• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.161-166
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• 2012

With recent increase in interest on health through extension of life expectancies of people, desire of smokers to stop smoking is also getting stronger. Korean medicine uses Auricular Acupuncturing as a treatment to stop smoking. This Study examined whether Auricular Acupuncturing is actually effective by manufacturing device that can stimulate lung point and endocrine point that are known to be effective in stop smoking through low frequency stimulation. Firstly, Low Frequency Stimulator for Auricular Acupuncturing to quit smoking (HBN-001) was developed as an experimental device by combining low frequency stimulation to auricular acupuncture points and headset, and was pilot tested on 20 subjects. The average quantity of cigarette smoked prior to the application of the procedure was 12.19, which was reduced to 10.34 cigarettes after 2 weeks with more than 5 sessions of Auricular Acupuncturing. However, there was no statistically significant difference. The changes in the desire to smoke following the procedure included 4 subjects (20%) with no change, 4 (20%) with slight reduction, 4 (20%) with 25%~49% reduction, 6 (30%) with 50%~75% reduction, 1 (5%) with 75%~99% reduction and 1 (5%) with complete elimination of desire to smoke. Changes in how cigarette smoking tasted included 2 subjects (10%) with slight improvement, 7 (35%) with no change, 6 (30%) with slight worsening and 5 (25%) with substantially worsened taste. Based on the results of the Pilot Test, it appears that Auricular Acupuncturing could be affirmatively helpful in quitting smoking, and further researches in greater depth would be necessary in the future.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.66-76
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• 1999

The auricular acupuncture therapy is stimulus treat method that acupuncts or moxibusts at the reaction blood vessel point of various diseases in the upper portion of ear. And this effects from the reaction blood vessel point of an ear to the meridian of whole body system through blood stream. The auricular acupuncture has cured and cared signs and symptoms of many diseases and pathologic problems. And this treatment heels abnormal reactions, nursing focuses so it was examined through literature review that nurses use many portions of the auricular acupuncture in their clinical cares of oriental medicine. This study was proved that the Mae-Chim acupuncture method among various methods of the auricular acupuncture is easy and simple so this method can be used by nurses. And the ear acupuncture site which controls diarrhea, insomnia, migraine, stress vomiting, dyspepsia, high fever, insufficient lactation, bowel dysfunction, menoxenia, anxiety, pruritus and can be found easily and is few the number of acupuncture so the oriental medicine nurses can apply easily to their clients. Therefore the independent oriental medicine nursing intervention can be developed by application of the auricular acupuncture therapy on the oriental medicine clinical nursing and home care in our community.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.173-180
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• 2005

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to assess the effect auricular acupuncture for acute mental stress using power spectrum analysis of the heart rate variability(HRV). Methods : 10 healthy volunteers participated in this study. After 5 minute rest, the first mental stress was provided for 5 minute. And then subjects rested for 15 minute. The second mental stress was provided for 5 minute. The acupoint, Shin-Mun point of the ear was stimulated for 15 minute. HRV was recorded before and after the first and second mental stress, and after auricular acupuncture stimulation. Results : After mental stress, normalized LF and LF/HF ratio is significantly increased. Before and after simple rest, normalized LF and normalized HF is significantly changed, but LF and LF/HF ratio is not significantly changed. On the other hand, before and after auricular acupuncture treatment, normalized LF, normalized HF is significantly changed, and also LF and LF/HF ratio is significantly decreased. Conclusion : The result suggest that auricular acupuncture can decrease more significantly in cardiac sympathetic activity due to mental stress than simple rest.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2001

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of stimulation of specific auricular acupuncture points on appetite suppression. Methods : The fasted rats were deprived of food and water for 48 hours. Stimulation of tho inner auricular region of the rat correspond to the human stomach acupuncture point was made for leptin, tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) and c-fos expression in the brain of the fasted rats by immunohistochemistry. Results : The immunoteactivities of leptin in the periventricular nucleus of the auricular acupunctured group with fasted were significantly higher compared to those of the fasted group. The immunoreactivities of TPH in the median raphe neucleus and reticulotegmental neucleus pons of the auricular acupunctured group with fasted were significantty higher compared to those of the fasted group. And the immunoreactivities of c-fos in the dentate gyrus of the auricular acupunctured group with fasted were significantly lower compared to those from the fasted group. Conclusions : We conclude that the auricular acupuncture altered leptin and TPH-expression in the brain of the fasted rats. The results suggest that auricular acupuncture may inhibit food intake.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.148-155
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify health problems in clinical nurses through an examination of their auricular acupuncture points. Methods: Data were collected from 90 nurses working in D city. Participants' ears were photographed and their auricular points were analyzed. Data analysis was performed by descriptive statistics and the $x^2$ test. Results: Musculoskeletal problems were the most severe, followed by problems of the digestive, nervous, and reproductive systems, in that order. Furthermore, the average number of health problems was 5.22, with a range of 4 to 6. Leg/foot pain was the highest reported musculoskeletal problem, followed by shoulder and lumbar/back pain. Gastric ptosis was the highest reported digestive problem, followed by indigestion and hypersensitive colitis. Additionally, among participants with gastric ptosis, lumbar pain was significantly high. Conclusion: The results suggest that further research using an auricular points as a diagnosis and treatment point is necessary to improve the health of nurses.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.168-175
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• 2000

