This auricular chart on your site shows a tranquilizer point but I'm a bit confused about where to locate it on the ear. Is it on the outer side of the lower tragus?
I'm planning on using this point in conjunction with insomnia point 1, to counteract insomnia caused by ADHD medication (dexedrine). Are there any additional points I should use for this? I believe an excess of adrenaline and noradrenaline are partly responsible for the insomnia, so maybe the endocrine point would help.
Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.
Yes the picture is a little misleading - the tranquilizer point is on the inferior tragus as it meets the face...
As for treating yourself which is what it sounds like you are attempting to do, you should consult with a practitioner. It's not so much that you won't be able to help yourself marginally or even greatly by figuring some things out on your own - but with proper treatment the results are generally much faster, more comprehensize and ultimately more permanent.
Comment by Archived User
Kate: Thanks, I'll look into those points. I'm new to acupuncture, so I'm not yet familiar with the theory of how all the organs work together to cure ailments. I'm a pharmacology student so I'm very interested in how particular points can cause changes in brain chemistry. I intend on taking a course on acupuncture in the future (once I'm finished college), but for now I want to start by learning how to treat insomnia and other issues that I have right now.
Chad: Yeah I'm planning on going to an acupuncturist to get treated but I want to maximise the likelihood of it working for me, so I want to learn about the ear points so I can put in beads during the days in between my visits to the acupuncturist. I'm trying to quit this medication, but there are some fairly problematic symptoms that I get when I stop taking it, according some of the scientific studies that I read about involving auricular acupuncture and Parkinsons disease, acupuncture should work for these particular symptoms.
I haven't yet seen for myself that acupuncture works though, I want to get some hands on experience with it working so then I won't just theoretically suspect it works, I'll know it works so then I can dive right into it and invest time and money into learning about it. The tranquiliser point seems like a good place to start because there should be some contrast between being stimulated by this medication, and sedated. I haven't felt any sedation yet, but I don't know if I have the point right, and these ear seeds that I have are tiny, I'm thinking I should probably use bigger ones, or needles to maximise efficacy.
I read about acupressure though, should I be able to feel sedation by pinching my lower tragus?
Comment by Archived User
I have been following this post. Truely if you are not trained in Acupuncture and are going by what you read get yourself to a Licensed Acupuncturist. Insomnia is often from an imbalance which may be from your medication as you stated. If it is coming from your medication it may be best to discuss it with your MD to see if you can make adjustments to your meds.
The ear points are wonderful but may not address the entire picture. If you do go to an Acupuncturist and you are using ear points with out them knowing you could distort your own treatment. I often show my patients what points they can massage but the difference is I show them and know they are using them.
There is much more to Acupuncture than needling a few points or massageing them. And yu do not always get the same results if you treat yourself. I treat myself when necessary but really get the best results when I allow my Acupuncturist do the treatment.
Good Luck!!