Ear seeds are tiny pellets placed on specific acupuncture points on your ears using a small adhesive. They provide gentle, continuous acupressure for several days after your appointment, helping extend the effects of your treatment between visits.

Long before tiny metal and crystal ear seeds became popular, practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine used the seeds of the vaccaria plant (Wang Bu Liu Xing). These small seeds were taped to specific acupuncture points on the ear, allowing patients to gently press them throughout the day and continue stimulating those points between treatments.

Today, practitioners may use vaccaria seeds, stainless steel beads, gold-plated beads, or crystal ear seeds but the purpose remains the same.

Your ears contain hundreds of nerve endings that communicate directly with your brain and nervous system. Gentle stimulation of specific ear points can influence your body's stress response, pain perception, digestion, sleep, mood, and hormone regulation. You can also press on your ear seeds throughout the day for an extra boost of stimulation when needed.

If you've ever been to our office, you've probably noticed the giant ear chart on the wall! The ear contains more than 200 recognized acupuncture points, with areas that correspond to different organs, glands, bones, joints, muscles, and regions of the body.

We don't place the same ear seeds on everyone. Instead, we choose points based on:

• Your symptoms

• Your health history

• Your treatment goals

• Your acupuncture diagnosis

Sometimes we use ear seeds to extend the effects of your acupuncture treatment between visits, while other times they're used as a simple standalone therapy for extra support.

Ear seeds are commonly used to support:

• Stress and anxiety

• Sleep

• Pain and muscle tension

• Digestive concerns

• Cravings and appetite regulation

• Emotional wellbeing

• Nervous system regulation

They are often used alongside acupuncture as part of a personalized treatment plan.

Yes! While they're commonly called ear seeds, we also frequently use these tiny adhesive beads on body acupuncture points as a form of gentle acupressure.

This is often a great option for patients with very sensitive ears or when a body acupuncture point is better suited to their treatment goals. It provides gentle, continuous stimulation between visits without needles.

Ear acupuncture provides a stronger, more immediate treatment using tiny sterile needles while you're in the office.

Ear seeds offer gentle, ongoing stimulation for several days after your visit, helping support your treatment between appointments.

Most ear seeds remain in place for 3–5 days, depending on your skin and daily activities. You can shower and go about your normal routine while wearing them. If you notice irritation, discomfort, or they begin to peel off, simply remove them.

Most research has focused on ear acupuncture, which has shown promising results for certain conditions, particularly pain and nausea. Ear seeds (also called auricular acupressure) have also been studied and show encouraging results for concerns like pain, stress, anxiety, and sleep, but more high-quality research is still needed.

You can yes! Gently press each ear seed for 10–30 seconds, several times throughout the day, especially when you're experiencing symptoms such as stress, cravings, pain, or anxiety. You may notice a mild tenderness when pressing, that's completely normal. Avoid excessive pressure or repeatedly irritating the skin.