By Kyona, Board Certified Ayurvedic Health Counselor, and Cannabis Educator

The ear is a microsystem of the body. There are over 200 auricular points on the surface of the ears that send messages from the brain through nerve pathways to the corresponding area(s) of imbalance to promote healing. Auriculotherapy is the stimulation of specific points on the ear with acupuncture needles, or less invasive ear seeds (from the vaccaria plant, or metal pellets), and also through ear massage.

While this modality is most widely known in association with Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture, it is actually rooted in Ayurveda.

I have been using and studying Auriculotherapy since 2019 and began putting it into practice in early 2020. My first customized protocols for family and friends were designed to support grief, enhance balance from vertigo, relieve menstrual pain and headaches, and assist with smoking cessation. The positive feedback I received was enough confirmation for me to begin offering this self-care modality to my clients as a compliment to any treatment plan. Needless to say, ear seeds are an essential part of my personal self-care toolkit.

Auriculotherapy can be used to relieve physical symptoms, and it is also an accessible method of treatment to address mental-emotional imbalances. What came to be known as the NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) protocol was initially created by community activists in South Bronx, New York as a part of the Lincoln Detox program for drug and alcohol abuse.

Today, the NADA protocol (3) l is a popular adjunct therapy (1) for addiction. (2) Cannabis is also known as a harm-reduction (4) tool (5) while supplementing the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) in support of traditional Eastern medicine practices.

The five auricular points used in the NADA protocol are as follows:  

1) Sympathetic Autonomic: Related to disruption in both sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. It has a strong analgesic and relaxant effect on internal organs as it dilates blood vessels.

2) Shen Men: Regulates excitation and inhibition of the cerebral cortex and can produce sedation.

3) Kidney: Strengthening point that can relieve mental weariness, fatigue, and headaches.

4) Liver: Addresses symptoms associated with poor liver functioning and inflammation.

5) Lung: Associated with analgesia, sweating, and various respiratory conditions.

References:

1. Carter K, Olshan-Perlmutter M, Marx J, Martini JF, Cairns SB. NADA Ear Acupuncture: An Adjunctive Therapy to Improve and Maintain Positive Outcomes in Substance Abuse Treatment. Behav Sci (Basel). 2017 Jun 16;7(2):37. doi: 10.3390/bs7020037. PMID: 28621706; PMCID: PMC5485467. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5485467/

2. Stuyt EB, Voyles CA. The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association protocol, auricular acupuncture to support patients with substance abuse and behavioral health disorders: current perspectives. Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2016 Dec 7;7:169-180. doi: 10.2147/SAR.S99161. PMID: 27994492; PMCID: PMC5153313.

3. Carter, Kenneth, and Michelle Olshan-Perlmutter. Nada Protocol - Integrative Acupuncture in Addictions, 4 Nov. 2014, alliedhealth.ceconnection.com/files/NADAProtocolIntegrativeAcupunctureinAddictions-1419263411853.pdf. 

4. Harm Reduction Journal BioMed Central, Harm Educational Journal, 3 Oct. 2009, harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/1477-7517-6-35.pdf.

5. Kvamme, S.L., Pedersen, M.M., Rømer Thomsen, K. et al. Exploring the use of cannabis as a substitute for prescription drugs in a convenience sample. Harm Reduct J 18, 72 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-021-00520-5

About Kyona:

Kyona is a Board Certified Ayurvedic Health Counselor, Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist, Auriculotherapy Practitioner, Vibrational Sound Therapist, Entheogenic Support Guide, and Cannabis Educator specializing in women’s health. With a passion to share over two decades of immersive study in holistic self-care and preventative health management, Kyona educates and empowers women in their middle essence to take an active role in their health by elevating awareness and restoring balance through appropriate foods, herbs, and lifestyle routines. Kyona is the founder of kyveda and a professional member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, National Ayurvedic Medical Association, California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine, and California Massage Therapy Council. 

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Effective Cannabis Newsletter is a platform to educate on the vital role of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) in one's health. The information is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in or available through this newsletter is for general information purposes only. It is not medical advice; it is health awareness.