Did you know that there are 200 acupuncture points in your ear alone?! Your ear is actually a microcosm of the body as a whole, which means that you can access every part of your body simply by treating the ear. (Other microcosms of the body include the hand, the foot and the abdomen).
Ear seeds are often offered as a complement to acupuncture and other traditional Chinese medicine treatments to provide lasting effects post-treatment and they are a useful tool that you can use at home.
What Are Ear Seeds and How Do They Work?
Ear seeds are tiny metal, or sometimes gold-plated, pellets that don’t pierce the skin but adhere to the ear with tape and exert a therapeutic effect on the body by stimulating the points situated in your ear. Ear seeds provide a continuous stimulation, which can be enhanced by pressing on the seed throughout the day.
What Can Ear Seeds Help With?
Ear seeds can exert many therapeutic benefits, depending on the acupressure point you select. They have been shown to ease anxiety and depression, assist with sleep, migraines, back pain and also help with sugar cravings.
Popular ear acupressure points to ease anxiety and sleep include Shen Men and the acupressure points for the Heart and the Liver as shown on the ear chart.
Where and How Do You Place the Ear Seeds?
Clean the ear with an alcohol swab and simply remove the ear seed off the paper. Then, using tweezers, place it on the ear on the targeted point and smooth down the sticker. For maximum benefits, place them in both ears and massage the points two to three times a day.
Ear seeds may fall off on their own or you can remove them after five days. Remove the ear seed if it starts to cause irritation or discomfort. They do not hurt, but you can feel a sensation, especially when massaging or applying additional pressure to the point.
There are DIY kits available that come with guides to commonly used acupressure points. An experienced practitioner can also help with the exact location for your ear seeds and offer additional support for the management of your condition.
Perhaps you will be lucky enough to received some ear seeds in your stocking this holiday season, and can start reaping the benefits of ear acupressure!
Renee Boyd