Fact check: Diet and exercise benefit kidney health, not ear rubbing

BrieAnna J. Frank, USA TODAY
·3 min read
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The claim: Rubbing your ears will improve kidney health

A March 4 Facebook video (direct link, archive link) shows a woman in a white lab coat pulling and rubbing her ears while touting the supposed health benefits of doing so.

“The ear is the sensory organ of our kidney,” she says at one point in the video. “A lot of ear problems actually are a sign that your kidney’s energy needs extra support. Practice these four steps – your body will receive unexpected results.”

The video was shared more than 10,000 times in less than a month.

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Our rating: False

Experts told USA TODAY there is no evidence ear exercises have any benefits for the kidneys. The best way to improve kidney health is through a healthy diet and exercise.

Benefits of reflexology are unproven

There is no basis to support the claim made in the video, multiple experts told USA TODAY.

“There are no trusted, evidence-based studies showing that rubbing one’s ears can impact kidney health or kidney function,” said Dr. Julie Wright Nunes, an associate professor at the University of Michigan Department of Internal Medicine who studies Chronic Kidney Disease.

The practice of applying pressure to a certain body part for healing purposes is called reflexology, but its purported benefits have not been scientifically proven, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

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Dr. Ali Gharavi, chief of the nephrology division at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, told USA TODAY he was “very surprised” by the claim linking ear exercises and kidney health.

Nephrology is a subspecialty of internal medicine focused on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the kidney, according to the American College of Physicians.

Some rare conditions can affect both kidney function and hearing, Gharavi said. There are also some medications or toxins that can harm the kidneys and cause hearing loss.

“However, there is no evidence that changes in ear function impact kidney function,” Gharavi said.

Person getting their ears checked by doctor.
Person getting their ears checked by doctor.

Among the most common causes of kidney disease are high blood pressure and diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both conditions can be improved through diet, exercise and medication, Gharavi said.

Those steps can also be taken by people looking to improve their overall health, which Gharavi said positively affects kidney health as well.

Both experts said anyone diagnosed with or at risk for kidney disease should consult with a medical doctor. They recommended people seek information on kidney health from peer-reviewed scientific sources or reputable organizations such as the American Kidney Fund and the National Kidney Foundation.

USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the claim for comment.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Diet and exercise benefit kidney health, not ear exercises