noticeable and tolerablein tandem with full-body acupuncture.