Now Trending: Ear Seeding

Woman massaging ear

Ear seeding is the latest wellness trend that consumers are flocking toward to rid them of their anxiety. While it may sound unpleasant, ear seeding is a form of auriculotherapy that is closely related to the concept of acupuncture. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)your health is directly related to your qi or the flow of energy in the body.1 Ear seeding using this general principle by placing small seeds on certain points to resolve any qi blockages.

Ear Seeding Basics  

Apart from relieving anxiety, ear seeds have also been shown to help with stress, migraine, insomnia, infertility, depression and more.1 "There are mapping systems located on several areas of the body with the ear being one of them that reflects the whole body and organ system,” explains Tsao-Lin E. Moy, an alternative and Chinese medicine specialist and founder of Integrative Healing Arts.2

When it comes to using these in your treatment room, ear seeds could be an add-on service to a reflexology, acupressure or acupuncture treatment. Also, consider offering ear seeds on top of other wellness treatments where you think they may be a good fit. Ear seeds can be a great retail product to provide your clients for use in between sessions to help ease their stress and anxiety. 

6 Steps to Ear Seeding 

The following steps for how to perform ear seeding is provided from Healthline.

  1. Clean and dry the outside of your ear. Do not apply any ear seeds in the ear canal.
  2. Identify the correct point. If you are having your clients take home an ear seeding kit for maintenance between their treatments, make sure to show them where they should be applying the ear seeds.  
  3. Use tweezers to apply the ear seed to the point on your ear.  
  4. 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. 
  5. Change them regularly. Ear seeds may fall off on their own after about three to five days. It’s not recommended to leave them on for more than five days, even if they’re still in place. 
  6. Remove them. To make sure seeds don’t fall into your ear canal, tilt your head so your ear faces the ground before taking them off. If a seed does fall into your ear and doesn’t come out, contact your health care provider as soon as possible. 

Note: The research on this topic is limited.

References

  1. https://www.healthline.com/health/ear-seeds#_noHeaderPrefixedContent
  2. https://www.health.com/mind-body/ear-seeds
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