Chronic Pain & Wellness Solutions Dr. Donald Liebell
Complementary & Alternative Medicine - 477 Viking Drive Suite 170
Backed by Mainstream Science, Research & Technology Virginia Beach, VA 23452
(757) 631-9799
Dr. Donald Liebell 477 Viking Drive Suite 170 Virginia Beach, VA 23452
"Many therapists who work daily and successfully with human energy systmes have felt alienated from the sciences that provide the logical and rational foundation for conventional medicine. Some of their most remarkable and important experiences, and those of their clients, seem to defy analysis from current scientific perspectives. A close look at energy medicine resolves this unnecessary confusion and controversy."
Dr. Donald Liebell
Chronic Pain & Wellness Solutions:
Structural Correction
"Energy Medicine"
“America’s Doctor”
Speaks Out On "Oprah"
“the next big frontier in medicine is energy medicine”
- Dr. Mehmet Oz, M.D.
– Director, Cardiovascular Institute at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons
"These methods can often help the patient who has not found relief from more orthodox approaches"
- James Oschman, PhD,
Biophysicist & Cell Biologist, "Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis"
- World Authority on Energy & Complementary Medicine
“The potential of auricular medicine seems infinite. It is an approach for many types of dysfunction that is non-invasive, holistic, inexpensive, deeply respectful of the individual, and able to reveal a unique and beneficial pathway that the patient can follow to assist in regaining health.”
Dr. Muriel Agnes, PhD in
Energy Medicine
“Auricular medicine is invaluable in providing a wealth of energetic information that is crucial in formulating a credible diagnosis of any pathological condition…Pain management through three-phase auricular therapy is commonly very effective and occasionally is miraculous."
Dr. Nader Soliman, M.D.,
Anesthesiologist,
President of the American Academy of Medical Acupunture (2003-2005)
President, Alternative Medicine Seminars
The World’s Foremost Authority on Auricular Medicine
Why NOT
in America Too?
“Fifty years later [from the discovery of auricular medicine], many exciting and fascinating developments in understanding this medicine and how to use it for quite complex assessment and treatments are being tested and offered by trained practitioners around the world. This field continues to expand, with thousands of practitioners and exciting developments, particularly in Europe.”
- Dr. Beate Strittmatter, M.D.,
Academy for Acupuncture and Auriculomedicine - Munich, Germany,
"The revolutionary side of this [auricular medicine] discovery is still not recognized"
Dr. Rita Klowersa, M.D., Germany
Internationally known authority on auricular therapy, World Health Organization instructor
“When a disease occurs in an organ or certain kind of tissue, positive reactions will appear
on the corresponding auricular point(s). Stimulation of positively reacting point(s) by
applying the proper method can eliminate the pathological effect reversing the pathological
course.”
Li-Chun Huang, O.M.D., M.D. (China)
"You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink."
“Unfortunately there are many conventional doctors who think acupuncture, or even say nutrition nonsense. "
Dr. Bryan L. Frank, M.D., Anesthesiology/Pain Medicine
- President, American Academy of Medical Acupuncture,
- Author, “Atlas of Auricular Medicine and Auricular Therapy, medical Acupuncture"
- Programs for: the UCLA Medical School, the University of Miami School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and the McMaster University School of Medicine
“Energy Medicine is the future of all medicine.”
Norman Shealy, M.D.
Founding president of the American Holistic Medical Association
“In every culture and in every medical tradition before ours, healing was accomplished by moving energy.”
Dr. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
- Nobel laureate in Medicine —“Introduction to a submolecular biology”
“The ultimate approach to healing will be to remove the abnormalities at the subtle-engergy level which led to the manifestation of illness in the first place.”
Dr. Richard Gerber, M.D.
- internationally known teacher, physician, and author of several books, including the bestseller "Vibrational Medicine, and A Practical Guide to Vibrational Medicine: Energy Healing and Spiritual Transformation"
"Auricular therapy can reduce the tension, stress, and pain not fully relieved by other medical procedures” 
Dr. Terry Oleson, PhD., Psychobiology,
- Pioneer on auricular diagnosis at the UCLA Pain Management Center
- Research Director at the American University of Complementary Medicine
"For chronic conditions, auricular therapy is better than acupuncture… The body heals pain through the brain rather than by pharmacological methods that only suppress the pain signal (along with other vital functions).”
