Meta-synthesis Of Recent Two Decades’ Chinese And Foreign Contemporary Literature On Auriculotherapy

Objective:This research combines a survey of traditional literature and modern statistical analysis to collect and examine auriculotherapy’s contemporary literature (1992-2011) in a comprehensive, extensive, and systematic manner. In addition, the research seeks to summarize and explore this therapy’s application principles in order to provide an objective basis for auriculotherapy’s clinical application and further clinical studies, and, most importantly, to promote mutual exchange and learning in eastern and western clinical research achievements.Method:This meta-synthesis of contemporary literature on auriculotherapy gathers 500 (434 in Chinese,66 in English 66) Chinese and foreign clinical research studies conducted in the recent 20 years. First, the research conducts an initial analysis of all 500 studies’ general information and treatment methods, as well as the stimulating methods, disease systems, and categories of disease mentioned in the 187 Chinese and 54 English papers solely regarding auriculotherapy. A database is then built through entering the relevant data into Excel, and the collected data is analyzed with modern statistical methods. The results of the statistical analysis are then assessed and discussed.Result:1. According to the methodologies and standards of the latest statistical version of WHO’s Diseases and Health ICD 10, the statistical results show that there are 187 Chinese papers solely concerning auriculotherapy that touch on 54 diseases from 15 systems and 3 miscellaneous categories.54 English papers discuss 16 diseases from 9 systems and 2 miscellaneaous categories.2. Data analysis shows that the stimulating methods mentioned in Chinese literature differ from those of English literature:the most frequently used method of Chinese literature is auricular sticking therapy, while the method discussed in English literature is auricular acupuncture.3. In every decade between 1992～2011, literature in both Chinese and English as well as research specifically on the subject of auriculotherapy have multiplied; however, the total number of Chinese literature is 3.5 times that of English literature.Conclusion:Based on the research method of contemporary literature and results of modern statistical analysis, the metasynthesis on auriculotherapy concludes that first, the scope of Chinese auriculotherapy’s clinical treatment and its relevant researches is more far-reaching; in addition, both auriculotherapy and research on auriculotherapy are developing more rapidly and on a wider scale in China than in foreign countries. This indicates that the therapy is more popular, and its effectiveness more acknowledged and accepted, in China than elsewhere. Consequently, auriculotherapy still has much potential to develop and popularize outside of China. Secondly, across all 8 treatment methods related to auriculotherapy, studies solely regarding this therapy exceed other kinds of researches in number and take up the largest percentage. Thirdly, China and foreign countries utilize different stimulating methods:China prefers the simple and convenient auricular sticking therapy, while other countries favor auricular acupuncture which has a stronger stimulating effect. The difference in their effectiveness and merit nevertheless warrants further investigation. Finally, this research reveals that standardizing auriculotherapy and implementing such standards and guidelines worldwide remains much needed and very significant for clinical medicine and research.