Ear-pressing is a kind of non-operation therapy for treating cholelithiasis. It has been developed in recent years. This paper summarized the application of ear-pressing to cholelithiasis in terms of point's selection, method, effect and clinical application, etc. It emphasizes the common ear-pressing methods in treating cholelithiasis in clinic at present. These methods are grouped as follows: (l) Simple ear-Pressing therapy; (2) Magnetic therapy on ear-points; (3) electroacupuncture on ear-points; (4) Catgut embedding on ear-points; (5) Combined treatment, and this item can be even categorized as:a) Ear-pressing in combination with Chinese medicine;b)Ear-pressing in combination with body acupuncture;c)Ear-pressing in combination with electric curative appratus, etc.

It is considered that ear-pressing therapy is possessed of such advantages as being simple for usage, extensive indication, causing no pain, inducing no side effect and producing high lithegogue rate, etc. The combined treatment, in which ear-pressing is the principal method, especially indicates a broad prospect. With the constant progress in ear-Pressing experiments and clinical research, the application of ear-pressing to cholelithiasis will obtain further development and relieve numerous patients of their illness.

By Zhou Bin & Tong Sheyun