It is common to see people have multiple piercings in their ears these days, but what about those tiny little dots you might see stuck to someone’s ear? Ear seeds are all the rage these days, and boast a litany of health benefits.
Originating from the world of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), ear seeds are a form of acupressure, which targets acupuncture points in your ear without using needles. They have gained popularity recently, with influencers and celebrities alike turning to them for a quick pick-me-up between events.
If needles make you squeamish, ear seeds might be an easy alternative to acupuncture. But how do ear seeds work, and are they really all that effective?
The Origins of Ear Seeds
In the practice of TCM, your health is tied to the flow of qi (energy) in your body. This energy travels along invisible pathways known as meridians that run through your body, including your ears. Placing ear seeds on certain points of the ears can help to clear any blockages in energy. This, in turn, helps to resolve a wide range of health conditions.
Ear seeds target the acupressure points in the ear to stimulate other parts of the body, as part of a practice known as auriculotherapy. This is an alternative to acupuncture, and can help to treat conditions like chronic pain, insomnia, stress, and weight loss.
The ears are believed to reflect the condition of the internal organs, and will exhibit changes depending on their corresponding concern within the body. As such, a TCM practitioner may use them as a guide to determine where to place the seeds to help their patient.
Ear seeds are traditionally made from a herb called vaccaria. These days, they are made out of ceramic or metal materials like stainless steel.
How to Apply Ear Seeds
A practitioner will clean your ear with an alcohol swab before placing the seeds on the outer portion of your ear. The placement of the seeds may depend on the condition you wish to treat. These seeds are adhered using waterproof tape, and usually stay on your ears for about a week.
Once placed, you should massage them a few times a day to stimulate the pressure points of the ears.
After a few days, they may lose their stickiness. If this happens, make sure to remove them and reapply as needed.
The Potential Benefits of Ear Seeds
The use of ear seeds as a form of auriculotherapy can allegedly provide a variety of health benefits. Some of the conditions that can be treated are:
- Chronic pain
- Insomnia
- Weight loss
- Anxiety
However, there are very few studies that have successfully proven these claims. Many of these studies are limited by a small sample size with a lack of adequate controls. Of the few high quality studies that do exist, it has been found that ear seeds are beneficial for certain conditions.
Lower Back Pain
One study carried out in 2023 found that ear seeds helped to reduce back pain in participants following spinal surgery. Researchers also noticed the additional benefits of improved neuropathy and sleep quality after 5 weeks.
The researchers concluded that ear seeds were a safe and noninvasive treatment option for chronic pain. However, further studies would be required to fully assess their use as a form of pain management.
Weight Loss
Another study done in 2019 found that ear seeds were helpful in reducing obesity in adolescents.
However, the researchers noted that more investigation into the use of ear seeds as a form of weight loss treatment across other age groups was still needed.
Chronic Pain
A 2021 study found that ear seeds were effective in reducing chronic pain when used together with other forms of pain interventions. The study suggests that the use of vaccaria seeds, along with alternating the placement of the seeds in one ear or the other, as well as changing the seeds out daily, were helpful in the management of chronic pain.
So, Do Ear Seeds Actually Work?
Before you head down to your local TCM to experience it for yourself, we have to answer the million dollar question: Do ear seeds provide actual health benefits?
The short answer? No. The long answer? It is still too early to tell if they are a viable form of medical treatment.
While they are a noninvasive and cost-effective approach to traditional acupuncture and acupressure treatment, the scientific evidence supporting ear seeds is still very limited. Some studies have found that they do help to treat certain conditions. However, many of them also acknowledge that more research is needed to fully investigate the benefits and side effects.
Fortunately, ear seeds come with low risks, so it might be worth giving them a shot anyway. For those with skin sensitivities, you may experience some irritation with the material used for the seeds, or with the adhesive tape itself. In some cases, you may also experience some dizziness and nausea while using them. When that happens, make sure to avoid driving or operating heavy machinery until the feeling stops.