Darrell Stoddard, Board Certified Auricular Therapist, Founder, the Pain Research Institute
- Author, "Pain Free For Life"
"Auricolotherapy is a treatment diffusing in all over the World"
“In the last years modern clinical and basic research is confirming the efficacy of ear acupuncture mostly in the treatment of pain both acute and chronic, and of anxiety related disorders…
Dr. Luigi Gori, M.D., Dr. Fabio Firenzuoli, M.D.
– “Ear Acupuncture in European Traditional Medicine"
- Center of Natural Medicine, S. Giuseppe Hospital, Empoli, Italy.
Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine
(Vol. 9, No. 3, 1994)
“At the Center [for Improvement for Human Functioning, Wichita, Kansas], auricular therapy is used as a diagnostic and therapeutic option.
It is relatively painless, inexpensive, easy to use in experienced hands and may give immediate results. We recommend its use.
Dr. James Jackson, PhD, MT,
- Professor and Assistant Dean, Wichita State University Graduate School
"There is increasing evidence that ear acupuncture can be helpful in the treatment of migraine”
Marco Romoli, M.D.
- "Ear acupuncture in the control of migraine pain: selecting the right
acupoints by the “needle-contact test”
From: Neurological sciences: official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
Neck and Back Pain Studies In Auricular Medicine
“We believe that substantial savings in medical health care can be made through the adjuvant use of [auricular] electroacupuncture... significant improvement in pain intensity, mobility, psychological wellbeing, and sleep”
“In this [back] study we demonstrated significant additional and long-lasting pain relief through adjunctive ear acupuncture in patients suffering from chronic low back pain…”
Sabine M. Sator-Katzenschlager, MD, etal.,
"Electrical Stimulation of Auricular Acupuncture Points Is More Effective Than Conventional Manual Auricular
Acupuncture in Chronic Cervical Pain: A Pilot Study"
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care B, Outpatient Pain Center, University of ienna, Vienna, Austria
Auriculotherapy is a sophisticated discipline of acu- puncture that can be studied to a refined level of precision”
“Used in an integrated medical model, acupuncture is well suited to deal with many of the functional problems that allopathic medicine is not equipped to address. The result is patient and physician satisfaction."
Dr. Farshad Ahadian, M.D.
- Medical Director, the Center for Pain Medicine at University of California, San Diego
How Could A French Neurologist's Amazing Discovery About the EAR Eliminate Pain and Improve Your Health?
By Dr. Donald Liebell
Auricular therapy is a sophisticated European developed procedure, used worldwide to relieve pain throughout the body... through acupuncture points on the outer ear (auricle). It is quite different from Chinese acupuncture, and needles are not required.
The science of Auricular therapy has been well documented and internationally researched. Sadly, most American doctors are unfamiliar with it—even though it has been practiced worldwide for decades, with tremendous success. Auricular therapy has proven to bring pain relief and healing, in many cases, after all other medical interventions have failed.
In 1990, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) proclaimed that Auricular therapy is “probably the most developed and best documented, scientifically, of all the “micro-systems” of acupuncture and is the most practical and widely used.” The WHO lists 150 conditions for which Auricular therapy is appropriate. Examples include various neurological and orthopedic disorders such as: headaches, migraines, Trigeminal Neuralgia, facial paralysis, peripheral neuropathy, Meniere’s disease, intercostal neuralgia, tennis elbow, sciatica, lumbar pain, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
If you are frustrated with your chronic pain condition...
Auricular therapy may be your answer.
Traditional “Western” medicine looks to the human ear as only an organ of hearing. Your outer ear however, has complicated nerve connections through which constant communication takes place between your ear, brain and the body. When there is a problem somewhere in your body, we can detect ear acupuncture points corresponding to the organs or tissue involved shows an electrical imbalance. By treating these points by various means (discussed later), we energetically trigger or “jumpstart” a natural healing response.
