2025 ConferencePOST-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP Sunday, April 6, 2025 (10:15am - 12:15pm) Workshop #4: How to Bridge Auricular Acupuncture into Public Funded Care - Evidence, Visions, and Education Presenters: Kajsa Landgren and Duvan Hoffmann With a growing evidence base, auricular acupuncture is now a reasonable complement to usual care. Rooted in Traditional East Asian Medicine (TEAM), auricular acupuncture has today moved from alternative medicine towards being accepted as integrative medicine. The neurophysiological mechanisms have been described in basic research, showing how stimulation of the parts of the ear innervated by the vagus nerve and the trigeminal nerve send signals to the brain. Neurotransmittors and hormons are released. Stimulating the ear with needles or acupressure with beads, seeds or magnets modulates the autonomic nervous system, explaining the positive effects on sleep, anxiety, stress, depression, withdrawal and pain that have been determined in clinical trials and systematic reviews. Although further research is needed, the existing evidence base motivates a broad implementation of auricular acupuncture. This is of importance especially for underserved groups who otherwise can not access this safe and effective treatment. For a successful integration in primary care and hospitals, the training in auricular acupuncture and acupressure should hold a high quality and be evidence based. This session will give demonstrations of auricular acupuncture and acupressure with beads, seeds and magnets, and discuss clinical applications. The session will give examples of how high quality training can be provided in real life and digitally. It will give a summary of the evidence base for auricular acupuncture and acupressure for a variety of symptoms, including both qualitative and quantitative research.
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