Caring For A Daithpiercing
After a daith piercing, the area will need special attention to reduce your risk of infection.
- Soak the piercing in warm salt water or saline solution at least once daily after the first day
- Wait at least 3 weeks before immersing it in water
- Leave the jewelry in place for at least 3 months
- Avoid touching the area without washing your hands
- Dont rub the area pat it dry after rinsing or soaking
- Avoid using soap, shampoo or detergents on the area the first day or two
- Avoid alcohol-based cleaners
- Avoid chemically-scented lotions, soaps, and creams in the area
With proper care, the piercing could still take several months to heal. If you decide to get a daith piercing, make sure you go to a licensed piercer in a facility you trust, and follow their aftercare advice very closely.
Know The Difference Between Tragus And Daith Piercings
One of the top things you should know before getting a tragus or daith piercing is the difference between the two. The tragus is the triangular piece of cartilage that is located right next to the opening of the ear. This is the place youre most likely to press on when you are trying to block out sound. The daith is a fold of cartilage that is located above the ear canal.
Do Daith Ear Piercings Help Prevent Migraine Experts Review
Posted by Carl Cincinnato | Nov 18, 2015 | Treatments | 115
A special type of daith ear piercing for migraine has been circling in the press and social media as a potential treatment. The Huffington Post, Daily Mail and even beauty publications are talking about this alternative potential treatment for migraine.
But does it really work? When it comes to getting all the facts, it can be difficult separating hype from reality.
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Are Ear Piercings Effective In Treating Migraines
Dr. Emad Estemalik, the Section Head for Headache and Facial Pain at the Center for Neurological Restoration at Cleveland Clinic, says that there is no medical research that supports the claim that a daith piercing actually gets rid of a migraine.3 Even if a person swears that the piercing is helpful, Dr. Estemalik believes that a placebo effect is likely at work.3
Dr. Estemalik believe that there is no scientific evidence or clinical trial results that support ear piercings as a solution to migraines.3 He adds that receiving a piercing in that area will not alter the pain pathway of the migraine.3
This statement is backed up by Dr. Kevin Weber, a neurologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, who states that there havent been any randomized, controlled clinical trials to prove if a daith piercing actually helps.4
Why Daith And Tragus Piercings Might Work For Migraines
In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared vagus nerve stimulation as an acute or abortive treatment for migraines. Research suggests that VNS works to decrease the pain of a migraine because the vagus nerve is thought to help modulate the brains headache pain pathways.
The daith and tragus piercings are placed on whats considered to be particularly effective pressure points that help to minimize migraine headaches because the vagus nerve branches directly into these areas. It is theorized that piercings located in these pressure points can therefore help to ease migraine pain.
Read Also: Pressure Point To Relieve Migraine
Why Daith Piercings Dont Work On Migraines
The exact causes of migraines are unknown, although they are related to changes in the brain as well as to genetic causes. People with migraines may inherit the tendency to be affected by certain migraine triggers, such as fatigue, bright lights, weather changes and others.
For many years, scientists believed that migraines were linked to the expanding and narrowing of blood vessels on your brains surface. Its now believed, though, that migraines are caused by inherited abnormalities in certain areas of your brain.
A migraine begins when hyperactive nerve cells send out impulses to the blood vessels, leading to the blood vessels expanding and the release of prostaglandins, serotonin and other inflammatory substances that cause the bloods pulsing to be painful.
So its hard to see why or how a hole in the cartilage of your outer ear would impact the development of a migraine, Dr. Estamalik says.
I would never recommend ear piercing for one of my patients, he says. The danger of infection from a piercing of this site strongly outweighs any unproven benefit.
How To Care For Your Daith Piercing
Itâs important to care for your piercing afterward to prevent infections:
- Always wash your hands well before you touch your piercing or jewelry.
- Leave the earring in for up to 8 weeks, even when you shower or sleep. This keeps the hole open.
- Wash your ear regularly with soap and water.
- Twist or jiggle the earring a little daily to keep the hole open.
- Twice daily, dab a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol on the piercing.
If you notice that your new piercing hurts, looks red or puffy, or starts to ooze or drip a yellowish liquid, call your doctor. These are signs of an infection. You may need antibiotics to treat it.
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Is It A Placebo Effect
When a treatment works simply because you believe its working, its considered a placebo effect.
At least one expert at the Cleveland Clinic weighed in to chalk up piercings that relieve migraines as having a placebo effect. If migraines are the main anxiety symptom youre looking to address, its important to keep this in mind.
