Auricular Therapy ěr xué liáo fǎ · 耳穴疗法

Treating the ear as a map of the whole body, with points on the auricle corresponding to organs and regions. A nomenclature for auricular points was standardised internationally under WHO auspices, which is why the same point names are now used across countries.

In practice it appears as pressure with seeds or pellets, fine needles, or electrical stimulation. Practitioners of acupuncture treat it as one technique among several rather than as a stand-alone system.

Risks centre on the ear itself: the cartilage of the auricle has poor blood supply, so infection there can become serious and is hard to treat. Unsterile needles or prolonged pressure dressings are the main avoidable causes. Evidence for benefit in specific conditions varies widely between reviews.