Modern-day acupuncturists like me use silver, gold, or titanium pellets that are smaller, easier to apply, stay in place longer, and are less visible. They are quite discrete and comfortable.” How do ear seeds work? Located at the base of the antitragus wall is the Thalamus Point, best for targeting general pain. The Thalamus is your brain’s information relay station and is responsible for translating external events into internal experiences. Because it plays such a fundamental role in delivering messages to sensory organs, the Thalamus is the ideal starting point for targeting headaches.

https://www.naccho.org/uploads/card-images/public-health-preparedness/NM-Integrative-Wellness-MRC-Public-Health-Acupuncture-JITT.pdf This is really important, especially during the winter months. People, during the winter months, since it's colder, don't feel as much thirst, and they actually get more dehydrated than during the summer." Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.While experts agree that both at-home application and application by a medical professional may achieve results, there are some things to consider before you choose one or the other. The best way to make sure you’re using ear seeds safely is to talk to an acupuncturist before using them on your own. Ear seeds, also called ear pellets, are tiny balls made from the seeds of the vaccaria plant. Ear seeds are also available in magnetic, silver, and gold. The seeds are placed at specific points on your ear, each point corresponding to a certain body part.

Advocates of ear seeds state that there are several different pressure points in the ears, and each one connects to a different energy pathway. Although ear seeds are sold for use at home, Dr. Nguyen recommends first consulting with a licensed acupuncturist to make sure you’re putting them in the right place for your specific needs. When you’re new to ear acupressure, it’s easy to accidentally stimulate the wrong point, which will not have the desired effect. Don’t press down too hard, to the point that you hurt yourself,” Dr. Nguyen says, “but just enough that you can feel the stimulation.” 3. Remove them after three to five daysThis means that the regular use of vaccaria seeds could not only help treat your chronic migraine naturally, it could also reduce chronic inflammation throughout your entire body!

Lan Y, et al. (2015). Auricular acupuncture with seed or pellet attachments for primary insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. DOI: Most experts agree that the health risks of ear seeds applied by a licensed professional are minimal — and they may provide more benefits than at-home application.Kim notes that at-home ear seeds are unlikely to have any side effects or issues for most people. “The risks are minimal,” she says. “Theoretically, they may cause an abrasion or laceration if pressed too hard and too long, but that would be unusual.” Mafetoni, R. R., et al. (2018). Effectiveness of auriculotherapy on anxiety during labor: A randomized clinical trial. Although pressure points have long been used in acupuncture and sports massage alike to alleviate pain and tension, there's an untapped microsystem in the ear that consists of over 200 points waiting to be stimulated. “They're a type of auriculotherapy and the World Health Organisation has recognised 39 of these points for relieving pain, calming the mind and aiding certain symptoms,” Ooi says.

After cleaning your ear with an alcohol swab, a practitioner places the seeds on the outside portion of your ear. It doesn’t hurt, but you may feel some tenderness or warmth. Far from being a new wellbeing trend, ear seeding ( also known as auriculotherapy) originated from Traditional Chinese Medicine practices over 3000 years ago, eventually coming to the west in 1957 offering a host of health and wellness benefits. From stress relief to detoxing, it wasn't long before we saw these tiny dots crop up on the catwalk in the ears of Naomi and Kate, and they've grown in popularity ever since. First-time users of ear seeds or auriculotherapy should consult an acupuncturist to learn how to correctly place the ear seeds. These practitioners can help find the correct pressure points that may influence and treat their anxiety. The persistent nature of these headaches can give the impression that relief is permanently out of reach. It doesn’t help that medications often come with side effects that make problems worse or trigger new ones altogther. Kim also suggests limiting your seed application to between three and five seeds. “The locations may get muddled beyond that, and it also may become difficult to stimulate them,” she says.

The conclusion of this study revealed that “ Comprehensive auricular acupuncture reduces apparently the headache score for migraine without aura and relieves the clinical symptoms of migraine. It is a simple and effective therapy for migraine without aura.” (Translated from the original Chinese) Massage ear seeds gently. Do this two to three times each day or when you have symptoms. Apply pressure by rubbing the seeds with a circular motion for one to three minutes.