Bling your way to BETTER HEALTH

Could a few pretty gemstones be the key to wellness?

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love splashing out on a little bit of jewellery? From fine gems to the cheap and chic, there’s just something about sparkly trinkets that can lift any mood. But did you know there’s a kind of therapy that uses tiny pieces of bling (otherwise known as ear seeds) to heal through acupressure? It’s known as auriculotherapy and practitioners use it to treat everything from stress and insomnia to tooth grinding and weight loss. Reflexologist Lucy Stride from lucyflex.com explains …

WHAT ARE EAR SEEDS?

Ear seeds are tiny pellets placed on various acupressure points on your ear to treat pain and disharmony in the body. The treatment, known as auriculotherpay, traditionally uses real seeds from the vaccaria plant, which are placed on tiny squares of adhesive tape.

But Stride says you can also find ear seeds made from gold pellets or, increasingly, tiny Swarovski crystals that are cleverly disguised to look like jewellery.

“They’re used as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with other complementary healing systems such as acupuncture or reflexology,” Stride explains. “By remaining in place for a week or so, until they fall off, the ear seeds will gently exert a consistent pressure on the points and extend the benefits of the initial treatment beyond the massage table.”

HOW DO THEY WORK?

According to traditional acupressure, our ears contain a road map of pressure points that can be used to treat our whole body. “Our ears start to form about four weeks after conception, and are incredibly rich in nerve endings,” Stride explains. “Think of them as being like a dashboard. Just as foot reflexology has points that each correspond to a different part of the body, so it is with ear reflexology. The ear is literally a mini version of your whole body.”

ARE THEY SAFE?

Ear seeds are safe, and because they don’t pierce the skin, they’re a suitable, noninvasive acupressure alternative for people who are afraid of needles. “Some ear seed adhesives contain latex, though, so that may be a consideration,” Stride says.

While consulting a professional therapist can be beneficial, there are ear seed kits you can buy to try at home.

“Earseeds.com sell a whole range of ear seeds, including their own genuine Swarovski crystal range, as well as auriculotherapy kits for specific conditions,” Stride says. “You can also order them from Acuneeds.com, and some clinics sell kits directly to their clients.”