In 2001, Niemtzow³ developed “battlefield acupuncture” (BFA), a form of auriculotherapy where a sequence of gold aiguille semipermanent needles (Sedatelec, Irigny, France) are placed at up to five specific sites in one or both ears. Battlefield acupuncture is purported to influence central nervous system pain processing through its effects on a somatotopic organization of the body represented in the auricle. It has been suggested that auricular therapies cause the release of β-endorphins to elicit short-term analgesia or anti-inflammatory cytokines for long-term effects.⁴ The BFA needles (more accurately described as tiny conical darts) pierce the ear in designated locations in a particular order (Figs. 1 and 2 show the technique and the locations of needle placement). They stay in place until they fall out typically within 3–4 days.²