Interested in decreasing anxiety and curbing those pesky sugar and chip cravings?
How about experiencing fewer migraines, lowering inflammation and deeper, more restful sleep?
Auriculotherapy, also commonly referred to as Ear Seeding, is the stimulation of specific points on the ear, using silver, or gold beads, (or vaccaria seeds), in order to have a therapeutic effect elsewhere in the body.
Discovered by a French neurologist and physician, Dr. Paul Noiger established that the ear is covered in nerve endings believed to be a microsystem, or map, of the entire body and suggested we can learn a great deal about the state of our health by examining the ears.
There are over 200 points on the ear that are used in Auriculotherapy, associated with different organs and systems within the body, including common health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, pain, insomnia, inflammation, addiction, food cravings, ptsd, etc.
If you have heard of acupuncture, or known someone who swore it helped reduce their back pain, or anxiety, then think of Auriculotherapy as a less invasive but similar holistic healing modality.
Although commonly used interchangeably, Auriculotherapy and Ear Reflexology are similar, but not the same.
Many acupuncturists practice, “Ear reflexology” which is essentially “acupuncture” of the ear, based on points accepted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). During an acupuncture treatment, tiny needles are inserted into specific points on the ear with the understanding that there are “energetic correspondences” between these specific areas and parts of the body.
Auriculotherapy acknowledges the Traditional Chinese Medicine map of the ear but with variations. Though the earliest Chinese book, (dating back to sometime between 770 and 221 BC) describes the connections between the external ear and certain aspects of our health, it was Dr. Noiger who published a text and detailed map of the ear in 1947, claiming that the ear was actually an inverted fetus, where all points corresponding to the head and face are located on the ear lobe and various organs and systems in the body work their way up the ear, representing the spine, buttocks, feet, etc.
Dr. Noiger also confirmed what was already believed in TCM, that one can “read” the ear, like a map and uncover health concerns, by observing lines, veins, color, indentations and even the heat of the ear.
If you are rolling your eyes, be aware that I was right there with you until I tried ear seeds myself, over two years ago. The first time around, I could not tell if it was a placebo effect, or actually working, but I felt noticeably calmer and had little desire to reach for snacks I had been feeling a bit too addicted to.
Flash forward to one hundred hours later and I became certified in this healing modality, three months after my 4th session.
Auriculotherapy is most commonly referred to as “ear seeding” and gained popularity during pandemic across social media channels, with claims that it could help with a number of ailments, most commonly, anxiety.
Ear seed sessions take anywhere between 15-30 minutes. In my practice, I use 24K gold “ear seeds” on latex-free, clear medical tape to create an acupressure point. Although there are over 200 points on the ear, I like to focus on three-four conditions, usually using about 20 gold “ear seeds” total.
Some patients experience a mild calming, or “buzzing” feeling upon application of ear seeds and may experience relief immediately, where other patients may require multiple sessions, over a period of weeks.
You can also buy ear seed kits yourself with detailed instructions, though hitting the right point on your own ear proves more challenging than it looks.
Ear seeds are not a magic pill but they are a healing modality that can offer relief.
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