Uses

Ear acupuncture is used to improve the body’s flow of vital energy (also known as chi or qi) and to restore a balance between yin and yang (two opposing but complementary energies) within the internal organs. In traditional Chinese medicine, each of these effects is considered essential in treating disease and achieving health.

In alternative medicine, ear acupuncture is typically used for these and other health conditions:

• Allergies
• Anxiety
• Arthritis
• Chronic pain
• Constipation
• Depression
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Low back pain
• Migraines

In addition, ear acupuncture is sometimes used to enhance mood, aid in smoking cessation, alleviate pain, promote sounder sleep, relieve stress, and support weight loss.

Insomnia

Several studies indicate that ear acupuncture may help ease insomnia. These studies include a 2003 trial published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, which tested the effects of a form of ear acupuncture that involves using magnetic pearls to stimulate acupuncture points.

For the study, 15 elderly people with insomnia were treated with ear acupuncture for three weeks. Results revealed that participants experienced a significant increase in both the quality and quantity of sleep, with improvements lasting for six months after treatment ended.

Smoking

So far, research on ear acupuncture’s effectiveness as a smoking cessation aid has yielded mixed results. In a 2004 study published in the Swiss Journal of Research in Complementary and Natural Classical Medicine, for instance, a survey of 126 people who had undergone ear acupuncture for smoking cessation found that the treatment had a one-year success rate of 41.1%.

According to the study’s authors, this success rate makes ear acupuncture “a competitive alternative to orthodox medicine withdrawal methods.”

In a study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, however, a trial involving 125 people found that ear acupuncture was no more effective than placebo treatment in improving the rate of smoking cessation. The study involved five consecutive weeks of once-a-week treatments.

Migraines

Ear acupuncture may be useful in the treatment of migraines, according to a study published in Acupuncture & Electro-Therapeutics Research in 2012. Analyzing findings on 35 migraine patients, the study’s authors determined that two months of weekly ear acupuncture treatments led to significant improvements in pain and mood.

Post-Surgery Pain

For a report published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2010, investigators sized up 17 studies on ear acupuncture’s effectiveness in pain management. The report’s authors concluded that ear acupuncture may be effective for the treatment of a variety of types of pain, especially postoperative pain.

Constipation

A research review published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2010 suggests that ear acupuncture may aid in the treatment of constipation. For the review, researchers examined 29 studies on the use of ear acupuncture in constipation management.

Although all of the studies reported that ear acupuncture was effective in treating constipation, the review’s authors note that due to major flaws in the reviewed studies, more research is needed to confirm these findings.

Using Ear Acupuncture for Health

If you’re considering trying ear acupuncture, make sure to consult your physician first. Self-treating and avoiding or delaying standard care can have serious consequences.