EarReflexologyCaseStudyofMarkusPeroninobyMariaPeronino(lunareflexology.com)

IntroductionMynameisMariaPeroninoandIamastudentundertheReflexologyAssociationofCanadaandveryclosetocompletingmycertificationinfootreflexology.MypersonalexperiencewithearseedingwaswhenIwastreatedwithfootandearreflexologyinDenmark.IthencontinuedtotreatmyselfforRotaryCuffTendonitisthatcausedmeprolongedpainanddisabilityfor6months.Itriedphysiotherapybutthepainpreventedmefromproperlyrehabilitatingandpainkillersdidn’thelp.Afterconsistentapplicationofearseedstomyearandhandoverthespanofamonth,mypaincompletelydisappearedallowingmetorehabilitatemyarm/shoulderbacktoabout98%.TodaywhenIexperiencetendonitisflaresitisusuallyinmywristandthumb(digitaluseortoomuchreflexologywork)andIsimplyreapplymyearseedstoearandhand,andtheproblemdissipatesanywherebetween3daysto2weeksincombinationwithrefrainedused.Givenmyunderstandingofmypersonalhealingtimeframe,Iamgoingtocreateastudythatwillbeapproximately1monthinlength,tofullyunderstandthescopeofthetreatments.TheStudySubjectMyhusband,MarkusworksfulltimeforCanadaPostasalettercarrierandwalksupwardsof30kmaday.HeisrecoveringfromalargefacialscartotheleftcheekfromskincancerremovalviaMohssurgery.Thereishistoryofskincancerinhisfamily.Whilewaitingforsurgery,MarkusreceivedweeklyfootreflexologyforseveralmonthsandunderwentaguideddietchangeasperthelearningofSystemicInflammation,FoodIntoleranceandAutoimmunity.Throughthatweeliminatedinflammatoryfoodsthathadnegativelyimpactedhisdigestivesystemresultingindailyirritablebowel.Heshowedsignsofsevereglutenintoleranceandthroughtheeliminationdiethewasabletocorrectthisproblem.WesupplementedhisdietwithhealingherbalteasandstrongdosesofvitaminDandOmega3oilswhileremovingallotheroffendingoils.Bycorrectingthedigestiveproblem,theinflammationcalmedresultinginshiftsinhisoverallhealthincludingchangestoskinandfeet.

Sincesurgery,wehavecontinuedtoapplyacombinationofstrategiesforhishealingyetanewsuspiciousspothasmanifestedinthesameareaofwherethecancerwascutout.Thisisunderobservationandoncetheskinhasfullyhealedandformed,thespotwillbesprayed,aswasdonewithanother(precancerous)spotontheoppositesideoftheface.ThiswillbedoneinMayof2021.Inthemeantime,IamturningtoadditionalmodalitiestoexperimentwithMarkus’shealth.IhavecompletedanintroductiontofacialtherapycoursewithLoneSorensenandhavesincebeenusingJojoba+LavenderoilsmixedathomeandcombinedwithDienChantoolsandtechniques.Thisseemstobehelping.Withacombinedstrategyofscarandfaceprotectionwitheithergaitersandor50spf+sunscreen,oilirrigationandDienChan1-2timesaweek,theexpertsurgeoncommentedhowamazedhewaswiththerecoveryofhisfaceandthatat3monthspostsurgery,Markuswassurpassing6monthsrecovery.Withearreflexology,itismygoaltotargetbothhisskinandhisdigestivesystemsasMarkushasrunintodigestivesituationsalthoughonceinawhile.Priortothecourse,IwasusingbasicknowledgeandacharttoinstinctivelytargetthelungpointondorsalsideofMarkus’sear.Now,withnewknowledge,Icanmoreeffectivelytargetamultitudeofpointsforhishealingandpainmanagement.Pre-course,westartedwithoneearseedtothedorsalaspectoftheearwhereheexpressedlong-termtendernessonthelungpointoftherightear.Afterapplyingtheseed,thetendernessdissipatedafewdayslater.Weremovedtheearseedforafewdaysandreapplied.Iwillobserveandtargetthisareaasit’sconnectedtotheskin.Session1–Sunday,Sept27,2020(StomachandLung)Ibeganwiththeearroutinesasperthevideos.MarkusindicatedtendernesswhileIwasworkingontheConchaarea.Aftercompletingtheroutines,Iprobedtheearsandthenaddedafreshseedtothelungreflexonthedorsalsideoftheleftear,whichwaslesstenderthistimearound.Iaddedanearseedtothestomachreflexintherightearwhereheexperiencedtendernessandvoiceditduringthemassageroutine.Hestatedthatthestomachreflextendernesswasat3.5/5andthelungreflexontherightearwas4/5.Hehadbeendealingwithanupsetstomachovertheweekend.WewillleavetheseinuntillaterintheweekbeforeremovingforafewdaysbeforethenextsessiononSunday.

