A Celebrity Sparks Interest in Acupuncture

The gossip sites were abuzz this month after Penelope Cruz was spotted at a movie premier wearing acupuncture seeds in her ear. People wanted to know why she was wearing them. What was she treating? Could she be hiding something? Whatever the case may be, we’ll put speculation aside and take this opportunity to applaud a celebrity – who is, after all, a public figure with influence – for embracing alternative therapies for whatever might ail her.

Acupuncture is a medical technique that has been used in China for over 3,000 years to undeniable results.  The New York Daily News, reporting on the story, interviewed Cynthia Neipris, a licensed acupuncturist and director of outreach at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in midtown Manhattan, who says that points in the ear can be tapped to treat many different health issues. “Those points can be used for a variety of purposes,” she says. “The one that’s in the upper ear, high up there, looks to be a commonly used point called Shen Men. That’s one of the points we use as a general rebalancing, or just a general feel-good like when you exercise at the gym.” It can also be used as a detox treatment or for someone who’s trying to quit smoking, she said. We also have seen success when acupuncture is used in conjunction with psychotherapy and other alternative therapies to treat addiction. But even if your health goals in this New Year are more modest, consider acupuncture as a powerful tool for unlocking that new and improved you.