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All about ear seeds and auriculotherapy

ear seeds

What are ear seeds?

Usually when I mention ear seeds to my patients for the first time, I get a surprised, “What did you say?” type of response. They’re not sure if they heard me correctly. Did I really just suggest putting a seed in their ear? I explain that what I am referring to is a small sphere placed on an acupuncture point on the surface of the ear that is held in place with adhesive tape. It works by exerting a gentle pressure on an acupuncture point. Ear seeds come in a variety of styles that I’ll cover a bit later in this blog.

 

Auriculotherapy and the anatomy of the human ear

Auriculotherapy is the process of stimulating acupuncture points on the ear. This involves acupuncture needles, electrical stimulation, or acupressure from the fingers or ear seeds.

 

A French Doctor named Paul Nogier popularized auriculotherapy in the 1950’s. Dr. Nogier was able to show how the external ear contains a microsystem of the human body by mapping the anatomy of an inverted fetus to the ear. Acupuncture points on the ear can actually treat different parts of the body. For example, the baby’s head corresponds to the ear lobe, the baby’s back goes up the outside of the ear, and the baby’s feet are mapped to the top of the ear. There are hundreds of points on the ear that correspond to different points on the body. These points connect to nerve endings in the ear that send a signal to the brain. The brain sends a message to the area of the body in need of  treatment.

 

What do ear seeds treat?

Because the ear contains a microcosm of the body, virtually any issue someone is facing can be supported with ear seeds. This includes conditions like pain, stress, trauma, addiction, and emotional issues. They are safe for anyone over the age of three. I frequently use ear seeds to support acupuncture treatments in my office. For example, if a patient is experiencing back pain or sciatica, I will apply ear seeds that correspond to the lower back and the sciatic nerve. If the patient has a headache, I will apply them to the part of the ear that corresponds to the location of their headache.

 

Kits and styles

Most ear seeds use a vaccaria seed as the “seed”. This is how ear seeds got their name – an actual seed is applied to the ear.  The vaccaria seed is a small black seed from the vaccaria plant. According to Chinese medicine, this plant has healing properties. The vaccaria seed is the perfect size, shape, and texture to stimulate an acupuncture point on the ear. Adhesive tape holds the seed to an acupuncture point on the ear. The adhesive tape that looks like a small square band-aid. This type of ear seed is shown in the picture at the top of this blog.

 

If people are allergic to latex or prefer a different look, stainless steel balls on clear adhesive tape can be used as well as gold-plated balls on clear adhesive tape. The gold-plated balls are also available with different embellishments on the adhesive, like Swarovski crystals. They are a fun option for someone who likes some sparkle in their ear.

 

Ear seeds also come in condition-specific kits. Often, I have patients who want to continue treatment while traveling and they love having everything they need in a simple kit. The kit contains the ear seeds, pictures that show exactly where to place the seeds, instructions, and tweezers for precise placement.

 

The kits that are the most popular with my patients include: Acne, Back Pain / Sciatica, Depression, Focus and Memory, Headaches and Migraines, Insomnia, Menopause, Post-Trauma (PTSD), Stop Smoking, Stress and Anxiety, and Weight Loss.

 

Why I love auriculotherapy and ear seeds

I love ear seeds so much that I decided to become a certified ear seeds practitioner. What’s fascinating to me is that I can often tell what is going on with a person just by looking at their ears. Red marks or veins signify acute conditions or inflammation, and white bumps typically reveal more chronic conditions. Recently during a treatment, I noticed that a patient’s ear was quite red near the insomnia point. When I asked about sleep, the patient was very surprised and shared they had forgotten to mention that they were experiencing insomnia. The ear can even show what stage of the menstrual cycle a woman is experiencing.

