A uvula piercing is a

body piercing Body piercing, which is a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn, or where an implant could be inserted. The word ''piercing'' can refer to ...

through the

uvula The palatine uvula, usually referred to as simply the uvula, is a conic projection from the back edge of the middle of the soft palate, composed of connective tissue containing a number of racemose glands, and some muscular fibers. It also conta ...

, the projection of the

soft palate The soft palate (also known as the velum, palatal velum, or muscular palate) is, in mammals, the soft tissue constituting the back of the roof of the mouth. The soft palate is part of the palate of the mouth; the other part is the hard palate. ...

between the tonsils. This is a rare piercing.

Captive bead ring A captive bead ring (CBR), ball closure ring (BCR), captive hoop, or captive ball ring is a common example of body piercing jewelry. The captive bead or ball fits into a small opening in the circle of the ring. The bead is slightly larger than ...

s or other small rings are the most commonly seen jewellery in uvula piercings.

Health issues

The piercing is rare due to the

gag reflex The pharyngeal reflex or gag reflex is a reflex muscular contraction of the back of the throat, evoked by touching the roof of the mouth, the back of the tongue, the area around the tonsils, the uvula, and the back of the throat. It, along with othe ...

, which makes it difficult to administer or receive it. Should jewelry pierced through the uvula come loose, it may be swallowed or even inhaled, which would require surgery to remove. As with tongue piercings, there is a risk of crush injury during the piercing, swelling, and infection. The jewelry will also pull the uvula down during sleep, reducing the diameter of the nasal airway and increasing the chance of sleep-related breathing disorders such as snoring. Uvula piercings may migrate leading to bisection of the uvula, which is harmless.

History and culture

As the piercing is not usually visible, motivations for receiving it are usually personal.

References

External links

BME (Body Modification Ezine) entry on uvula piercings
{{Body Piercing Body piercing Mouth