Chinese Auricular Acupuncture

239 Pages·2003·1.25 MB·English

by  Skya Abbate

2052_HalfTitlePage 8/13/03 4:33 PM Page 1
Chinese
Auricular
Acupuncture

2052_TitlePage 8/13/03 4:32 PM Page 1
Chinese
Auricular
Acupuncture
SKYA ABBATE
CRC PR ESS
Boca Raton London New York Washington, D.C.
Photographs by David A. Brown and Anthony Abbate
Calligraphy by Dr. Jishun Hao, DOM
Illustrations by Jaye Oliver
Medical knowledge is constantly changing. As new information becomes available, changes in treatment,
procedures, equipment and the use of drugs become necessary. The author and the publisher have taken
care to ensure that the information given in this text is accurate and up to date. However, readers are
strongly advised to confirm that the information complies with the latest legislation and standards of
practice. It is recommended that patients be under the care of a licensed healthcare provider.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Abbate, Skya.
Chinese auricular acupuncture / Skya Abbate.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents: The ear: an ancient microsystem with modern applications — The anatomical
terminology of auricular medicine — The location of 100 common ear points — The clinical
energetics of the ear points — Cautions and contraindications — Ear modalities — Ear
diagnosis and morphology — Ear prescription construction and formulas for specific
conditions — Clinical research and effective points.
ISBN 0-8493-2052-6 (alk. paper)
1. Ear—Acupuncture. I. Title.
RM184.A234 2003
615.8′92—dc21 2003055166
This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reprinted material
is quoted with permission, and sources are indicated. A wide variety of references are listed. Reasonable
efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and the publisher cannot
assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or for the consequences of their use.
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Visit the CRC Press Web site at www.crcpress.com
© 2004 by CRC Press LLC
No claim to original U.S. Government works
International Standard Book Number 0-8493-2052-6
Library of Congress Card Number 2003055166
Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
Printed on acid-free paper
Dedication
To my nephews and nieces: Anthony, Mark, Jennifer, Alex,
Lauren, Rebekah, Elizabeth, Laura Grace, Nicole, Leah, David,
Aaron, Adam, and Seth
Remember — All good things are possible with God

Foreword
Pursuing an integrated approach to treatment, the practitioner of Chinese
medicine must hold a clinical view that extends from a patient's depth to
the outermost branch of his or her physical being. The practitioner must be
able to touch the aspect of being that, in the context of the moment, will
most efficiently help to promote functional balance. Skya Abbate has fur-
thered the ability of practitioners to achieve these ideals by providing a
comprehensive survey of ear acupuncture.
Skya's text has the potential to allow the diligent reader to fully integrate
treatment of the ear into clinical practice. Based on her many years of study
and clinical experience, she illustrates for us the aspects of auricular therapy
that she has found to be most effective. But more importantly, she provides
a substantial foundation so we can continue to expand our knowledge of
auricular therapy as we gain clinical experience.
Her inclusion of a detailed section on ear diagnosis will allow readers
to supplement their assessment of the pulse, tongue, and hara, thus improv-
ing our ability to differentiate the functional basis of imbalance and illness.
Unlike so many other texts, the ear is not presented as a "black box" whose
efficacy is based on some mysterious cause-and-effect relationship to symp-
toms. Rather than merely provide a list of points and symptoms for the
practitioner to learn by rote, Skya explains the theory behind ear treatment
in a way that is consistent with Chinese physiology. Her detailed tables and
photographs serve as clear aids to help the student grasp whatever point
she is illustrating.
Having read Chinese Auricular Acupuncture, I was inspired to integrate
auricular therapy and diagnosis into my own clinical practice, and I have
been very pleased with the results. Skya's book is a gift to any practitioner
wishing to extend his or her diagnostic abilities and clinical effectiveness.
Lonny S. Jarrett, M.Ac.,
Author of Nourishing Destiny: The Inner
Tradition of Chinese Medicine

Preface
The purpose of this book is to provide students and practitioners of Oriental
medicine with a clear, concise, user-friendly manual on ear acupuncture.
Many books abound on this topic, yet in this author’s experience, they tend
to make the study of the ear more complicated than it needs to be. Addi-
tionally, most are not practically oriented for the student or clinician who is
interested in an easy to do, yet efficacious, modality. Nor do such books tend
to explain auricular medicine within the framework of traditional Oriental
energetics that is consistent with the use of the medicine. In this text, the
reader is given the opportunity to reduce the need for memorization or the
need to consult manuals for reference because the method of using ear
acupuncture is consonant with the underpinnings of an education in tradi-
tional Chinese medicine.
I have practiced ear acupuncture for over 20 years and have taught it
for over a decade. This adds to my ability to deliver a manual that can be
studied independently and then easily used to treat the many diseases that
characterize the human condition. But ultimately, the simplicity of the par-
adigm presented and the way it is exposed should allow the reader to see
the practical utilization of auricular therapy within the practice of Oriental
medicine. In this way one can be weaned from the text because the thought
processes of how to locate points, select modalities, construct prescriptions,
and apply them to the uniqueness of each person have been carefully orga-
nized and outlined. In contrast to many books, only one ear map is referred
to instead of pages and pages of maps and systems. Thus, the art of auricular
medicine is elegantly simplified.
In addition to this central focus, this book contains other features that
distinguish it from comparable texts. Differentiating features include the
following:
• Many photos of actual ears illustrate the pathology commonly seen
in the ear. This pathology is incorporated into the text in order to
teach differentiating ear morphology and diagnosis.
• Most ear modalities (such as needles, press tacks, seeds, etc.) are also
pictured to demonstrate treatment tools with which the practitioner
may be unfamiliar, but might want to learn.