Are Ear Acupuncture Piercings A Real Thing? Auricular Acupuncture

Are Acupuncture piercings for real?

Each person is different but one thing we can surely agree on is that pain sucks. Pain relief comes about differently for everyone but at the end of the day, relief is what we seek. Some may go to the doctor often, take pain killers, sleep or even exercise to try and relieve their various pains. In recent years, acupuncture ear piercings have been a method explored for pain relief. Problems such as: stress, insomnia, depression and anxiety are also some issues targeted by acupuncture piercings.

But first, what is acupuncture?

 Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese technique used to help relieve pain and improve overall wellness. This treatment is conducted by inserting very thin needles at specific points on a person’s skin to stimulate certain nerve endings which help the muscles relax, hence, reducing pain. There are hundreds of acupuncture points around the body that are connected to your major organs which can be stimulated for a positive response. The ear alone is believed to have over 200 acupuncture points in the ear that can be stimulated to engage organs and specific emotional expression.  Acupuncture that is limited to your ears is called auricular acupuncture, and auriculotherapy.

What does this mean for me?

There is a theory that suggests using piercings to permanently stimulate acupuncture points in the ear to alleviate problems within the body. The piercing jewelry would be inserted at the specific pressure point on the ear and be able to permanently stimulate the nerves and muscles to encourage energy flow in that area. This would result in the muscles relaxing and any pain being felt would fade while also improving any other issue being faced.

Image showing piercings and acupuncture points

Below are a list of piercings and their proposed benefits:

Conch- This is used to relax the muscles and tension in the body, which will help to relieve any chronic pain. 

Daith- This type of piercing is said to help relieve chronic migraines. It can also be used to relieve tension caused by anxiety and reduce stress levels.

Cartilage Rim/Helix- This is said to help with insomnia

Tragus- Activating the tragus area can help to control your appetite and reduce sugar cravings

Rook- This piercing is located at an acupuncture point which can realign the flow of energy associated with stress. Hence, it is believed to induce relaxation and reduce stress levels. 

Lobe (Third hole placement)- This can help with depression by improving mood and allowing good energy to flow

Lobe (First hole placement)- This piercing is believed to improve eyesight. Pirates were believed to wear gold hoops to help them see better at night while at sea

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Does this really work?

Logically, the idea of acupuncture piercings makes sense. Since acupuncture consists of sticking needles in your body to stimulate certain points, sticking something at that point should permanently activate the section and give relief, right? 

However, in reality, that is not always the case. Acupuncture itself is already a controversial practice. An acupuncture session usually lasts about 5 – 30 minutes and is not permanent- it is a short-term solution. Therefore, many people who said they found pain relief through acupuncture piercing have also said that the relief eventually faded. Many argue that acupuncture ear piercing is Pseudoscience and has no true results. But despite this, many persons cross the web have attested that it works. 

Here are some testimonies of persons:

Some persons claim that since getting their daith pierced, they have experienced fewer migraines and less pain.

Reddit user lovetheideaofyou states that the daith piercing has caused them to experienced less random headaches

oddlythesame has also experienced a decrease in migraines since getting the daith piercing   

There are also persons who have admitted that the piercing has not done anything for them...

strawberryee stated that there has been no difference since she got the daith piercing. 

acegirl121 added that there has been no improvements since getting her daith piercing but the situation may have gotten worse

It is possible that the results seen in some persons are due to the placebo effect. This effect occurs when an individual undergoes an inactive treatment and has a change in symptom as a result. This is a type of psychological condition and the so-called ‘benefits’ of the treatment usually fade with time. In this case, the placebo effect would show improvement in symptoms. It could be less migraines, better sleep patterns or greater appetite control (depending on the piercing) but the effects would fade, and the person would be back to square one.

What if I still want to try it?

The use of acupuncture piercing is a fairly new method so many studies have not been conducted on it. But the decision is solely up to you. However, it is advised that you should first consult a medical professional about any mental health or chronic pain issues. These professionals will be able to provide the necessary treatments for any condition being experienced by an individual. 

After which, you could still get the piercings you desire using a reputable and fully certified piercer. The important thing is that you do your research beforehand, so you know what to expect as well as the proper care for each piercing. The worst that can happen is that you experience no improvement in your symptoms, and you are left with a trendy new piercing. 

The info provided above is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.


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