Having pain or ringing in your ears? Have you ever suffered from vertigo, dizziness, tinnitus, hearing impairment or ear pressure? Or perhaps you have balancing and spatial awareness issues due to dysfunction in your vestibular system? Acupuncture, specifically acupuncture on the scalp, may be a solution for you.
What is Scalp Acupuncture?
Traditional Acupuncture
The standard international acupuncture model that is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) includes 361 acupuncture points that lie on the 14 main meridians (channels). While the traditional model is incredibly powerful in treating various pains and diseases, over the years Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners have developed additional models to further serve their patients.
Scalp Acupuncture
Scalp acupuncture is an acupuncture microsystem. In microsystem models, a condensed map of the entire body is represented on a smaller anatomical structure of the body, such as the scalp. The current system of scalp acupuncture that practitioners use today was developed in China in the 1950s.
The Location on the Scalp
While various points on the scalp may be utilized to address an ear problem, the mapped-out scalp point for conditions of the ear is the Vertigo and Auditory (Hearing) Area. To find this area, measure 1.5 cm up from the apex of the ear, and then from that latitude, draw a 2 cm long horizontal line in both directions. In other words, imagine a 4 cm long horizontal line on the scalp that is 1.5 cm above the top point of the ear. Acupuncture needles are then placed along this line.
Why the Vertigo and Auditory (Hearing) Area of the Scalp Benefits Ear-Related Issues
The Vertigo and Auditory Area is used for disorders of the inner ear, vestibular system and auditory pathways. From a Western medical perspective, we understand that when the needle is inserted into this area, it stimulates sensory nerves in the scalp, which send signals into the brainstem. Once those signals enter the brainstem, they can interact with hearing and balance pathways, and the brain has an opportunity to modulate how it processes signals from the ear.
Of Interest for Practitioners
Efficacy and safety of scalp acupuncture in improving neurological dysfunction after ischemic stroke
