Positives

• A documented case report describes successful use of auricular acupuncture for persistent insomnia and anxiety associated with COVID-19, with patients reporting improved sleep quality and reduced situational anxiety PMC.
  
  
• A patient with Long COVID reported feeling energized enough to go for a run after three weeks of acupuncture treatment that included auricular points, and continued the treatment independently as muscle fatigue resolved NBC News.
  
  

Negatives

• One patient on a chronic-illness forum reported having five acupuncture treatments and feeling “zero improvement,” adding that they actually felt sent backwards, with more mental exhaustion and worse sleep after sessions Health Rising.
• Multiple patients describe full PEM crashes after acupuncture, with one writing “the following day I was in a full blown crash. I couldn’t leave the bed,” and another saying “I crashed and felt far worse for weeks. I will not being doing acupuncture again” Health Rising.

Hurdles & Side Effects

• Auricular acupuncture sessions cost $40-$120 per visit and typically require 6-12 weekly sessions for trial-of-effect; finding a credentialed acupuncturist (NCCAOM-certified in the US) familiar with NADA-style auricular protocols matters more than location PMC.
  
  
• Battlefield acupuncture (a 5-point semi-permanent ASP-needle protocol developed by the US military) is a standardized auricular variant available at many VA clinics for free; it’s a low-friction way to test whether auricular work helps before committing to private practice Medical Acupuncture.