Unlike any other medical systems, auricular medicine can examine the physical conditions of a person in a very simple, cheap, but precise way. By checking different auricular points, one can get information about the health condition of a person. More importantly, it can also give the history information of the diseases and also predicts the potentials of certain diseases such as diabetes. Other medical systems are either imprecise or complex, expensive, and time consuming.
Auricular Diagnosis is done through the following methods:
1) Inspection
This is a diagnostic method used to observe discoloration, deformity, desquamation, papule, and angioplerosis on the auricle. It is usually used for various acute or chronic diseases and for acute attack of chronic diseases. It is mainly applied to locate or treat the area of disease and for qualitative diagnosis.
2) Tenderness Method
It is a diagnostic method that employs the use of a probe or the detecting pen of an auricular detecting instrument to touch and to feel for tender auricular points, observe the reaction of the patient, and then use the key tender points to diagnose a disease. When a person suffers from an illness, especially for an acute disease or tumor, the phenomena of a lower pain threshold and sensation to pain will appear on the auricular point. This is the basis of the Tenderness Method. This method is applied for diagnosing various acute diseases, painful diseases, determining the nature or differentiating a tumor, and treatment of diseases.
3) Pressing Mark Method
It is a diagnostic method that employs the detecting pen to press the auricle and to observation the pressing mark. When a person is ill, a deformity such as an eminence or swelling will appear on the corresponding point on the auricle. The pressing marks have a difference in depth, coloration and the time of recovery. That is the basis of clinical diagnosis. This method is mainly used for acute and chronic diseases. We also use it to differentiate deficient and excess syndromes.
4) Palpation
This diagnostic method employs the use of touch. A detecting pen is used to touch reactions, such as protrusion, depression, edema or swelling. The point on the auricle will change its form variously along with the occurrence and development of the pathological changes when the person suffers from a disease. For chronic and organic diseases, a permanent mark will remain on the auricle after the disease has been cured.
The Method of Palpation has developed rapidly within the last ten years. It improves the application of the single point, especially the diagnosis and differentiation of one point for multiple diseases. It also enlarges the limits of auricular diagnosis and increases the coincident rate.
The Palpation method is mainly applied for the diagnosis of chronic, organic disease, or the study of a case history of the patient.
5) Auricular Electrical Detection
This is a diagnostic method that measures the auricular cutaneous resistance. Analyzing the auricular points and taking the results can be a reference for diagnosis and as a foundation of point selection. When a person is suffering or has had a disease, the cutaneous resistance of the auricular points which relate to the disease will decrease dramatically. So with an auricular detector, we can measure such change. The information we gathered can be applied for locating areas of concern and qualitative diagnosis. Electrical detection is used for acute and chronic disease, acute attack of chronic disease, tumor, painful disease, and the estimation and judgment of blood pressure. We can increase the coincident rate by using palpation in conjunction with electrical detection.
6) Auricular Electrical Computer Diagnosis
This method employs a computer to measure the resistance of the auricular points and the average resistance of reference auricular points and to calculate these numbers and show percentages which indicate the change of resistance of the auricular points. Then the doctor can make a diagnosis based on the change of a percentage of relevant auricular points and other pertinent information. The application of computer technology may increase the degree of accuracy, exclude the effect of various unstable factors and show the change accurately and numerically. Thus it overcomes the shortcomings of manual diagnosis.
7) Auricular Comprehensive Diagnosis
The multiple diagnostic methods assign diagnostic values according to the stage of the disease. Some are applicable to the diagnosis of acute or painful diseases and some are applicable in the diagnosis of chronic or organic disorders. Through clinical observation, we have found that the main change for acute disease is a decrement of pain threshold and resistance of relevant auricular points. So palpation and electrical detection are usually applied for acute disease. For a chronic disorder, the main change is deformity of relevant auricular points. This is the reason that palpation is always used for chronic disease. So, it is very difficult to analyze and to have an all around judgment of the acute or chronic disorder of the whole body, as well as to make an accurate diagnosis. In order to find out the complete change of auricular positive points, we put forward the comprehensive diagnostic method: first inspection, second palpation, third measurement and listening, fourth differentiation of syndromes. It is a method applying the multiple methods mentioned above.
- First: Inspection. The inspection is also called observation. For the first visit of a patient, it is best to do the auricular inspection first to find out the location of the focus and the stage of the disorder. Then we can make a further judgment according to the findings of palpation and electrical detection.
- Second: Palpation. Tenderness is the main change of acute disease, painful disease and the severe stage of a disorder. A deformity is the main change of chronic and organic disease. Palpation is very important in order to find out special changes of the auricular points.
Palpation includes four detecting methods:
- Tenderness Method
- Pressing Mark Method
- Finger Feeling Method
- Pen (probe) Detecting Method
- Third: Electrical Detecting and Listening. It is a method of detection of the auricle with an auricular electrical detector, which can show the disorder in several ways. Then we analyze the positive reactions. Usually we will finish the palpation, electrical detection and listening at the same time. When examining the auricle with the pen of the auricular electrical detector, we pay attention not only to the numbers and sound but also to the form of the points touched by the detecting pen to see whether there are deformities such as a depression, protrusion, node, cord, or edema. This method is significant for the observation of the change in color and form of those points that tested positive by the number and sound.
- Fourth: Differentiation of Syndromes. It is a comprehensive method of the positive reactions we obtain through the three methods mentioned above, combined with the case history and applying the knowledge of TCM and Western Medicine, then we can make an accurate, differential diagnosis and provide a basis for treatment.
Posted: April 15th, 2008 under Auricular medicine.
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