Many factors may disrupt the flow of energy, which can have far-reaching consequences to our health. Energetic blockages are obstacles to the normal energy flow throughout the body. “Eastern medicine” acknowledges that your health depends upon energetic balance and stability of the “body-mind-spirit” axis. Modern research and technology is now scientifically verifying this principle that has been understood for thousands of years by many cultures. Auricular therapy is at the forefront of the scientific energy medicine revolution. It is painless and easy to have done.
The Discovery
The ear has been used as an approach to treating disease in various forms, dating back to ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and Persia. The ancient Chinese used only a scattered array of acupuncture points on the ear for just a few health problems.
Modern Auricular medicine was developed by French neurologist, Dr. Paul Nogier (1908-1996).
In the 1950's, Dr. Nogier noticed a strange scar on the upper ear of some of his patients. He found that all of them had been treated for sciatica pain by a local practitioner, Madame Barrin. She had cauterized (intentionally burned) a specific area of the external ear in order to relieve their low back pain. She had no idea why or how it worked. Dr. Nogier conducted a similar procedure on his own sciatica patients and found that their back pain was also reduced. He then tried other means of stimulating this "sciatica point," including the use of acupuncture needles, and found that they helped with the sciatic pain too. Dr. Nogier brilliantly took this observation and developed it into a comprehensive science. He theorized that if an area of the upper external ear is effective in treating low back pain, maybe other parts of the ear could treat other parts of the body.
Nogier’s research revealed that the ear is energetically connected to the entire body—a “microsystem.” This means that the outer ear is a tiny microcosm of living energy—a comprehensive acupuncture system representing the entire body. Every structure of the human body could be mapped on the outer ear — the auricle. He observed that the ear could be compared to an upside-down human fetus; the head represented by the lower ear lobe, the feet at the top of the ear, and the rest of the body in-between. This model was first presented in France in 1957, then spread to Germany, and finally was translated into Chinese. In 1958 the Chinese adopted this model, and acknowledged Nogier as the “Father of Auricular Therapy.”
Dr. Nogier and his research team then discovered that the surface of the ear is actually a 3-dimensional, holographic projection of the anatomy, as well as the bioenergetic status of the entire body.
A hologram is a 3-dimensional image of an object, which contains the information of the object itself… and in EVERY PART of itself. Dennis Gabor theorized the concept of holography in 1947. Leith and Upatniecks introduced it practically by 1964. Nogier realized that the ear at all times, presents us with a 3-dimensional “image” created by energy interference patterns. This in turn, meant that there must be three distinct mappings (holographic energy phases) of the body which exist on the ear, depending upon the nature of the health condition (acute, chronic or degenerative).
Unfortunately, few practitioners have mastered Nogier’s significantly more sophisticated and complex 3-phase approach to auricular therapy. 
Even fewer have adopted Nogier’s brilliant advancement known as Auricular Medicine (covered in detail in a separate article).
Anesthesiologist and complementary medicine authority, Nader Soliman, M.D. has been an outstanding researcher and teacher in this field. I am proud to have Dr. Soliman as my mentor.
"How Does Auricular Therapy Work?"
What is most fascinating is the fact that there are no direct nerve connections between the ear and the rest of the body. The nerves from the ear however, connect to reflex centers in the brain, which send neurological reflex messages to the spinal cord and then to nerves connecting to the corresponding part of the body. Imagine your brain as a computer. Inside this computer is a “map” of the entire body. This map is projected onto your EAR through your nervous system. Finding the points on the map is like using a computer’s keyboard or mouse to gain entrance into the system. With Auricular therapy we can energetically treat a number of painful conditions through the “brain’s computer.”
Some scientists say that pain relief from Auricular therapy comes from the release of endorphins into the blood. Endorphins are your body’s natural pain relieving chemicals. They are created by your brain, but they are similar in chemistry to opiate drugs, like morphine. Proof of this mechanism has come in the form of fascinating experiments, which revealed that drugs that block the effects of opiate drugs, also block the pain relieving effects of Auricular therapy.
From a Traditional Oriental Medicine perspective, pain is caused by blockage of Qi or Chi (pronounced chee) energy in the acupuncture meridian channels, thus creating an imbalance in the total body (macro-system) acupuncture system. By stimulating specific ear points in the auricular micro-system, two-directional connections are activated in the body macro-system which leads to a balancing of energy and an increase flow of Qi.
