Have you heard about ear seeding?

Sticking tiny seeds to your ears for wellbeing might sound a bit mumbo-jumbo to the uninitiated, but that’s exactly what this alternative therapy involves.

Ear seeding has gained momentum in recent years, backed by celebrity advocates including Penelope Cruz, Kate Moss and Gwyneth Paltrow.

And if the starry clientele doesn’t convince you, preliminary research indicates ear seeding might help reduce anxiety, aid sleep and minimise pain.

So how does it work? It’s a form of auriculotherapy, based on the idea that specific points on the ear relate to different parts of the body.

Similar to acupuncture and acupressure, its principles are rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, which teaches that health depends on the flow of qi (energy) in the body.

It’s said this energy travels along invisible pathways called meridians, and that by applying pressure to specific points along them we can clear any blockages of qi that might be detrimental to our health.

What’s involved?

Just like needles are applied to targeted sites on the body in acupuncture, seeds are fixed to specific points (known as acupoints) on the outer ear in the hope of treating particular health concerns.

So if you have trouble sleeping, a seed might be applied to the shen men – a point on the thick bit of cartilage below the top curve of your ear believed to promote healthy sleep.

Traditionally, seeds from the Vaccaria hispanica plant are used in the practice, but tiny ceramic or surgical steel beads might also be used for a similar effect.

And if you want to go all-out and match your ear seeds to your jewellery, some high-end clinics offer silver, gold and coloured crystal versions. While DIY ear seeding kits with their own guides are available online, you might want to see a trained acupuncturist first.

They will be able to discuss your symptoms and fix the seeds to the corresponding acupoints on your ear. You’ll either be instructed to remove the seeds yourself after a given time period, or they’ll fall away naturally.

What are the benefits?

Advocates believe ear seeding has the potential to treat a number of health concerns including depression, migraines and chronic pain, and might help with weight management and addiction issues.

While there is some anecdotal evidence to support various health claims, auriculotherapy hasn’t been researched extensively.

But preliminary research shows ear seeding might be beneficial for some health concerns, including insomnia, chronic pain and anxiety.

Insomnia: A 2015 review of 15 studies found ear seeding seemed to reduce symptoms of insomnia when combined with acupuncture. However, the review authors also noted flaws across the studies, including small sample sizes, low-quality models and potential biases. They advised more strictly designed clinical trials.

Lower back pain: A 2013 study investigated whether ear seeding might help treat chronic lower back pain (CLBP). One group had seeds fixed to acupoints on the ear corresponding to CLBP, while another had seeds attached to sham acupoints. After four weeks, the traditional ear seeding group showed a reduction in pain intensity compared to the sham group. But only 19 participants took part.

Anxiety: In one study, women in active labour were assigned auriculotherapy (with crystals attached to acupoints related to emotional wellbeing) to investigate its effects on anxiety. Two further groups were assigned either a sham treatment or routine care. At first, all three showed similar anxiety levels, but after two hours, the ear seeding group were rated as less anxious than the others.

This traditional therapy sounds strange but research suggests it might help ease a range of conditions, discovers Niamh Leonard-bedwell