We dont know enough about this treatment for anxiety to rule out the placebo effect. But we do know that getting acupuncture to treat migraines and anxiety has been shown to work better than a placebo.
If daith piercings do work to ease anxiety symptoms, its most likely because the piercing mechanism is similar to acupuncture.
Vagal Stimulation May Play A Role In Relief
One of the longest nerves in the body the vagus nerve branches throughout the ear, including through the daith. Similar to tragus piercings, daith piercings are purported to stimulate this nerve with the purpose of easing migraines and migraine symptoms.
There is ongoing research into the role vagal stimulation may play in migraine relief. Some research points toward daith piercings as a way to provide that stimulation. So there is enough potential here to warrant more investigation.
Because of this, the daith is often targeted by acupuncturists as a pressure point. However, there is a lot more research on acupuncture itself than on daith piercings for migraines.
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Can Ear Piercing Mitigate Migraine Pain
So what does piercing your ear have to do with migraine pain? Why the ear instead of, say, the nose? Getting a piercing in your ear for migraines may seem strange, but many people in recent years have been trying it to relieve their migraines.
The idea is that piercing the same spot on the ear previously treated in acupuncture would bring a constant pressure and alleviate migraine pain.
Ear piercings for migraines and anxiety are done on very specific locations on the ear. The reason is related to acupuncture. This Chinese practice involves inserting small needles into various places in an effort to relieve pain and improve a variety of health conditions. There are specific points on the ear, two in particular, that are known to relieve migraine pain.
Some people who have found acupuncture helpful but wanted a more permanent solution have turned to ear piercing. The idea is that piercing the same spot on the ear previously treated in acupuncture would bring a constant pressure and alleviate migraine pain. Practitioners of this approach believe they have fewer migraine episodes and fewer migraine symptoms overall.
How To Manage Migraine Pain
While migraine headaches cannot be cured, they can be effectively managed. There are two main treatment approaches that involve medication. The first is called abortive, or acute, where medication is taken at the first sign of a migraine, while the pain is mild.1 This method functions by helping to stop or decrease migraine symptoms so that you can get on with your day without being completely incapacitated. The other type of treatment is referred to as preventative these drugs are usually prescribed when migraines are severe, frequently occurring, and significantly interfere with daily life.1
Many individuals find that over-the-counter medications are effective for managing mild to moderate migraines and their symptoms. Excedrin® Migraine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating these headaches.1 In clinical studies, patients experiencing moderate to severe migraines found effective relief from their symptoms with just one dose. This acute pain management drug contains acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine.
Treating migraines can take some trial and error as you find the solution that works the best for you and your symptoms. Ear piercing for migraine relief may sound like a great way to permanently relief your headaches, but it is scientifically unfounded. You may find that you are best able to manage your pain with clinically proven medication.
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Be Playful With Your Perceptions
Find the opportunity in every event as it pertains to your vision. See any setback as though it was supposed to happen. Instead of being grim and wallowing in current circumstances, stand by your decision and follow through.
Be playful with this, start perceiving everything as though it was meant to be, as if its leading you closer to your goal. Synchronicity will start playing out in front of you just follow it.
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How Does A Daith Piercing Help Stop Migraines
The thing to understand about whether daith piercings can prevent or reduce migraines/headaches, or even anxiety, is that everyones anatomy is different, and piercers are not necessarily trained in medical anatomy.
Some people do report that their migraines have been stopped after getting a daith piercing, but if your migraines dont stop after a piercing, it may not mean that daith piercings for migraines dont work. It could just mean that you werent pierced in the exact location that alleviates migraine pain.
Thats why its a good idea to do a bit of research before getting daith piercings for migraines, in particular. You should know that even if daith piercing works for you as a migraine treatment, it does not cure migraines. But it may reduce their occurrence or make them less severe.
So is there any science behind daith piercings for migraines, something that would give a good indication they actually work to stop the pain of an attack? Yes, there is.
Those who suggest a daith piercing for migraine treatment point to acupuncture, which is a well-known alternative health treatment for pain management and other ailments. The location of the daith piercing is near an acupuncture point that helps with migraines.
Also Check: Pressure Points To Get Rid Of Migraines
Natural Remedies For Migraines
There are several natural remedies that are proven to help treat migraines, Ahmed says. You should still check in with your doctor before trying these remedies.
Natural treatments that can be effective include:
- Acupuncture uses needles to pierce specific areas of your body to treat pain. Studies show that acupuncture may help you have fewer migraines. A 2016 review of 22 studies found that three months of acupuncture treatment cut the number of migraines cut in half for 57% of participants.
