Needle Fetishes

by Aramock Nanuck

July 1989

The mere sight of a needle coming towards many people makes them squeamish. At the same time, others (both vanilla and fetishist) are drawn to them, like a sort of dark obsession. Both in and out of the fetish life, some needle practices are commonplace, like acupuncture or tattooing. Let's explore the draws to needles while ignoring the obvious intravenous drug use/abuse. For simplicity's sake, we will not delve into combined activities, such as suspension medical play or rites of passage.

Medicinal First

Acupuncture is believed to have begun thousands of years ago in China. It was commonly used to stimulate "Chi," or the energy pathways of the body. Western medicine believes that applying needles to a specific point interacts with the nervous system in a specific and measurable fashion. Regardless of the bias of cultural opinion, the net effect is the same.

Both philosophies use acupuncture to address chronic pain and promote healing processes. Modern medicine continues to use acupuncture for the above and increasingly for stress management. Research documented that this stimulation boosts the creation of endorphins and natural painkillers in the human body.

Acupuncture involves inserting ultrafine needles into the skin at strategic points on a subject's body.

Endorphins From Insertion

As the skin is pierced during needle insertion, the underlying nerves react and send signals to the brain. The brain triggers the release of the same endorphins produced during exercise or sex in response to the pain. The result can be pleasurable sensations up to euphoria. Combining endorphins with an adrenaline rush from the intensity of the activities creates a "natural" high.

Tattooing

Origins

Tattooing has a history that goes back at least to the Neolithic period. Archaeologists found on mummies (Egyptian and Asian) as well as individuals preserved, such as the Iceman ÖtziTattoos have been used for a variety of purposes throughout history, including religious rituals, marking social status, and even as forms of punishment or identification.

Links to Acupuncture

Tattooing is closely coupled to acupuncture. Asian cultures linked permanent tattoos as an extension of acupuncture, where symbols provided long-term curative or protection against "evil" spirits, which cause deleterious effects.

Ancient History

Persian, Greek and Roman cultures all used tattoos to mark criminals and enslaved people to identify them, and indicate either crimes or ownership.

East Indian, Tibetan, Pacific Islanders, African and European tribes all used tattoos to adorn warriors, priests and dignitaries. However, these cultures did not usually apply tattoos to the unworthy, such as enslaved people or criminals. Frequently, tattoos became a part of religious rituals, and temporary tattoos persist today in many cultures as part of marriages.

Cultural or Community Identity

Tattoos became and still are common to denote affiliations to a group (i.e. Gangs), tribal membership, or military achievements.

Modern Motivations:

Why people get tattoos varies:

Adornment, Aesthetics, Body Art,
Association and Affiliation,
Commemorative,
Identity Definition,
Religious Practices,
Self-expression,
Symbolism,
And others.

BDSM and Needle "Play"

Fetishists engage in "needling" for ritual imitation, spiritual self-discovery, sexual pleasure, or sado-masochistic entertainment. Participants use a variety of needles, sharpened bones, or other implements when engaging in activities, from piercings to fleshy insertions. The objective is to allow the incision wounds to heal naturally after the event, except for piercings. Needling frequently involves aesthetic factors such as:

Lacing together like a corset,
Apply temporary decorations such as bells or bows,
A precursor to medical "play".

How the needles are applied results in vastly different experiences. Sensations vary by size of needle, depth of penetration, force applied, whether twisted or not, and the location in which they were inserted. The physical perception can be of thrill, stimulation, light to moderate pain and even sexual arousal.

Safety First

Unlike medical practices where the delivery of medicines or other procedures penetrates through the skin and into the muscle, BDSM inserts needles through the skin, revealing both entry and exit points. Insertions should always use new and sterile acupuncture or hypodermic needles on the skin, which should be cleaned with antiseptics, alcohol, or povidone iodine. Maintaining a clean and sterile environment is essential in preventing infections. All penetration into the skin should be done by experienced individuals using proper techniques to avoid blood-borne infection from punctures. There is less likelihood of illness than from animal scratches and bites, as the depth is regulated and bacterial agents should not be present.