Immediate effects of auriculotherapy on exam anxiety in naturopathy medical students: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Exam anxiety is prevalent among students, particularly those in medical fields, and can lead to psychosomatic symptoms. Auriculotherapy, a minimally invasive treatment, may alleviate anxiety by stimulating the vagus and trigeminal nerves.Objectives: This randomized controlled trial aimed to assess the immediate effects of auriculotherapy on exam-related anxiety and physiological stress markers in students.Methods: We conducted a single-center, randomized controlled trial involving 60 first-year naturopathy medical students. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n=30), which received auriculotherapy at the Shenmen and Point Zero acupoints for three hours, or a control group (n=30), which did not receive any intervention. Anxiety levels were evaluated using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), in addition, blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were measured before and after the intervention.Results: The intervention group exhibited a significant reduction in HAM-A scores (13±8, 95% CI, p<0.007) and systolic BP (110±8, 95% CI, p<0.045) compared to the control group. Although diastolic BP showed a decreasing trend (p=0.068), no significant changes were observed in HR.Conclusion: Auriculotherapy effectively reduces exam anxiety and lowers blood pressure, indicating its potential role in enhancing parasympathetic activity. This intervention presents a simple, safe, and cost-effective strategy for managing exam-related stress among students.