Auricular Therapy Around the World
Needle-based ear acupuncture has been practiced in Asia for thousands of years, but only a few specific points on the ear. In November of 1997, a consensus panel of the U.S National Institutes of Health (NIH) gave conditional approval of the practice of acupuncture. They included an evaluation of those studies that supported the use of ear acupuncture for pain relief and addiction treatment (quitting smoking, drugs, alcohol).
Auricular therapy has been used in continental Europe for the past 40 years. The body of international research supporting it is quite impressive. Research studies in China and the USA verified the scientific accuracy of auricular diagnosis:
In China the ear points of over 2,000 patients were assessed recording which points correlated with certain diseases and which ear points lead to reduction of medical symptoms.
At UCLA 75% accuracy was achieved in correctly diagnosing the location of the musculoskeletal pain problems of 40 patients. Expert panels were formed by the World Health Organization leading to international standardization of identification of ear reflex points.
Auricular acupuncture has even been used to treat pain for cancer patients when prescription medicine was ineffective. A research study involving 90 cancer patients was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (Vol 21, Issue 22 (November), 2003: 4120-4126). The scientists concluded that there was a clear benefit from auricular treatment for cancer related pain.
Another example is Chinese medical research published in the journal, Zhongguo Zhen Jiu (2007 Feb;27(2):112-4). This study revealed success in relieving lower back pain. Studies have revealed auricular treatment’s success with dealing with drug and nicotine addiction.
"What’s the difference between Auricular therapy and traditional body acupuncture?"
Body acupuncture works with fixed meridians—channels which are exactly mapped and defined in the body, as well as fixed acupuncture points situated along these meridians. They can always be detected because the are always electrically active.
Auricular therapy is a specialized acupuncture “microsystem” of the entire human body, which involves diagnosis of electrically active acupuncture points, which are ONLY detectable on the ear if there is something wrong in the body.
For those who are squeamish about acupuncture needles; auricular therapy does not require them (although some practitioner do use them).
"What is Energy Medicine?"
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) in the United States classifies “Energy medicine” as a “complementary and alternative medicine.” There are many methods and practices that claim to be effective. Many forms of energy medicine have not been scientifically verified. While this does not by any means mean they are not valid, it is my preference to utilize scientifically documented procedures including auricular therapy, as well as cold laser therapy. The primary reason for my choice however, is their amazing effectiveness and unparalleled safety.
Until recently, “Western” medicine had not acknowledged the energy-based concept of health and sickness. It’s a shame, since it has stood the test of time — thousands of years. Our American allopathic medical system (treatment of symptoms with drugs and surgery) is only a few hundred years old. Although there have been many amazing advancements; it has been foolish to ignore ancient knowledge and international medical practices.
Americans tend to view Auricular therapy (and all energy medicine, including traditional acupuncture) as a radically different approach to relieving pain from giving drugs. The fundamental principle of Western medicine, when it comes to treating pain, is to BLOCK or suppress pain signals with drugs. While I appreciate and applaud medical developments to make this possible, I consider drugs to be for emergencies or occasional usage—not ongoing treatment for pain.
In my practice, I seek only methods that UN-BLOCK interference to your body’s energy systems. Atlas Orthogonal and traditional chiropractic techniques fall into this category too. Their purpose is to restore structural balance to enable proper nerve communication throughout the body.
Cold Laser therapy is another example. I use this high-tech form of “Energy Medicine” to treat the causes of pain on the cellular level. All the cells of our bodies communicate with each other through what’s known as the intracellular matrix. This is an energy pathway of the fascia (connective tissues). Cold laser is used to safely restore energy communications and enhance healing—not to block pain signals.
The working principle of “Energy Medicine” is that energy IS the "medicine"… it is what heals or prevent pain and sickness. Your body has the inborn capacity to energetically respond to stresses, illnesses or threats. Life is energy. Diagnosing and treating disrupted energy systems is the focus of energy medicine. Our ancestors may not have had the science to explain the results of energy treatments including acupuncture, but they worked regardless.
Conventional Western medicine is based on a Newtonian physics. It is a machnist or technological viewpoint: the brain controls the body... we give medication for symptoms (that may not likely reverse or prevent the process). It does not consider or accept the existence of a living energy force.
