Ear Seeds and Auricular Acupuncture in Denver
What ear points are used for
Anxiety and the physical side of stress
Poor sleep
Cravings and stress eating
Migraines and tension headaches
Nausea, including motion sickness
Cutting back on alcohol, nicotine or sugar
Nerves before a procedure, exam or flight
How ear seeds and auricular acupuncture work
Ear seeds are tiny seeds or metal pellets on an adhesive patch, placed on specific points on the outer ear, that you press yourself between visits. Auricular acupuncture is the needle version of the same idea. The outer ear is dense with nerve endings, including a branch of the vagus nerve, which helps regulate the stress response, digestion and heart rate.
A map of the whole body
In Chinese medicine the ear is a map of the whole body, with points for the organs, the spine and the limbs. I choose points by that map and by the nervous system, and I needle a few ear points alongside the body points for whatever you came in for.
Seeds keep working at home
Ear seeds let the stimulation continue after you leave. I press each seed into place, show you where they are in a mirror, and you press them yourself for a few seconds whenever symptoms show up.
The NADA protocol
NADA is a fixed set of five ear points, Shen Men, Sympathetic, Kidney, Liver and Lung, developed at Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx in the 1970s for addiction treatment. I use these points for patients cutting back on alcohol, nicotine or sugar and for anyone wound tight and sleeping badly.
Modest but real evidence
A 2022 review of 15 randomized trials with 1,603 patients found auricular stimulation reduced anxiety before surgery compared with sham, with no serious adverse effects. Reviews of NADA describe it as best used as support alongside other treatment. Ear points do not change your metabolism, and they help cravings rather than erase them.
Your ear seed visit
How it fits into a visit
Auricular acupuncture is part of a regular visit, not a separate service. A first visit is 90 minutes and includes a full history, an exam and a treatment that uses ear and body points together.
Ear seeds at home
I place the seeds at the end of your visit and send you home with a card showing the points and a few spare seeds. They stay on for three to five days. Press each seed firmly for 10 to 20 seconds, three or four times a day and whenever the symptom shows up. Showering is fine. Peel them off when the adhesive lifts or the spot gets tender.
How often
For anxiety, sleep and cravings, most patients use seeds every week for the first month alongside acupuncture, then as needed.
Who should skip them
Skip seeds if you have an infection, eczema or a wound on the ear, or a known allergy to adhesive tape. If you are pregnant, tell me, because I avoid a few points. Seeds are a choking hazard for small children. If a spot becomes red, swollen or painful, remove it and call me.
Ear seed patients from across southeast Denver
Easy to reach
The clinic is at 3600 South Beeler Street, Suite 150, in Hampden Town Center at Hampden Avenue and I-25, with free parking at the door. It is about five minutes from the Denver Tech Center and Greenwood Village.
Often paired with
Many patients add ear seeds to a visit for anxiety and stress or to a treatment for migraines and headaches, and come back for a fresh set every week or two.
Booking
Mention ear seeds when you book so I set aside time at the end of your visit.
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Mike at subtle point is a pro! He has helped me numerous times deal with musculoskeletal pain in my back, legs, shoulder, neck and hands! He’s great at what he does and is very personable so I gladly give him five stars!
—Moe El Ali
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Michael was PERFECT! He asked a lot of questions about my pain and went to work on relieving it. The pain in my side that would wake me up every night for years has been gone for 4 days now thanks to the acupuncture. I also received such an amazing neck and head rub it made my toes tingle! I also noticed that I can go much deeper in my yoga poses after one treatment. Michael knows his work!
—Becky
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“Mike is so thorough and knowledgeable. Best acupuncture experience I have ever had. I will definitely be going back!”
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Prices
Payment
We accept cash, check, all major credit cards, and HSA/FSA cards. We don’t bill insurance directly, but we can provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Many of my patients find them helpful for the physical side of anxiety, the racing heart and tight chest, especially when they press the seeds as a wave starts. They work best alongside acupuncture and whatever else you are doing for anxiety, not instead of it.
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Often, yes. I use the Shen Men and nervous system points, and patients press them for a minute or two before bed. Sleep usually improves gradually over a few weeks of seeds and acupuncture together rather than on the first night.
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They can help with cravings and stress eating, which for many people is the hard part. They do not burn calories or change your metabolism, and I will not tell you otherwise. Think of them as a tool that makes it easier to follow a plan you have already chosen.
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Three to five days. Showering is fine. Take them off when the adhesive starts to lift or the spot gets tender, and rest the ear for a day or two before a new set.
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NADA is a protocol within auricular acupuncture: a five-point set used for addiction and stress. I use it when it fits, and I also choose ear points individually.
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At The Subtle Point ear seeds are a $15 take-home add-on to any visit. I do not offer seeds on their own without a visit, because choosing the right points takes an assessment.
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Rarely, and never the way an injection does. Acupuncture needles are about the width of a human hair. Most people feel a brief tap, then a dull, heavy or warm sensation that fades in a few seconds. If any point feels sharp, tell me and I will adjust or remove it.