Ear Seeds Chart: Where Exactly to Place Ear Seeds
If you’ve tried acupuncture, cupping, foot reflexology, dry needling or EFT tapping, perhaps you’d be interested in learning more about acupressure, a form of massage therapy involving similar traditional Chinese medicine teachings to acupuncture but without the use of needles.
Enter ear seeding.
This technique is based on ancient Chinese medicine principles, from thousands and thousands of years ago, which link acupressure points in the human ear to different organs and parts of the body. According to this holistic theory, stimulating a specific point in the ear provides relief to the related area, opening up paths for healing. Let’s see how they work, and learn a little more about this fantastic little-known technique!
What are ear seeds?
Ear seeds are tiny “seeds,” beads, gold or steel pellets, sticking to your ear with a bit of tape and a small amount of pressure. They’re very small, and could even look like minimalist jewellery! You can easily apply them at home, provided you know where to place them and clean your ear thoroughly before application. You’ll then leave them on for three to five days, and reapply every week or so depending on desired results and personal preference. You should wear them consistently, at least at first to start seeing results straight away, the same way you would when you pick up a new habit or start a new exercise practice!
How ear seeds work
Traditional Chinese medicine takes a holistic approach to healing and wellness, and considers the human body made up of many smaller ecosystems and microcosms all linked to each other in particular ways.
The meridian system links points in the ear to different energy channels throughout the body, but the same is true for points in the foot, points in the leg, and so on. According to this view, we have a lot more power than we realise when it comes to facilitating our own healing and our own wellness, because every part of the body is connected to all the others. In western medicine, an illness exists in a vacuum and needs to be looked at through a single lens, whereas Chinese medicine looks at the body as a whole and figures out what needs adjusting and what needs stimulating in order to promote overall health and wellness, not just that of a specific body part.
Fascinating, right?
When it comes to ear seeds, the theory goes, by simply placing these beads on specific acupoints (pressure points) we can send a message to our brains and stimulate healing in a different part of our body. This is called auriculotherapy, from the Latin word “auricula” which translates to the external ear.
Ear seed placement chart
Of course, proper placement is key, which is why we want to help you choose the best acupoint for your specific needs. An ear seed placement chart can help you determine where to put the beads to best achieve the results you’re aiming for, but don’t stress too much about it, as it’ll probably get easier the more you do it.
If you’re having ear seeds professionally applied by a practitioner, or at a wellness studio, then they’ll know what to do –but if you’ve bought a home kit and you’re placing the seeds yourself, read on!
You can apply multiple ear seeds at once, to balance two health goals and try different combinations. As you’re supposed to see results within just a few days, or weeks, it’s easy to switch them out and try a different combination after a few “rounds” with the same placement, and figure out what works best for you.
Benefits of using ear seeds
This ancient wellness tool has a long and traditional legacy stemming from Chinese medicine, and counts incredible benefits such as anxiety and stress relief, pain reduction, sleep problems, hormonal balance, digestion issues, headaches and migraines, muscle and stomach cramp relief, and so much more. Through entirely anecdotal evidence, I’ve noticed that they’re mostly used to relieve stress and anxiety, a common condition in our chaotic modern world, but ear seeding treatment is believed to increase neurotransmitter activity and alleviate a number of painful physical conditions, from muscle spasm to insomnia and even symptoms of PTSD. Studies are few and far between, but proponents of this method have seen results like improved mental state, reduced stress and anxiety, cessation of aching pains, and increased clarity, alertness, and general mood changes.
The takeaway
Of course, the more acute the condition, the more additional help you might need, which is also totally normal: ear seeding can often work well alongside traditional therapy, acupuncture, or any other healing method of your choice. The small beads can do the trick on their own, or provide a little “extra boost,” depending on the individual and the situation. But whichever the case, they’re affordable and require minimal effort, so they’re definitely worth a try!