Energy medicine (Eastern tradition) is based on Einsteinian physics. It acknowledges Einstein's theory of relativity... that energy and matter are dual expressions of the same entity. There is indeed an understanding of a vital living energy force. Thus physical and energetic approaches are necessary to prevent and treat disease.
The Resonant Frequency Principle of Treatment
Every object has a resonant frequency. This means that if you hit, pluck or heat it—it will vibrate at a specific rate or frequency. This is the case with musical instruments, such as a drum, a guitar string or a xylophone. Each distinct musical note is the result of a vibrational frequency. If two different objects naturally vibrate at a certain frequency, they can become energetically connected… even without touching. Think of an opera singer who can break a wine glass by singing a certain note. She’s energetically connecting with the exact frequency of the glass, causing its atoms to vibrate so violently that the glass shatters.
Every cell, tissue and organ of our bodies has a specific normal vibrational frequency. But they can become out of frequency, sort of like a guitar or piano being out of tune. Frequency-based energy treatments can safely and naturally vibrate cells back to their normal healthy frequency. This is another part of the biological basis of auricular therapy. It requires knowledge of exact anatomical frequencies. This was part of the brilliant research of Dr. Paul Nogier, the “Father of Auricular Therapy.” Many world leaders in health care have proclaimed that energy medicine is the future of health care.
"How is Auricular Therapy Performed?"
Auricular therapy does NOT require acupuncture needles (although some practitioners may use them). Various highly effective methods include use of: electrical or laser stimulation, specialized pressure pellets made from gold, silver, steel or herbal seeds, as well as magnets, manual pressure, and acupuncture needles. All methods are very effective; no one is considered superior to the others:
Auricular Electro-Acupuncture
Traditional acupuncture involves placement of needles in "meridian" points throughout the body, where they're spaced widely apart. Auricular points are only a few millimeters from each other. In ancient China they didn't have electrical point locators.
Current technology enables modern Auricular practitioners to locate points with amazing precision. The device is used to detect increased electrical skin conductivity, which is found at an electrically active point.
The increase in electrical conductivity correlates exactly with a problem in the corresponding part of the body. The most sophisticated instruments also detect polarity of active points, which tells the doctor what type of treatment is needed. The same instrument provides the treatment, which is known as micro-current stimulation.
Dr. Paul Nogier's research revealed 7 specific frequencies that must be used for different areas of the ear for electrical treatment. Strict attention to proper frequencies greatly enhances results.
In my practice I use the NET2000, which is considered the “gold standard” of devices. It is both a diagnostic and treatment instrument.
What does treatment on the ear with the NET2000 feel like?
Most people don't feel anything at all with this micro-current electrical stimulation. Each point is treated for 30 seconds or less.
Cold Laser Therapy
Ear points may be treated using specific laser frequencies. This is not a surgical laser, which heats up and cuts tissues. Low level laser light on the contrary, has no heat at all and triggers healing responses in the body. In my practice I use the Erchonia Laser, which is an incredibly versatile piece of technology that can be used for many types of treatments. I use it on traditional acupuncture meridians and for chiropractic, orthopedic and neurological treatments. It is also useful as a diagnostic tool.
What does laser feel like? There is no sensation at all in nearly all cases. [Click HERE to Learn More About Cold Laser Therapy]
Auricular medicine Seeds & Pellets Special seeds or pellets mounted on a "band-aid" type material provide outstanding effects. I use these in my practice, along with electrical stimulation. Once an active point is determined by the NET2000 (electrical acupuncture point detector), pellets can be placed on the ear. This instrument can even determine which type of metal is appropriate based on polarity. Some points require gold (energizing), while others require silver (calming), which are made of either silver or an actual herbal seed. 
"What Does Auricular Therapy Seed Placement Feel Like?"
You don’t feel much at all. When the seeds are placed on your ear, you’ll feel some pressure and that’s it. The NET2000 point finder instrument is used to scan the necessary regions of your ear to locate the area for seed placement. Once I find each point, it is treated electrically prior to the application of a seed or metal pellet.
"How many treatment sessions are necessary?"