 

Ear seeds can really enhance an in-office acupuncture treatment. The patient leaves the office with ear seeds in their ears, and this supplements the therapy in between office treatments. Patients can choose to leave the ear seeds alone or give them a gentle squeeze whenever needed to further activate the point. Ear seeds give patients something to do, especially when they are applied to help with stress and anxiety. Patients wear them for up to 5 days to continue the benefits of the treatment.

 

Ear seeds can also be applied by patients at home, and they are perfect for Telemedicine patients. Entire treatments can be accomplished through ear seeds alone. They are a great option for people who are afraid of needles. They are affordable, very easy to use, and extremely effective.

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directions. Click this link for a listing and description of services offered.

Acupuncture during the COVID-19 pandemic

Acupuncture COVID-19

Acupuncture and important COVID-19 safety updates

This blog post shares how our acupuncture office visits have been updated to best serve you and your safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. In these challenging times, we know that now more than ever people are needing help easing their body, mind, spirit back into balance. We’re here for you!

 

We are thrilled to share that we are re-opening the HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine office in Lumina Station in a phase-in fashion in early June. Telehealth appointments are still available for those who prefer to continue treatment at home. Click this link to learn more about Telehealth appointments.

 

We are following the CDC, OSHA, and Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM) infection control requirements and advisories.

 

Appointments will be scheduled to allow for spacing, cleaning, and a comfortable healing environment.

 

New patients

We are pleased to welcome new patients to our practice. New patients can click this link to learn what an acupuncture treatment is like. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we will conduct the initial interview over the phone or through our HIPAA-compliant Telehealth platform, and then patients will come into the office for their treatment.

 

Acupuncture COVID-19 form

We have a new Acupuncture COVID-19 Informed Consent to Treat form. We will email the form to you through Docusign so you can review and sign it before your appointment.

 

Masks

Masks are required for everyone, and you must be wearing a face mask before you enter the treatment room. Ericca will be wearing a medical procedure mask. Patients are welcome to wear cloth or homemade masks.

 

Arriving for your appointment

Please arrive no earlier than 5 minutes before your scheduled appointment or wait in your car or outside until your appointment time. Anyone accompanying you will need to wait outside or in the car.

 

When you arrive, we will meet you at the door and take your temperature and provide you with hand sanitizer. There will be no waiting in the waiting room.

 

In the treatment room

When you enter the treatment room, you’ll place your personal belongings on a hook and / or shelf and go directly to the treatment table and sit or lie down.

 

The treatment table will continue to have sheets for you to lie on and to cover yourself. If you enjoy being cozy during your treatment, you are welcome to bring your own blanket.

 

EPA-approved disinfection

The treatment room is cleaned thoroughly between patients, with sheets changed and surfaces cleaned with an EPA-approved botanical disinfectant.

 

Medical-grade air filtration

We have upgraded our air purifier to a new medical-grade filtration H13 true HEPA system that removes 99.97% of particles down to 0.1 microns. For reference, the average size of the SARS CoV-2 particle which causes COVID-19 is about 0.125 microns.

 

Intake and treatment procedure updates

Ericca will sit 6 feet away from you during the intake and discuss how you’re doing and your treatment goals. The intake can also be done over the phone while you’re sitting in your car if you prefer.

 

We will send instructions on how to take a picture of your tongue with your cell phone prior to your appointment.

 

Ericca will be within 6 feet of you for a limited time when she feels your pulses and also during your acupuncture treatment.

 

Contactless payment

We will be using contactless payment and will ask for your credit card information when booking your appointment. Your card will not be charged until after your appointment. We will still accept checks, and if you prefer to pay with cash please bring exact change.

 

Important notes

We ask that you please reschedule your appointment if you have any sign of a respiratory disease such as fever or cough, or even a common cold. If you are unsure about whether to come in, please let us know and we can assess and decide together.

 

While we cannot provide a 100% risk-free guarantee, we hope that the procedures we have put in place that follow the CDC, OSHA and CCAOM requirements and guidelines will help you feel safe.

 

Thank you!

Supporting your health and well-being is our top priority and we are honored to be a part of your path. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you in the office or in a Telehealth session!