Photos:LungearseedforlungreflexonbothearsandstomachreflexinrightearSession2–Sunday,October4,2020(VagusNerve)Aftercompletinganearsequence,IprobedtheeartodiscoverthatMarkusisexperiencingtendernesstothevagusnervereflexonthedorsalsidetotherightear.Heclaimsit’sa5/5forpain.Itseemsthatthetendernesshasshiftedfromthelungreflex.Thelungreflextendernessresolvedafter4daysofearseedinglastweekandthestomachreflexresolvedafter3days.Hisstomachissuesresolvedthedayaftertreatment.Duringtoday’ssession,IplacedanearseedontherightvagusnervereflexandtheShenMenoftherightear(notshownhere)tohelpsupportthefunctionofthevagusnervereflexearseed.

ThevagusnervebringscalmingtotheparasympatheticsystemandthisreflexcouldusesomeattentionbasedonrecentstressorsinMarkus’slife.Byplacingaseedonthisreflex,Iamhopingthenervewillclearanyimbalancesandbecausethereisn’tanythingphysicallybotheringMarkusatthistime,Iamsuspectingstressorsfromlastweek,relatingtoatraumaticvisittothedermatologist.Fromanauriculartherapeuticstandpoint,“theautonomicvagusnerveinnervatesthoracicandabdominalvisceralorgansandalsosuppliesthecentralregionoftheauricleassociatedwithinternalorgans.”(Oleson,1996,p.82).Thevagusnervecalmsthecentralnervoussystemandiscalledthe‘wanderingnerve’asit’sthelongestnerveinthehumanbodytravelingfromthebaseofthebrainuptotheearsanddowntomanyorgansanddowntothelowerintestines.Ihavenowfallendownavortexofreadingaboutthevagusnerveandwhatthereferralpainintheearcouldmean.

Photos:VagusnerveearseedrighteardorsalsideandShenMeninbothearsSession3–Sunday,October11,2020(StomachandLung)Aftercompletingtheearsequence,Markusreportedtwosensitivespotspersistingwithinhisears;thestomachreflexintherightearandthelungreflexonthedorsalsideoftheleftearandstatedtheywerebotharound3.5/5forthepainlevel.IplacedearseedsonthestomachandlungreflexesinadditiontotheShenMenreflexesinbothears.Liketwoweeksago,Markuswasdealingwithsomedigestiveissues,whichmayexplainthetenderreflexarea.Thegoodnewsisthatthevagusnervereflexwasnolongertender.Thetendernessvanishedcompletelyabout4-5daysafterthelasttreatmentandhasn’tbeensoresince.

Photos:Earseedsforstomachreflexinrightear,lungreflexdorsalleftside,ShenMeninbothearsUpdate(nosession)–Sunday,October18,2020(NoIssues)Thedayafterthelasttreatment,Markuswasfreefromdigestiveproblems.MarkusremovedtheseedsfromthestomachandlungreflexesontheThursdayfollowingthetreatmentandreportedthattherewerenotenderareasremaining.NosessiontookplacethisweekendbutMarkuswasnotcomplainingofanyeartendernessordigestiveissuesthisweekandwehavedecidedtotakeaweekofftoseehowheprogresses.Session4–Sunday,October25,2020(NoIssuesFound)Thisweekendwereturnedtocompleteafullearmassagesession.Iwascurioustoseeifanyofthetenderareashadreturned.Afterthesession,Iinspectedhisearstodetectanytenderareas;wedidn’tfindany.Markushasnotdealtwithanydigestiveissuessincetwoweeksagoafterbeingtreatedwiththestomachreflexearseed.Thisisgoodnewsallaround.ConclusionIthinkthisisagoodtimetoconcludethiscasestudyasMarkushasbeenfreeofpaininhisearsandhasn’thadanyadditionalhealthproblems.IwouldliketohighlightthatMarkusexpressedfeelingpainbehindhisearforalongperiodoftimebuthadnotdisclosedittomeuntiljustbeforestartingthiscourse.Sincereceivingtheearreflexologytreatments,thispainhasdisappeared.Althoughitreturnedforatimeafter,itwaslesspainful,shortlivedandnowhasdisappearedforalongerperiodoftime.Iwillbedoingperiodictreatmentsonhimtocheckfortheseoranyothertenderreflexareas.IcanconcludethatthiscasestudywasasuccessandIlearnedspecificconnectionsbetweenthetenderreflexes(stomach,lung,vagus)andthebody.Goingforward,mylearningwillcomefromexploringnewtenderreflexes,whattheirconnectionstothebodywillmeanandhowtheywillresolve.ReferencesOleson,T.(1996).AuriculotherapyManual.ChineseandWesternSystemsofEar

Acupuncture.ChurchillLivingstoneElsevier