Frequency is extremely case dependent. There is no set number of treatments for any health condition treated through auricular therapy. In some cases only one treatment is necessary. Others require many more. It depends on what is being treated. If one is careful to not wash or rub off the seeds or pellets, treatment is continual for several weeks. Some conditions require multiple treatments spread over time. Electrical treatments may be done more frequently.
"How long is a typical treatment session?"
A typical treatment, which includes electrical and/or laser stimulation and seed or pellet placement requires around 15 minutes, depending on your needs. Electrical stimulation done alone, which is my most commonly performed treatment, takes just a few minutes. A comprehensive diagnostic workup using auricular medicine takes 30-60 minutes.
"How fast are results?"
The range of responses is of course, varied. It is common that a patient suffering from severe pain will notice mild to marked reduction of pain after or even during the first session. This reduction in their pain experience can actually improve for the next several hours to weeks after treatment. Like any treatment, its effectiveness depends on the severity of the condition treated, extent of damage, etc. It’s important to understand that the goal of auricular therapy is to detect energy imbalances in your body… and “jumpstart” normal function.
One does NOT need to keep ear seeds or pellets in permanently. Some patients can have one application of ear seeds to eliminate a problem. Others may require several different patterns of seed placement to treat different areas of the body over time.
"Are there any reasons NOT to have Auricular Therapy?"
As with other forms of traditional acupuncture, there are few reasons to avoid auricular therapy. Also, pain is an important indicator of deeper problems in some cases. It is important not to treat any pain needed to diagnose an underlying problem. We shouldn’t treat any pain needed to limit range of movement of an injured area of the body. Nor should we treat women who are pregnant, and not to electrically stimulate the ear points of patients with a cardiac pace maker.
"Are there any potential side effects from Auricular Therapy?"
Because tenderness of ear points is one of the primary diagnostic features of this method, soreness on the ear points can sometimes continue for a while after the treatment. Also, in the case of a chronic condition, one may experience a “retracing” of symptoms. In other words, in some cases a patient may feel their body going through symptoms that took place during a condition’s development—a reversal of symptoms, rather than an immediate pain relief. Remember that "Eastern" medicine seeks to trigger natural healing responses, rather than mask symptoms.
"Can I Get Addicted to Auricular Therapy?"
No. Auricular Therapy is a non-addictive healing tool that you can use in your healing, revitalization, recovery, and in your life. You may become ACCUSTOMED to the benefits that Auricular medicine offers and look forward to treatments much in the same way that people look forward to chiropractic adjustments, exercise, good nutrition, etc. Sure, you may seek Auricular therapy as an ongoing means of naturally treating problems or injuries should they come up. My entire family seeks this phenomenal health approach as part of our preventative and naturally curative lifestyle.
"What happens if my seeds or pellets fall off?"
The goal is for the treatment seeds to stay on for up to 3 weeks in most cases. If one is careful not to scrub them off in the shower or toweling dry, they can stay on for a month or more. If they do fall off too soon, new ones need to be applied. This should not require more than a brief session, since a full evaluation and exam is not necessary.
"Can I receive Auricular treatment at the Liebell Clinic if I live out of the Virginia Beach Area?"
Yes. Many people travel long distances for treatment. Since auricular seed placement doesn't require frequent treatment sessions, it is the perfect treatment for such circumstances.
Auricular therapy is a phenomenal pain-relieving, natural health approach. It’s promising to discover that more Americans are embracing energy medicine with open arms. My patients no longer view these treatment techniques and practices as “alternative” at all. One might wonder, “alternative” to what? Drugs and surgery? It seems that the term “alternative” might suggest such practices are inferior, weird, unproven or unscientific. If one has such treatments only once traditional American medicine has failed, then perhaps they are appropriately named.
Practices such as acupuncture, including Auricular therapy are standard practices in many nations worldwide—nations healthier and longer lived than the United States.
I'm proud to be helping people with supposedly "hopeless" conditions with the aid of auricular therapy, in combination with my other non-invasive procedures.
If you're tired of the "drugs & surgery" approach to health, Auricular medicine may be the right approach for you. Why wait for the "mainstream" American health care system to catch up... help is available right NOW!
If you'd like to ask me a question,
email me at: necksecret@gmail.com
I will respond usually within 24 hours or less.