The Body and Acupuncture

Prior to getting into any of the research and clinical studies, it’s important to have a brief understanding of acupuncture and the body. Acupuncture is a healing method or therapy that has been utilized in Chinese culture for thousands of years. In acupuncture, metal needles are inserted into different “acupuncture points” in the human body to activate the flow of “qi” or the vital force.

A similar effect can be seen with putting physical pressure on these points without the needles themselves, known as “acupressure.” Each human body has 14 main meridians – or, as the Chinese refereed to it as, the trail of energy in the human body. Now with this knowledge in place, we can begin to understand to a deeper level the research and how the clinical studies come into place. Let’s begin to get into the effect of metal piercings now on the acupuncture points, or meridians.

Metal and Meridians

To put it bluntly, metal effects the energy flow of your body – in fact, it alters it. It’s been studied through acupuncturists, doctors and researchers alike: if metal is located near a meridian, it will have major effects on an individual’s health and blood stream, for better or worse – depending upon the area where the metal has been inserted. Special caution should be used in the case of permanent insertion of metal, i.e. piercings. According to Sally Byrd, ND, a traditional Naturopath, massage therapist, reflexologist, “Metal body piercings interfere with the natural energy flow in the body… Acupuncture therapies are now recognized by NIH and the Global World Health Organization along with many medical doctors for health maintenance…When the body’s Qi is compromised due to diet, stress, anxiety, surgery, aging, hormonal reduction, medications, physical accidents, disease, and environmental toxins including metal insertions, the energy may become stagnant. Energy imbalances reduce our natural immunity and set the stage for chronic or long term diseases.”

The most common body piercings and their effects are analyzed at Dr. Venessa’s Formula, a medical advice company via clinical research. That said, some studies have actually shown beneficial outcomes with certain piercings due to their placement. With this background in mind, we can analyze the relationship between a piercing and the body. To continue on with this journey, we can take a look at some of the most documented body piercings in the world, such as the belly button, tongue, lip, chin, top of nose, Madonna piercing, outer eyebrows, center brow and ears. Each of these locations have an extreme prominent effect upon being pierced. Let’s look at 6 of these common points and what’s happening:

1. Belly Button Piercing

This is an extreme no-go. If you are thinking about piercing this one and care about your meridians, look the other way! This piercing is located on what is known as the Ren Meridian channel and can truly distraught your entire central nervous system. In fact, she states that, “This point, depending on where the ring, metal or diamond stud is inserted could cause long term energy displacement and has been linked to chronic immune disorders such as MS (multiple sclerosis). According to Balanced Being Acupuncture, “A navel piercing may seem like a benign adornment, but acupuncture theory strongly suggests that this is not a healthy or safe practice.” Similar to that of the other 4 piercings, “The problem is that the piercing is creating a semi-permanent obstruction in the flow of a very important energy channel known as the Conception Vessel (Ren Mai.)”  Linked to this piercing, potential problems range from Infertility to cervical dysplasia to even endometriosis. “When a woman comes to me for treatment with menstrual complaints or infertility it is very common for her to have either a navel piercing or surgical scar along or across the Conception Vessel,” states a practitioner at Balanced Being Acupuncture. Due to the piercing blocking the flow of energy, the system is more vulnerable allowing for problems to occur that normally could never occur.

2. The Chin Piercing

Prior to allowing someone to piece your chin, think about this. The piercing point of a chin is directly on the Ren Meridian and will affect point REN24. According to the study from Dr. Venessa’s Formulas, “Piercings here can affect hormonal level burn-out, stress in the mouth (grinding of the teeth) infections in the mouth, and salivation.” Through the piercing and blockage of the channels, the body is unable to process the energy that is needed, which ultimately results in problems of the beginning part of digestion.

3. Tongue

This is one of the most common piercings for teenagers because once you see it, you want it too; however, hear this out. Your tongue is a representation of your entire body. Think about that! There are actually 5 parts to your tongue and they are connected to the most important and vital parts of your blood vessels. In a specific study with tongue piercings, the author notes, “Several people I have encountered with center tongue piercings have experienced chronic digestion problems, acid reflux, constipation, fatigue and increased acne.”

4. The Ear Piercing

One of the most common piercings – and it starts very young, even infants, are ear piercings. Parts of the ear pierced include the lobe, rook, tragus, cartilage – the list goes on. With that being said, each of these piercings has a direct effect on the acupuncture points of the human body and one’s qi. Now with the ear, there is some fascinating research and studies coming out. For example, Broomfield Enterprise reports that, “The ears are especially packed with acupuncture points. In fact, acupuncturists consider the ears a ‘microsystem,’ with a point for everywhere on the body.” Now this is an area of the body that can benefit from piercings! To further this, Almost Famous Piercings states, “As with both acupuncture and auriculotherapy, a piercing can be placed in a specific spot to stimulate the reflex points in that area. Doing this can improve the flow of energy within the body, which can help alleviate a certain pain and regulate the body’s functions and internal organs.” This research is due to Dr. Paul Nogier’s studies – who is known as the Father of Modern Auriculotherapy. The following are a list of ailments that, according to recent studies, can be minimized or cured by piercings:

• Conch – Chronic Pains
• Lobe
  • Third Hole – Depression
  • First Hole – Eye Sight
• Stretched Lobes – Spiritual Heightening
• Rook – Stress Remover
• Tragus – Appetite Control
• Cartilage or Helix – Insomnia, Allergies

As one can see the ear holds an acupuncture point for literally every major part of the human body – and each one, according to Dr Paul Nogier, can be instrumental to heal any ailment in the human body.

5. The Eyebrow Piercing

Spiritual Research Foundation says, “Places on the body that are harmful to have piercings include the eyebrow, mouth, tongue and other parts of the face or body.” Thus, eyebrow piercings are a no-go as well! To prove this true, Spiritual Research Foundation crafted a graph that demonstrates the effects of having an eyebrow piercing:

The idea behind the drawing is simply one all of the different effects, based on studies that eyebrow piercings have on a human. It shows that an eyebrow piercing actually results in an increased ego as rings of ego are activated, illusory energies are created and lastly the same effects of tongue piercings – which is known as one of the worst places to get a piercing in light of acupuncture points.

6. The Lip Piercing

Lip Piercings are a common trend among teens yet many are unaware of the energetic consequences in doing so. To demonstrate this, take a look at the following chart. From the chart – pay attention to only the section surrounding the lips and you will notice that the areas affected through lip piercings are the stomach, intestines, livers, spleens and colon. These are some of the major functioning parts of your body and through piercings in these areas, just like the belly, tongue, chin and other areas – the metal truly affects the meridians and flow of energy in the body. If you are thinking about getting this piercing, make sure to take this into consideration!

Qi and Your Energy

Whether you believe in acupuncture or not, the research continues to pile in. Your Qi is your vital energy source and many lifestyle factors can truly block the energy source for entering their temple, their body. Many people suffer from illnesses and potentially long-term damage, which can in some cases be linked to piercings in certain body parts. Clinical studies show that piercings have direct effects on the acupuncture points on your body, often negative ones. Whether you are piercing your nose, tongue, chin, ears – any body part for that matter – research demonstrates there are potential risks greater than one is thinking about. To remedy any harm caused, removing the piercings from the body and continuing a regimen of acupuncture, can help restore the flow of qi – and many people are embarking upon this path today. Now if you are seeking a direct advice regarding piercing a body part, it’s all relative. Ramtha has it right: if you truly believe that piercing your body can affect your qi and acupuncture points – it will be true for you. What you think, will be.