Acupuncture is one of the better known traditional Chinese medicine techniques, and some of it tools like Gua Sha have become more popular of late. You may or may not have heard of auricular therapy however.
This practice consists in stimulating points on the ear with needles, laser, acupressure, seeds or beads. This practice, already used in traditional Chinese medicine, was further developed in the 1950s by French physician Paul Nogier.
Auriculotherapy focuses on the ear to influence other parts of the body. Your ear has hundreds of pressure points that correspond to different areas of the mind and body. Stimulating some of those points sends signals to your brain to promote balance in that specific part of your body.
How do dot·on ear seeds work?
The dot·on seeds are placed in the ear with a small transparent sticker. They are non invasive, do not penetrate the skin and you can apply them yourself at home thanks to the protocols developed by our Co-Founder and Head of Product, Carole Dumenil, acupuncturist for over 20 years.
The dot·on seeds can remain in the ear for 5-7 days, and you can stimulate on each of the points at any given moment by simply applying some additional pressure with your fingertips.
Depending on the protocol used (e.g. stress, pain), these miniature acupressure devices will be placed in different parts of your ear. When buying a dot·on Starter Kit, you will receive access to our user guide with detailed instructions on how to apply them and location charts so you know exactly where to place them for a series of common conditions.
Once you have applied the dot·on ear seeds to the prescribed points on your ear, gently massage the seeds any time you remember, to continue stimulating the acupressure points. You are the greatest expert on your body and will know when you most need the little extra flow.
The ear seeds are for single use and we recommend using them for 5-7 days in a row. The transparent medical sticker will slowly lose its stickiness so the beads may fall off on their own over time, especially if they are placed on an area with greater friction. After 7 days, we recommend removing and discarding them. You can re-apply a new set on those points after allowing for a day´s rest period.
How does acupressure work?
According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, our body contains pathways called meridians that allow energy (Qi) to flow throughout the body. Due to influences such as stress, trauma or illness, our Qi can become stagnant, blocked or deficient. When Qi is affected, it is believed that any organ along that pathway will be affected, causing symptoms such as pain, anxiety, sleep issues, digestive problems, among others.
Depending on your symptoms, and findings from physical examination, an acupuncturist would use points on meridians associated to specific organs and functions using needles to help return the body to balance. Similar to reflexology, where the foot is a microcosm for the body, auriculotherapy maps your body's organ system to your outer ear, identifying where the energy pathways from each part of your body pass through the ear.
For example:
Located at the top of the ear, Shen Men, or "Spirit Gate", because of its analgesic and sedative action, is one of the main points for most pain conditions as well as mental/emotional problems, such as anxiety and insomnia.
Some of the most common conditions auriculotherapy is used for:
Weight Loss
Anxiety
Insomnia
Digestive problems such as bloating
Immunity
Pain
Rooted in the principles of the ancient healing system of traditional Chinese medicine, dot·ons are an easy, needle-free way to help restore well-being.
Check out our Shop and choose your dot·on Starter Kit today.