Ear acupuncture, a procedure in which five needles are inserted into specific areas of the ear, in the same area for everyone, is touted to reduce illness, anxiety, and depression.
Auricular acupuncturist Mickey Uppendahl held his first free auricular acupuncture clinic at the Tahlequah Public Library on January 10th, with clinics to be held every Tuesday from now on.
“Auricular acupuncture was originally developed in the South Bronx in the 1970s to help people withdraw from heroin,” Uppendahl said. “The driving force was the Black Panthers. It was a different side of the Panthers that I learned about in school.”
The Panthers wanted to help people quit heroin, which is a huge problem in the Bronx.
“The government’s solution at the time was methadone, which worked, but you have to take methadone every day,” Uppendahl said. “From their point of view, this was just a way to be controlled by the man.”
The Panthers wanted something that didn’t involve the continuous use of chemicals, so they arranged for several people to be trained as acupuncturists, Uppendahl said.
“They narrowed it down to just five points in the ear and found it to be effective for both withdrawal symptoms and cravings. [It] “It would be much easier to teach people how to do ear acupuncture than it would be to do whole body acupuncture,” Appendahl said.
Materials distributed to participants state that ear acupuncture focuses on five spots that have been shown to be connected to other pathways in the body.
The sympathetic area is located along the outer edge of the ear and is involved in the stress response. The oval-shaped indentation inside the ear called the “Shinmon” is also called the “Reimon”. Acupuncture in this region is thought to be calming and effective for insomnia, pain management, hyperactivity, high blood pressure, fear, and panic attacks.
The kidney area in the center of the ear is known as the water element and is at the root of Chinese medicine’s Yin and Yang balance for optimal health.
The liver area is located along the inner ridge of the ear and is involved in regulating blood flow.
“Stimulating this area with acupuncture can also help deal with emotions such as anger, violence, frustration, and depression,” the handout states.
The lung area is located on the underside of the ear prominence. It controls breathing and skin functions and is associated with eliminating imbalances such as apathy, lethargy, lack of inspiration, and sadness, the handout states.
“In foot reflexology, the foot has a counterpart for every part of the body, and this also applies to the ear,” Appendahl says.
Since the 1970s, it has been found that it is effective for purposes other than addiction. Upendahl says it can help with stress, anxiety and depression.
“I suffer from depression, but depression has helped me so much. One of the main reasons I learned it is not only to help others, but because it helps me It helped me,” Uppendahl said.
Upendahl heard about Schron Schulke’s donation-based Unitarian Universalist Congregation offering a class to learn about this practice, so he began attending it every Thursday.
Upendahl was certified in November 2022, joining the ranks of six or seven practitioners in Tahlequah.
“When Ms. Schron conflicts with her work at Help in Crisis, we help her,” Ms. Uppendahl said.
Schuelke said she loves the practice. She started this work for free in 2018 because it helped her mother who suffered a brain aneurysm.
“It ruptured and she was in the ICU for five weeks, and when she came out she had a headache. Acupuncture helped with many of her symptoms,” Schuelke said. “Even though she can’t work, she still has her personality and that’s important to me.”
Schuelke won a community scholarship to work with Help in Crisis staff to provide “adetox” to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
When a woman comes in with a bruise on her eye, there is also internal damage to her head, and the swelling subsides overnight, Schuelke said.
“One woman came to the hospital and couldn’t use her hands for three years because of the assault. After I gave her Adetox, she was able to wash her hair for the first time that night.” said Schuelke.
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The free clinic at the Tahlequah Public Library will be held every Tuesday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and will be staffed by rotating physicians. Mr. Schuelke also hosts a donation-based acupuncture and meditation clinic at the Unitarian Universalist Sanctuary (104 N. College Ave.) every Thursday from 4pm to 6pm. Participants will receive complimentary tea, meditation stones, and aromatherapy.
