The Role of Auriculotherapy in Treating Anxiety Symptoms in Different Age Groups: A Comparative Study in Kerman, Iran

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of auriculotherapy in reducing anxiety symptoms in Kerman, Iran.Method and materials: A single-center, randomized controlled trial was conducted with participants randomly assigned to either the auriculotherapy intervention group or the control group (no intervention). The auriculotherapy protocol involved stimulating eight specific points on the external ear during multiple sessions. Anxiety levels were assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) at baseline and the end of the study.Results: The intervention group had a significantly higher proportion of participants with moderate to severe anxiety on the BAI at baseline compared to the control group. Over the course of treatment, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in anxiety severity (odds ratio = ۲.۱۳). The proportion of intervention participants in the normal range increased markedly, while those in the moderate and severe categories decreased. In contrast, anxiety levels remained stable or worsened slightly in the untreated control group.Conclusion: The findings suggest that auriculotherapy may become a promising non-pharmacological intervention for reducing anxiety symptoms in clinical populations. Further research with larger sample sizes and more rigorous methodologies is needed to establish auriculotherapy as an evidence-based treatment and identify optimal treatment parameters.

کلیدواژه ها:

Auriculotherapy ، anxiety ، complementary medicine