- Acupressure involves using your fingers to press into and stimulate certain pressure points on your body. Certain pressure points on your hands and neck can help relieve the pain from migraines you can find a more in-depth guide for how to use acupressure on yourself here.
- Certain vitamins and minerals may also help to treat migraine pain. One early study found that taking 400mg of the B vitamin riboflavin daily helped cut down the number of migraines patients experienced. A daily dose of 400 to 500mg of magnesium can also help prevent migraines, according to the AMF.
Is There Any Scientific Proof Or Research Supporting Daith Piercing As Pain Treatment
No. While some people with migraine say they have experienced relief from their symptoms after getting a daith piercing, the only evidence that supports this is purely anecdotal, and there is no research that supports that theory. The American Migraine Foundation believes that many results are temporary and may be a product of the placebo effect, so it does not recommend daith piercings as a treatment strategy in light of potential risks like infection and pain. For more discussion about daith piercings and what others who have tried them say, visit the .
Reviewed for accuracy by the American Migraine Foundations subject matter experts, headache specialists and medical advisers with deep knowledge and training in headache medicine. to read about our editorial board members.
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What People Are Saying On Social Media
I think its a bit like everything else we read or hear, someone I know got rid of the migraines when he/ she changed their diet, or only drank water, or eats 5 bananas every day For some people, yes it may have an effect, for every one, no. I dont have any food triggers, and only drink water. But my triggers are everything else, not enough sleep, too much sleep, bad sleep, low blood sugar, wind, cold temperatures and warm temperatures. Sunlight, sharp lights in general. Noise. Stress. I get a migraine just going to my mailbox if the weather is just right for it. Inge S
The thing with this is that its on a pressure point. If you walk into any regular piercing parlor and get a Daith piercing, that doesnt mean its going to help your migraines. You need someone who knows what theyre doing when it comes to piercing AND pressure points. That way, they can put it in exactly the right area. Emma A
I have horrible migraines and Im currently taking 5 medications to help with them. I am willing to get this piercing to see if it works so I can get rid of all these medications. And if it doesnt work Im ok with it because Ill have a new piercing Each person is different what might work for one person might not work for another. Roxann G
As cool as this sounds it is bull*%& # I have it pierced on both ears and have for almost 7 years and I still get really bad migraines. Bliss H
There are a few considerations you should be aware of before getting a new piercing.
Are Ear Piercings For Migraines Effective
If youve ever experienced a migraine, you understand how intense and debilitating they can be. People will try all kinds of treatments, such as cold therapy, to find relief for their symptoms. Using ear piercings for migraine relief is a newer form of alternative treatment that some believe helps them manage their pain. But are ear piercings for migraines effective? Read on to learn about this form of acupuncture and whether it actively treats migraine attacks.
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Can Daith Piercings Cause Headaches
A daith piercing is a type of ear piercing where an earring goes through the firm piece of cartilage just above your ear canal. This is called the helix.
In recent years, daith piercings have grown in popularity. Some anecdotal reports suggest it may help people with migraine find relief, though research has not confirmed this.
The helix, or the spot where daith piercings are inserted, is a spot used during acupuncture and acupressure. Both are well-known headache treatments.
Some people may try to replicate the effect of acupuncture on this spot in order to experience the benefits for their own headaches.
But what they may end up experiencing is a headache the piercings location may make headaches more likely. Thats because the extra firm cartilage of the helix may cause more discomfort than softer tissue like an earlobe.
Additionally, research doesnt support the claim that daith piercings can stop migraine. No studies have been able to connect daith piercings with reduced migraine attacks.
Instead, some doctors and researchers believe daith piercings result in the placebo effect. This phenomenon occurs when people think a particular treatment is working the way they intended, when its not.
More research needs to be done to confirm whether daith piercings have any benefits for headache or migraine.
What Is A Daith Piercing And How Is It Connected To Migraines
A daith piercing is a piercing through the inner fold of cartilage just above the ear canal. Typically, those who receive the piercing wear a hoop or semi-circle earring.
So why is this specific piercing and location rumored to alleviate migraine symptoms? Well, the inner fold of cartilage coincides with a pressure point often targeted in acupuncture given to migraine patients, explains neurologist and headache specialist Deena E. Kuruvilla, M.D., Director of the Westport Headache Institute and executive board member for the Association of Migraine Disorders. So it’s believed that when the piercing hits this acu-pressure point, known as the vagus nerve similar to the way ear seeding and acupuncture work it can help relieve migraine pain, explains migraine specialist Chris Blatchley, M.D., medical director of the London Migraine Clinic.
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