Auriculotherapy: scientific evidence about its effectiveness in cases of anxiety and depression

Abstract

Objective: To synthesize scientific knowledge about the effectiveness of auriculotherapy in cases of anxiety and depression. Methods: This is an Integrative Literature Review, seeking to answer the following guiding question: "what is the scientific evidence on the use of auriculotherapy in the treatment of anxiety and depression". Inclusion criteria included articles published between 2006 and 2021, original, in full, available in Portuguese, English and Spanish, and that covered the central theme of the study, and exclusion criteria were secondary publications. MEDLINE/Pubmed and LILACS were used as electronic databases, with the descriptors "Auriculoterapia"; "Acupuntura Auricular"; "Ansiedade"; "Depressão" and the corresponding ones in English. Results: The final sample of this review was composed of six studies, that after the systematization of the selected studies, two thematic categories were raised, "The insertion of auriculotherapy as a therapeutic resource in health services" and "Auriculotherapy as a tool for integral patient care". The results of the studies showed significant statistical data on depression and anxiety in different subjects and scenarios. Final considerations: The application of auriculotherapy as a therapeutic intervention in patients with depression and anxiety proved to be effective, efficient, and safe.