Elements of Auriculotherapy

 

By: René Bourdiol. Distributor : BF. $150. 420 pages. Hardcover. 2014 (1982, First edition).

 

Understanding Auriculotherapy first requires a definition. Simply stated, it is a therapy using the stimulation of specific areas accessible on the surface of the ear. Those stimulations are effected by use of, for example, needles, pressure, electricity, laser and light.

Historically Auriculotherapy emerged as an organized and coherent model in the mid-twentieth century though the works of Dr. Paul Nogier (Lyon, France). His work quickly led to many research, developments, academic associations and clinical groups. Among those was the fundamental meeting in September 1966 between Dr. Paul Nogier and Dr. René Bourdiol, meeting that led to their collaboration and brought Dr. Bourdiol to produce works on the topic that would become crucial to the field.

Half a century after the birth of Auriculotherapy, one can look at its evolution and growth worldwide. It has followed a complex and interesting path. Yet, the underlying mechanisms explaining its modalities of action remain broadly unexplained. In parallel, the material produced by the first generation of French Auriculotherapists continues to be largely inaccessible in English.

However, the evolution of Auriculotherapy in the beginning of the twenty-first century is marked by an unprecedented interest. The work of Dr. Richard Niemtzow known as Battlefield Acupuncture led to the emergence of new auricular treatments fostering potent and promising results. The potency of these results quickly brought about government grants and contracts that have no counterparts in the history of acupuncture or auriculotherapy.

Now, while lecturing in the US and abroad and while assisting in the implementation of various symposiums on auricular therapy, a fundamental theme has surfaced. In facing this emerging interest, the need for adequate education and access to the best academic material has become paramount.

Through my discussion with Dr. R. Nogier and the analysis of the material of Dr. R. Bourdiol, I realized the uniqueness of the approach of Dr. R. Bourdiol. It provides rigorous, logical and analytical methods. It further relies on the outstanding language and illustrations of Anatomic academicians. In short it is a unique juxtaposition of knowledge and method that can only be a source of learning and inspiration to generations of students.

This is how I naturally decided to render the work of Dr. René Bourdiol accessible again.

John Howard

Acknowledgment

None of this would have been possible without the assistance of Raphael Nogier, Diana Bittner, Eric Serejski, Stephanie Lashmit, Sara Howard and Richard Niemtzow.

 

Contents

 

  • Forword
  • Preface
  • Introduction
  • Acknowledgements
  • Part One: The Auricle
    • Chapter I: Macroscopic Anatomy of The Auricle
      • External or Lateral Face (Auricula Externa)
      • Mastoid Face (Auricula Intema)
    • Chapter II: Auricular Neuro-Embryology — The Classical Concepts
      • Embryological Concepts
      • Neuro-Anatomical Concepts
      • The Neuro-Embryological Reasons for These Divergences
    • Chapter III: Physio-Pathological Data
      • Experimental Data:
      • Clinical Data
      • The Pulse Reflex, Or Nogier's Arterial Reflex (N.A.R.)
      • Exclusively Auricular Analgesia Reflexes
    • Chapter IV: Our Conception of Auricular Development
      • "Classical" Divergences
      • Our Embryogenic Hypothesis
  • Part Two: Auricular Systematisation
    • Chapter I: External Auricular Localisations
      • Mesoblastic Derivatives
      • Endoblastic Derivatives
      • Ectoblastic Derivatives
    • Chapter II: Mastoid Auricular Localisations
      • Mesoblastic Derivatives
      • Endoblastic Derivatives
      • Ectoblastic Derivatives
    • Chapter III: The Tragus and External Auditory Meatus
      • The Tragus
      • The External Auditory Meatus
  • Part Three: Auriculo-Diagnosis
    • Chapter I: Aesthesic Detection
      • Evoked Pinnal Pain
      • Hypo-Aesthesia to Cold
    • Chapter II: Electronic Detection
      • Simple Detection
      • Differential Detection
      • Technique of exploration
      • Results Obtained
    • Chapter III: Deductive Topognosia
  • Part Four: Auriculotherapy
    • Chapter I: Global Treatment of the Pinna
      • Auricular Massage
      • Magnetic Fields
    • Chapter II: Treatment of the Auricular Fields
    • Chapter III: Treatment of Points
      • Definition of Autonomic Polarity
      • Treatment by Needle
      • Treatment by Micro-Currents
      • Treatment by Magnetic Fields
      • Massage of The Points
    • Chapter IV: Hierarchisation of Points
      • Clinical Hierarchisation
      • Intrinsic Hierarchisation of The Characteristics
      • Hierarchisation by Special Arrangement of The Points
  • Part Five: By Way of Conclusion
    • Chapter I: An Auriculotherapy Session
      • Anamnesis
      • Secondary Interrogation
      • Elaboration of Tests
      • Auricular Detection
      • Hierarchisation of Points
      • Determination of The Pathological Autonomic Polarity
      • Auricular Therapy
      • Result
    • Chapter II: Some Final Advice
      • Indications for Auriculotherapy
      • Contraindications to Auriculotherapy
  • Bibliography

