Acupuncture Beads For Weight Loss

Acupuncture beads are part of the arsenal of tools used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, a health system used for many centuries in Asian cultures, explains licensed acupuncturist Diane Joswick. Doctors of Oriental Medicine can be found around the world today, using herbal formulas, acupuncture needles, shiatsu massage and acupuncture beads to balance the health of their clients, including helping them lose weight.

How It Works

Chinese medicine looks at health a bit differently than Western medicine, explains Joswick. She works with each patient's 12 energy channels to balance their health, focusing on the spleen and liver channels when it comes to weight loss. This can involve choosing specific herbs, foods or acupuncture points that either stimulate or calm the energy in each channel. A Western doctor might describe this as boosting your metabolism and your digestive system, she adds.

Acupuncture Beads

Acupuncture beads are seed-sized lumps that adhere to the body and can be gently pressed throughout the day to stimulate a specific point along an energy channel. Similar to adhesive bandages, the patches adhere for three to seven days, and eventually fall off of on their own. According to the "Journal of Medical Acupuncture," several Australian studies have found that obese participants using acupuncture beads attached to the hunger points in their ears lost double the amount of weight as their control group counterparts.

Hunger Point

Found at the base of the tragus of the ear, this point manages hunger, cravings and compulsive eating patterns, explains Joswick in her book, "The Acupuncture Weight Loss Solution." When an acupuncture bead sits here, clients can gently massage it for up to 10 seconds whenever they need assistance in managing cravings. This is the same point that was used in the Australian studies.

Shen Men Point

Considered a "master point," or a point that is used on many people to affect their overall health balance, shen men is also found on the ear and is used to manage stress and anxiety, according to the website Yin Yang House. Joswick often uses this point when treating weight loss clients.

Metabolism Point

Found on the earlobe, the metabolism point aids digestion and reinforces the liver channel, according to Joswick. Clients with a sluggish metabolism feel an uptick in their general energy level, as well as experiencing faster digestion.

Finding a Practitioner

Auricular acupuncture and the use of acupuncture beads is a specialty within Traditional Chinese Medicine. Before making an appointment, ask a prospective practitioner if they have experience in this area, and in using acupuncture for weight loss. Find a licensed acupuncturist through the Acupuncturists Directory or the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Check with your health care provider before beginning any new treatment plan.