 

-Ericca

 

Have questions or want to schedule? Please and email me through our website or call or text 910-622-4269. I’d love to hear from you!

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. HAVEN now offers Telehealth in North Carolina. Click this link for contact information and directions. Click this link for a listing and description of services offered.

 

How to Stay Strong During COVID-19

Walking during COVID-19

COVID-19 from a Chinese medicine perspective

COVID-19 is a virus, and viruses are characterized in Chinese medicine as an external wind-cold disease. That means that the virus travels from outside the body through the air, or wind, into the body through the nose or mouth. Viruses are cold in nature. This is often why after someone is exposed to a virus they will feel cold or want to bundle up and avoid cold air or wind. Often, the back of the neck, head, and shoulders will feel stiff as the acupuncture pathways associated with protecting the body’s wei qi, or defensive energy, are activated.

 

COVID-19: The Fear Virus

COVID-19 has been referred to as “the fear virus”. The unknowns surrounding the COVID-19 have brought up a number of fears for many people. How long will it last? Will they get sick? Will they lose a loved one? What if they lose their job? Will they have to close their business? Can they support their family? Will they ever get to hug their family and friends again? The questions can be limitless and spiral into a scary place.

 

Choose your antidote to fear

Fear cannot exist in the presence of a stronger positive feeling, like love, hope, faith or calm. If the idea of hope makes your heart sing, consider this powerful quotation from Maya Angelou: “Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Invite one of them to stay”. If you are a religious person, you might resonate with the quote from the Bible: “Faith and fear cannot exist together”. People who meditate know that calm and fear cannot be felt at the same time.  Choose the positive feeling that resonates with you the most. Find time every day, or even every hour if needed, to invite that feeling into your consciousness. Be still and let yourself embody it.

 

Tips to stay strong during the COVID-19 pandemic

 

Keep yourself warm

Keep yourself warm and avoid cold, drafty environments. Many people in Asian and European countries will wear a scarf around their neck, even in warm weather, to protect their bodies from viruses and help keep the more vulnerable areas of the body warm.

This is a great time to be outside in the warm sunlight. In addition to keeping the body warm, sunlight provides a natural form of Vitamin D which has been shown to promote respiratory health. Read about the science behind this in two recent articles:

“Vitamin D and respiratory health” from the National Institutes of Health United States National Library of Medicine

“Vitamin D linked to COVID-19 mortality” from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin

Gentle exercise also warms the body. Taking a walk outside every day is a great way to get sunlight  and exercise, which have a variety of health benefits. Two great articles on the benefits of walking outside every day are: “Walking: Trim your waistline, improve your health” from the Mayo Clinic, and “The Amazing Health Benefits Of Walking Outside Every Day” from Prevention magazine.

 

Sleep well

Plentiful, quality sleep gives our bodies the chance to deeply restore. Getting to sleep before 10pm gives the body’s energetic pathways the time and ability to relax and allow for the protective and defensive energy to strengthen and circulate through the body. Be sure to remove electronics from the bedroom. Make sure the room is dark. Light, even the blue light from electronics, can send a signal to the body that it is morning and time to wake up.

 

Eat well

Eat on a regular schedule, and focus on foods that are warming rather than cooling. Warm foods refer to cooked foods and nourishing foods like warm oatmeal, broths, soups and casseroles. Cold foods, which should be avoided when possible, include foods that are physically cold like ice cream, juices, smoothies, and salads. This also includes food that is energetically cold like raw foods, dairy, and sugar. These cold foods require warm energy from the body to be digested. This takes resources away from the body’s defensive energetic system and the ability to protect itself.

 

How to thrive with social distancing during COVID-19

Social distancing can be very disruptive and stressful. One simple way to adapt to social distancing is to create a new routine. This calms the body and nervous system, and lets the body know that there is predictability and that the body will be fed, rested and cared for. Doing things like setting consistent mealtimes and going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day can be tremendously beneficial.

