24 HOUR ACUPUNCTURE ? The Benefits of Ear Acupuncture (or Treatment TO GO Tacks)
If I had a dollar for each time a patient asked me at the end of their acupuncture treatment if they could just stay on the table for a few more minutes, days, years…
There IS a way to take your treatment home with you. Ear tacks are tiny weeny needles that are left in your ear between acupuncture sessions to keep the effect of your treatment going. They are commonly used with weight loss and addiction protocols and are also effective for calming, stress relief and pain issues as well.
The ear is seen as a homunculus of the body. What’s that you ask? A rare crustacean that lives off ear wax. No really – a homunculus means that every part of the human anatomy is represented somewhere on the ear. Therefore, every ailment can be treated somewhere on the outer ear.
How does Auricular Acupuncture work? Nerves that are located on the external ear connect to centers of the brain effecting neurons in the spine and other parts of the body. It also causes a systemic release of endorphins, which are opiate-like substances that help with pain relief and relaxation.
The ear tacks are placed on points appropriate to your case and you can massage them to enhance their effectiveness. They are typically changed on a weekly basis. Ear seeds can be used as well. The seeds come from the Vaccaria plant and can be left in up to 2 weeks. The beauty about both of these items is that they can be removed when you want and replaced by your acupuncturist at your next visit.
So give it a try. Penelope Cruz does it!