Stimulation of the auricle is known to be effective in reducing obesity. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether stimulating a specific auricular acupuncture point is effective on suppression of appetite. Cholesystokinin (CCK) is known to induce a powerful feeding response after central administration and particularly abundant in the cerebral cortex. In food-deprived rats exhibiting a strong drive for feeding, decreased CCK release was markedly detected in the cerebral cortex of the brain. Needling the fasted rats on the specific auricular region increased the CCK level of the cerebral cortex. In conclusion, stimulating the specific auricular points increases CCK-expression in the cerebral cortex of the fasted rats and may be useful for controlling obesity.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.1202-1209
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to confirm the effects of an auricular acupressure (AA) program for smoking cessation in high school students from 2015 to 2017. Methods: The study investigated 12 high school students who had been smokers. Subjects were treated for three years. Each program was composed of five AA treatments. Average daily smoking and adverse reactions were checked for one week before each procedure. The AA was administered weekly at the endocrine point, lung point, throat point, nasal fossae point, bronchial tube point, and mouth point. Results: The mean number of cigarettes smoked per day after each year of treatment significantly decreased from 5.33±3.58 to 3.54±2.08 in 2015 (p=0.046). However, it increased from 5.75±2.30 to 6.00±3.61 in 2017 (p=0.80). The number of cigarettes smoked before treatment was found to be higher than the number of cigarettes after treatment in the previous year. No significant results were obtained from analysis of the change in the amount of smoking within each year. Conclusion: Social influence, such as the subject's academic stress and peer relationships, may have been a major factor in the change in the amount of smoking. Although the AA did not show a strong effect in smoking cessation, it appears to have value as a supplementary means of stopping smoking.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.261-265
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• 2017

Periauricular paresthesia may afflict patients for a significant amount of time after facelift surgery. When performing face and neck lift surgery, temple and posterior auricular flap dissection is undertaken directly over the auriculotemporal, great auricular, and lesser occipital nerve territory, leading to potential damage to the nerve. The auriculotemporal nerve remains under the thin outer superficial fascia just below the subfollicular level in the prehelical area. To prevent damage to the auriculotemporal nerve and to protect the temporal hair follicle, the dissection plane should be kept just above the thin fascia covering the auriculotemporal nerve. Around the McKinney point, the adipose tissue covering the deep fascia is apt to be elevated from the deep fascia due to its denser fascial relationship with the skin, which leaves the great auricular nerve open to exposure. In order to prevent damage to the posterior branches of the great auricular nerve, the skin flap at the posterior auricular sulcus should be elevated above the auricularis posterior muscle. Fixating the superficial muscular aponeurotic system flap deeper and higher to the tympano-parotid fascia is recommended in order to avoid compromising the lobular branch of the great auricular nerve. The lesser occipital nerve (C2, C3) travels superficially at a proximal and variable level that makes it vulnerable to compromise in the mastoid dissection. Leaving the adipose tissue at the level of the deep fascia puts the branches of the great auricular nerve and lesser occipital nerve at less risk, and has been confirmed not to compromise either tissue perfusion or hair follicles.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.79-90
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• 2001

Objective : The aim of the present study is to investigate whether stimulating a specific auricular point(胃點) is effect on suppression of appetite. Methods : This study evaluated the changes of Reduced-Nicotinamide-Adenine-inucieotide-Phosphate-diaphorase(NADPH-d)-positive neurons using a histoehemical method. Staining intensities of NADPH-d-positive neurons were assessed in a quantitative fashion using a microdensitometrical method based on optical density by means of an image analyzer. Results : The results show as follows ; 1. In the RSG/RSA, FRI/FR2, HL, PAR1 area, The optical density of NADPH-d-positive neurons of fasted group was significantly decreased in comparison to fed group. 2. In most cortical area, It was not significant statistically, But the optical density of NADPH-d-positive neurons of fed with auricular acupuncture group was decreased in comparison to fed group. 3. In most cortical area, It was not significant statistically, But fasted with auricular acupuncture group increased the optical density of NADPH-d-positive neurons comparison to fasted group. Conclusions : We conclude that stimulating the specific auricular points is able to effect on NO(Nitric Oxide)-expression in the brain cortex of sprague dawley rats, The results suggest that auricular acupuncture may be useful for controlling obesity.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of auricular acupressure on insomnia. Methods: Forty-four adults with insomnia for >1 month were recruited and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. In the experimental group, acupressure stickers were attached to the areas of Pineal Gland (TG1), Aggressivity point (LO2), Point Zero (HX1), and Occiput (AT3) for 1 week. Sleep hygiene education materials were provided to the control group, but acupressure was not provided. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS ver. 26 program. Results: As a result of controlling for the severity of insomnia (F=5.40, p=.025) and headache (F=4.60, p=.038), which showed a significant difference in the homogeneity test as covariates, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score in the experimental group decreased compared to that in the control group . Conclusion: The result of this study showed that auricular acupressure was helpful in improving insomnia.