Benefits of Trying Ear Seeds, acupuncture or TCM
Traditional Chinese Medicine, including Chinese herbs and acupuncture, is one of the most-studied alternative forms of medicine in the world.
This includes auricular acupuncture and ear seeding, which have demonstrated potential benefits numerous ailments, such as: including anxiety/depression, stress, headaches, digestion, immunity, and focus.
Below you will find different studies:
Anxiety:
An April 2015 study in Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that auricular acupressure significantly improved mental health, body pain, and quality of life in 150 hypertensive patients over 10 weeks, compared to a control group receiving regular care.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965229915000060?via%3Dihub
In a small study involving 44 college students with anxiety and temporomandibular disorders (TMD), auriculotherapy with mustard seeds applied to specific points, including Shen Men and TMJ points, significantly reduced anxiety and pain after 10 sessions, compared to a sham auriculotherapy group.
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2015/430143/#results
More information about NADA-points and its benefits and usage in the danish psychiatric facilities in danish on following link:
www.nada.ada.rm.dk
Pain:
In a June 2015 study in Pain Management Nursing, auricular acupressure with vaccaria seeds was administered to 50 cancer patients for seven days, resulting in a more than 50% reduction in reported pain intensity. This led to a decreased need for pain medication.
https://www.painmanagementnursing.org/article/S1524-9042(14)00136-2/fulltext
An October 2017 review in Medical Acupuncture, analyzing four randomized controlled trials, affirmed that ear acupuncture significantly reduces pain. The review suggested the potential use of ear acupuncture for pain management in emergency settings, though more research is needed to determine its impact on pain medication usage. Another systematic review indicated ear acupuncture as a promising treatment for rapid pain relief.
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acu.2017.1237
A 2013 study involving 19 individuals with chronic low back pain found that ear seeds, placed on points associated with low back pain, led to a 75% decrease in pain intensity after four weeks of treatment. This improvement lasted for at least a month.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3603381/
In 2012, a study revealed that ear seeds dramatically reduced back pain severity by 50% for chronic lower back pain sufferers.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3395299/
A 2017 study on the effect of auricular acupressure on women in labor concluded that those treated with auriculotherapy experienced higher pain control and shorter labor duration.
Insomnia:
In 2015, a review of 15 studies suggested that auricular acupuncture with ear seeds may reduce insomnia symptoms, especially combined with acupuncture.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4425871/
In 2019, studies from the University of Leeds found that stimulating an area of the outer ear for 15 minutes daily for two weeks improved sleep, mood, and autonomic balance, reducing the "fight or flight" response compared to a placebo group.
https://www.aging-us.com/article/102074/text
IBS:
In 2019, a study explored the impact of auricular acupressure on women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The experimental group experienced a reduction in loose stools, abdominal pain, diarrhea, stress, and heart rate variability over a four-week period.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32251223/
In 2014, a study focused on the effects of ear seeds on constipation, concluding that ear seeds had a significant, moderate effect in relieving constipation.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4129665/
Hormonal issues:
In 2012, research demonstrated the efficacy of auriculotherapy as a treatment for women aged 18-35 with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25878694/
Depression and anxiety:
In 2014, a study examined the impact of ear acupressure and massage on dementia symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and pain. The findings revealed that ear acupressure effectively reduced depression, anxiety, and pain.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25322869/
A danish article: In this randomized, controlled study of acupuncture and counseling for patients with depression in general practice showed that both interventions were associated with a significantly reduced level of depression after three months compared to usual treatment.
http://nada-danmark.dk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Sgpl-1998-1-del.pdf