Auricular acupuncture and auricular medicine.

Auricular acupuncture is a treatment system based on normalizing the body's pain and dysfunction through stimulation of points on the ear. Resulting amelioration of pain and illness is believed to be through the reticular formation through the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Scalp acupuncture is one of the newest systems of microacupuncture therapy and anesthesia developed in the People's Republic of China; here the needle is inserted and stimulated in the areas directly above the corresponding nerve center. Hand acupuncture is a recently developed type of microreflex system that can be used exclusively or in addition to body acupuncture. Hand acupuncture is indicated to treat all ailments for which acupuncture is traditionally recommended.