SAN ANTONIO — When it comes to any kind of pain – whether it's a nagging headache, a pulled muscle, anxiety or even weight loss – every individual has their own way to try and remedy it.
In this edition of VERIFY, we look into one technique taking the internet by storm.
It's called ear seeding, and is similar to acupuncture. It involves placing tiny beads at certain points in your ear to take care of whatever malady you're dealing with. Videos of the practice are all over TikTok.
THE QUESTION
Is it true that ear seeding really helps relieve some medical conditions?
THE SOURCES
- Gudrin Wu Snyder, an acupuncurist from Moon Rabbit Acupunture
- Dr. Brunilda Nazario, chief physician editor of medical affairs at WebMD.
THE ANSWER
WHAT WE FOUND
"Yes, ear seeding does work," Snyder said. "However, it's not a guarantee. There's lots of things in life that you might try, whether it's medication going to a certain doctor that might not be for you. And so ear seeding is not for everybody."
"In one small study, researchers found that ear seeds made people more tolerant of pain," adds an article written by Nazario. "We need much more research, but these findings suggest that ear seeds might help people better deal with chronic pain. While they can't cure chronic pain or other conditions, ear seeds may be a helpful addition to your medical treatment."
So: Yes, it is true. Ear seeding does help relieve some medical conditions.
Snyder also said a lot of people ask whether or not they need an acupuncturist to put it on their ears for the first time. That answer is no, but it may help you to have someone else, even a friend, do it for you.
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