 

Social distancing can create and foster loneliness, which has been shown to negatively impact the immune system. It is critical now more than ever to counter potential loneliness and keep immunity strong. Consider using this time to rekindle and strengthen relationships by reaching out to people through technology. Technology options include: Facetime, Zoom, Google hangouts, E-mails and even just picking up the phone to call someone. People will appreciate the thought, and many people are reporting that they are loving having the time to connect with loved ones more regularly.

 

In this time of change and the slowing down of our busy world, consider any or all of these tips to make some positive changes in your own life to cultivate long-term health and wellness.

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directions. Click this link for a listing and description of services offered.

What to Expect During an Acupuncture Treatment

acupuncture treatment wilmington nc

Acupuncture treatment at HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

Many people are curious about what an acupuncture treatment is like and feel more comfortable when they know what to expect beforehand. This blog shares what it’s like to receive an acupuncture treatment at HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC.

Medical history and goal setting

The majority of the initial visit is actually spent talking. We’ll go through your health history. This includes what medications and supplements you are taking, and previous and current conditions. We’ll discuss your goals for the treatment. I often ask people to imagine that I have a magic wand. With this wand, I can grant them wishes that would improve the quality of their life. I ask them to share their top three wishes. I ask this because people are not usually aware of the wide range of areas that acupuncture can positively affect. Often people will bring up something that they think would be impossible to help. They might mention things like PMS or hot flashes, difficulty concentrating, or constipation. They are thrilled to learn that we can work on those areas.

Pulse reading

After our discussion is complete, I will check your pulses. The pulses are felt on the wrist just as a western medical practitioner would take pulses. In Chinese Medicine, we feel the pulses on both wrists, and we actually feel or “listen” to the pulses in twelve different positions. The twelve different positions correspond to the twelve different organ systems in the body. The way the pulse feels gives insight into how that particular organ system is functioning.

Tongue diagnosis

After the pulse taking, I’ll examine your tongue. I’ll ask you to stick out your tongue at me (yes, you read that correctly!). I’ll look at the size, shape, color, and qualities of the coating on the tongue. The major organs are also represented on the tongue. Looking at the tongue gives additional insight into how the organs are processing energy.

How big are those acupuncture needles?!

Next, I’ll show what the acupuncture needles look like. They come in sterile, single use sealed packages. They are safely disposed of after use. People are often surprised to see how tiny the needles are. They are generally about the width of a human hair. Depending upon the size of the acupuncture needle, anywhere from 20 – 40 acupuncture needles can actually fit inside a standard hypodermic needle used to draw blood or administer medicine. We’ll also discuss if other modalities are to be used. For example you are afraid of needles or you think needles might be too intense for you or your child, we might use ear seeds, moxa, or tuning forks instead of acupuncture needles. You can check out the Services page for a description of all modalities offered in addition to acupuncture needles.

Getting comfortable and preparing for treatment

At this point, I will leave the treatment room and let you get comfortable on the treatment table. You can snuggle up in blankets and enjoy the table warmer if you like. I then analyze the information we discussed and design a treatment plan to help restore the proper balance of energy in your body and address your concerns. Every person is unique and receives a treatment customized specifically to their needs.

After I finish my treatment plan, I’ll wash my hands, knock on the treatment room door, and then enter the treatment room to start the treatment. I’ll explain the various types of sensations you might feel during the treatment. I will ask for feedback on how you are doing. When you’re ready, I’ll leave the treatment room and let you relax comfortably for a specified period of time. This is about 20 minutes on average. Don’t be surprised if you are so relaxed that you fall asleep! After the treatment, I’ll recommend a follow-up plan and answer any questions. I love questions, and I love it when people get involved and invested in their treatment and health.

If you have questions, please reach out and email me through our website or call or text 910-622-4269. I’d love to hear from you!

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directions. Click this link for a listing and description of services offered.