THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2022 EAR SEEDING

 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2022, EAR SEEDING

I came upon this concept and was a bit bewildered.  

(mostly from: Ear Seeds: Benefits, How to Use, Evidence, and Safety (healthline.com))

The article states: “Ear seeds are small seeds used to stimulate pressure points in your ear. They’re a type of auriculotherapy, which refers to acupressure or acupuncture focused on the ear.

“They’re based on the same general principles as acupuncture. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), your health depends on the flow of qi (energy) in your body.

“According to TCM, this energy travels along invisible pathways, known as meridians. Meridians are found throughout your body, including your ears.

“Ear seeds are placed on certain points, usually along meridian lines, to help clear up any qi blockages. In TCM, resolving these blockages may help with a variety of health conditions.

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Okay - I’ve heard of acupuncture, and I know of a friend (singular - one) who has tried it and is “okay” (that is - mostly ‘so so’) with the concept.  

So along comes ear seeds - that stimulate points on your ear to give you more energy.  It does sound like TCM - Traditional Chinese Medicine.  Sometimes I have been smug - a worldly scientific westerner.  Who needs TCM when we have pharmaceutical companies that have studied all the properties of all kinds of compounds?  Then we have the human genome and mapped the combinations of DNA with a pretty complete understanding.  

The article I’m using suggests:

People claim ear seeds help with a range of health issues, including:

chronic pain, especially lower back pain

insomnia and other sleep issues

depression

anxiety

stress

infertility

migraine and other head pain

addiction

weight loss

I don’t like the statement “people claim … help”.  I can imagine that some of my former students could “claim” that drinking three beers on the night before one of my tests helped them to relax and focus (that is, overcome stress).  I know of people who swear that marijuana helps them to relax and cope with life and that CBD (Cannabidiol) - where the THC concentration is less than 0.3% - can reduce anxiety, depression, and insomnia.  

I do believe strongly in “Mind over matter”.  Various philosophies and religions have professed mind over matter as one of their principles.  If you believe that acupuncture heals you and makes you feel better - great!!!

If you believe that ear seeds at precise points can also help reduce stress and depression - great!!!

If you believe that CBD can help you overcome other illnesses - great!!!

The article I am using noted this:

“However, the few that do exist suggest ear seeds may be beneficial for certain conditions, especially when used alongside other treatments. More research is needed to fully explore the benefits and side effects, though.”

More research is needed!!!

Another comment: “However, the authors <of a study of ear seeds and insomnia> noted several flaws in studies they analyzed, including small sample sizes, low-quality study models, and potential biases.”

*****

Can ear seeds help?  My personal bias is “yes” - assuming that the patient believes that the ear seeds will help.

Maybe someday we’ll have a perfect analysis of health issues.  Maybe someday, I can put my finger into a device that will spit out all data relating to my health and can exactly prescribe solutions.  

Maybe I’m a cynic and think that I am aging, I have not always been the best steward of my body and haven’t always done things that are healthy (like too much sugar).  I’m going to die someday.  Maybe they were right when they said “that person died of old age!!!

But, until we get such a perfect analysis, more research is needed.  And for the time being, I will not be using ear seeds!!!  (Besides, I already have earrings!!!)

LOVE WINS!!

Karen White, September 1, 2022, ©