Ear Seeds
Ear seeds are like time-release acupuncture. Small black seeds, from the Vaccaria plant, are secured in the ear with a piece of adhesive tape over specific acupuncture points. The seeds stimulate the point by exerting mild pressure. You can rub or press on them for an added effect. They stay on the ear for up to a week.
The theory is that the ear represents the whole anatomical body, but in an upside down orientation. The ear is compared to an inverted fetus, with the head on the lower ear lobe, the feet at the top of the ear and the rest of the body in between.
There are up to 200 acupuncture points on the outer ear, each point named after an anatomic area or body function, such as hips, knees, stomach and heart.