How to apply ear seeds

1. 1

   Clean and dry

   Clean the outer ear and wait until it is completely dry before sticking a plaster. Moisture lifts the adhesive. Seeds sit on the external ear, never inside the ear canal.

2. 2

   Locate the points

   Find the points you need. For pain on the left side, place seeds on the left ear (same side). A first clinic placement is the surest way to learn the map.

3. 3

   Attach the plaster

   Use tweezers or your fingers to set the Vaccaria seed plaster on the point. Press down gently so the adhesive meets dry skin.

4. 4

   Press until warm

   Press each point about 10 times until the ear feels a warm sensation. Soreness, tenderness, or a dull ache on the point is common when it is stimulated.

5. 5

   Massage two or three times a day

   Massage the seeds gently two or three times a day, or when symptoms flare. Keep the press kind.

6. 6

   Wear 3–7 days, then remove

   Leave the seeds on for 3–7 days. They may fall off in the shower or with daily activity. If they stay put, remove them after a week.

7. 7

   Sample placement for headache

   A common headache set uses four outer-ear points: Brain Cortex, Occiput, Temple, and Forehead, on the antitragus and upper lobe. A physician chooses the set after pulse and tongue; this is orientation, not a fixed protocol.

Try today Clean and dry one ear today, then place a single plaster on the outer ear and press until it feels warm.