 

List of the pictures

  1. The external ear.
  2. The external ear
  3. Antihelix and antitragus.
  4. The concha, and the foot (or floor) of the concha:
  5. The concha, and the foot (or floor) of the concha
  6. External projection of the zone of cranial adherence (schematic)
  7. General appearance of the mastoid face.
  8. Mastoid face
  9. Embryology of the ear
  10. Embryology of the ear. Concept of WOOD-JONES and WEN -I-CHUANN.
  11. Embryology of the ear. Concept of KUBEL and WALL.
  12. Some recent representations of auricular innervation.
  13. Differing types of auricular innervation
  14. Auricular embryology. K. L. MOORE'S concept.
  15. The pressure probe.
  16. Evoked pain.
  17. Chinese cartography
  18. Sensory topography of the plans
  19. Post-prandial gastric projection.
  20. Gastrointestinal projections 3 hours after eating.
  21. Gastrointestinal projections 5 hours after eating.
  22. Auricular innervation with respect to embryogenesis.
  23. Analogue model of Nogier's arterial reflex.
  24. Radial area favourable for N.A.R. measurement.
  25. Nogier's arterial reflex (N.A.R.).  Recording by Doppler velocimetry.
  26. Recording of thalamic modifications before and after specific auricular stimulation in a rabbit submitted to a painful stimulus.
  27. Fields of auricular innervation
  28. Cases of agnathia.
  29. Auricular innervation according to Dejerine.
  30. Lateral view of a 26 day embryo.
  31. Cephalic folding in the embryo (after GIROUD and LELIEVRE).
  32. Our neuro-embryological hypothesis
  33. Our neuro-embryological hypothesis
  34. Segmentary identification with the aid of a stirrup-probe.
  35. Segmentary identification with the end of a stirrup-probe.
  36. Surface relief of the antihelix.
  37. The spinal projections.
  38. Systematisation of the spinal projections.
  39. Construction of the L3 radius.
  40. Osteoarticular somatotopy.
  41. Projection of certain muscles.
  42. Female urogenital apparatus.
  43. The projection of the cardiovascular apparatus
  44. Projections of the respiratory apparatus.
  45. Derivatives of the primordial fore- and mid-guts on the right hemiconcha.
  46. Visceral projections on the left concha.
  47. Visceral projections on the right superior hemiconcha.
  48. Auricular systematisation of the spinal cord, brainstem, and cranial nerve nuclei.
  49. Auricular systematisation of the brainstem.
  50. The extrapyramidal motor area.
  51. Diencephalic projections of the foot of the concha.
  52. The adenohypophysis and its stimulating hormones.
  53. The rhinencephalon.
  54. Sensorial cerebral areas.
  55. Sensory cerebral areas.
  56. Paravertebral sympathetic ganglionic chain.
  57. Parasympathetic system.
  58. The previsceral plexuses
  59. Projection of the vertebral bodies onto the mastoid face.
  60. Mastoid projection of the paravertebral ganglia.
  61. Osteoarticular somatotopy.
  62. Projection of the neck and face muscles on the mastoid face.
  63. Urogenital projections on the mastoid face.
  64. Cardio-arterial systematisation on the mastoid face.
  65. Projection of the respiratory system on the mastoid face.
  66. Projection of the gastrointestinal apparatus on the right mastoid face.
  67. Projection of the gastrointestinal apparatus on the left mastoid face.
  68. Auricular systematisation of the spinal cord, brainstem, and cranial nerve nuclei.
  69. Auricular systematisation of the brainstem.
  70. The extrapyramidal motor areas
  71. Auricular systematisation of the motor system.
  72. Cases of agnathia.
  73. Zones of tragal auricular innervation and anterior implantation.
  74. Audiograms
  75. Energetic autonomic massage of the ear.
  76. Re-equilibrating energetic massage between the left ear in “Hyper” and the right ear in “Hypo”.
  77. Tragal systematisation.
  78. The right tragus of the right-handed person.
  79. The left tragus of the right-handed person.
  80. Systematisation of the auditory meatus.
  81. Technique of aesthesic exploration.
  82. Technique of local pinching and palpation.
  83. Technique of auricular examination with the punctoscope.
  84. Differential somatotopy of the pinna.
  85. Auricular massage.
  86. Symmetrical parasympatheticotonic massage.
  87. Orthosympathetic hypertonic massage.
  88. Equilibrating and relaxant massage.
  89. Massage augmenting the lateralisation of a right-handed person.
  90. Applause test.
  91. Location of the site for manipulation of the ear.
  92. Determination of the least painful fold.
  93. Progressive extension and eversion of the antihelix.
  94. Master-Points of the auricular fields.
  95. Technique of puncture of the ear.
  96. Technique of placement of a semi-permanent needle.
  97. Auricular angulations.
  98. Harmonic and inharmonic points alignement systems.
  99. Palpation of the ears.
  100. Reproduction of the tracing obtained from the rubber stamp used to note detected auricular points (natural size).
  101. Anti-smoking programmes.
  102. Variants of the “Delta” programme.