Most of those who get piercings do so for the aesthetic appeal. They only get pierced to look cooler in the eyes of the public. But there are some types of piercing which have a more profound purpose than just providing an aesthetic appeal and daith piercing is one of them.
Of course, we’re not saying that daith piercings aren’t attractive. But most people who have them don’t really care about how they look. Usually, people would acquire such piercings because they’ve heard about the health benefits that come with them. Although the claims aren’t really supported by “hard science,” a lot of fans of daith piercing claim that they’ve experienced all the benefits right after getting the piercing. Apparently, the piercing works the same way as acupuncture. Whether these claims are true or not, a lot of people are still interested in getting daith piercing but most of them don’t know much about it yet. To help out, this is a complete guide to help you learn more about daith piercing.
A Short History
Daith piercing has been a significant part of self-expression, religious affirmations, and other traditions for years now. As a matter of fact, this type of piercing has been in practice for about 5,000 years for various reasons, one of which is the healing properties. For ages, our ancestors have practiced acupuncture for the purpose of healing.
Originally, acupuncture was a common practice in the stone age and since then it has made its way to our modern world of medicine and healing. The father of modern Auriculotherapy is Dr. Paul Nogier and he first introduced the method back in the 50s. However, his research wasn’t as extensive because he didn’t have access to the measurement devices of our modern world. Still, he was able to come to a conclusion that our ears have different points of stimulation which one can manipulate in order to affect the other body parts. This conclusion of his emphasizes the main principles of auriculotherapy and acupuncture both of which make use of piercing as a way to stimulate the body’s reflex points.
At the time, Dr. Nogier was sure that all the modern measurement methods can determine how precisely stimulating specific points of the ears can produce reflexes in the other body parts. Although modern medicine doesn’t support the claims of such therapies, we can’t really dismiss the idea that these methods are effective.
A lot of people believe that piercing can affect the body’s energy flow. This means that piercing specific parts of the ears may actually improve specific conditions the other parts of the body are suffering from. Also, the piercing may affect the body’s internal functions. It is believed that a person’s ears contain most of the pressure points which are directly associated with the pain a person feels throughout his body. And now, daith piercing is very popular today especially among those who prefer natural therapies to modern medicine.
What Happens When One Decides to Have a Daith Piercing?
Before starting the procedure, the piercer will put his gloves on. For those who have long hair, they would have to put it up in a bun or a ponytail so the piercer will have a better view of the person’s ears. Most ear piercers make use of a type of antiseptic in order to sterilize the ears before they do anything. Then they’ll mark the location of the piercing so they know exactly where to pierce.
Because of the daith’s location, it can be quite awkward to pierce and hard to reach. Because of this, the piercer may have to ask the person to turn his head away. This will expose the part of the ear where the daith piercing is typically placed and give the piercer more space to work. However, there are also some piercers out there who prefer piercing while the person is sitting up.
When the person is ready, the piercer will make use of a hollow needle that’s sterile to perform the piercing. Some may even use clamps to aid with the procedure. Then if any blood pools around the ear after the piercing, the piercer wipes it away. Because of the awkward position of daith piercings, the procedure takes a bit longer than a regular earlobe piercing.
Also, the piercer would have to use a significant amount of force just to get the needle through the part of the ear. This is because the needle would pass through cartilage which is tougher than the skin. This makes a huge difference in terms of the force needed to make the piercing. As soon as the piercing is done, the piercer would place in the jewelry and provide the person with instructions for aftercare.
Does It Hurt?
If a person wants a quick and painless piercing procedure, then he probably wouldn’t want to get a daith piercing. For one, it takes more time and force for the needle to go through the cartilage than other types of piercing. Therefore, the one having his ear pierced would generally experience more pain.
Although a daith piercing is fairly painful, it also comes with some health benefits, though this doesn’t work for everyone. As for the aftermath of daith piercing, that would depend on the person’s tolerance for pain and his attitude while he’s recovering. Some people recover quickly from the procedure while others take longer. Also, the healing process can be quite painful and there’s a higher risk of getting an infection. By contrast, there are some people who get through the period of recovery without any incident.
Basically, the healing period depends on the person’s ability to handle the pain and keep his mind off it. Sometimes, a person can manage the pain better if he keeps himself distracted. For instance, if the person engages himself in something that requires a lot of thought and attention, then he may not notice the pain at all. So for those who are healing from a daith piercing, they should focus on other things rather than wallowing in their sorrow and pain.
What Should One Do Before Getting a Daith Piercing
Daith piercing is becoming more and more popular these days. Still, some people don’t know much about it and what they have to do before the actual procedure. To help out, here are some tips:
- First of all, one should do research on daith piercing before getting it. Remember that this is an actual procedure which will involve pain and a change in your body. Therefore, it’s best for a person to learn all that he can about it before doing it. That way, he will also be able to determine if he really wants to get the piercing or not.
- Never drink alcohol before the procedure. Some people might do this in order to get a little encouragement or to lessen the feeling of apprehension but drinking before getting the piercing is definitely bad news. Ethically, if the piercer sees that the person is drunk, he won’t perform the procedure until the person is sober. Plus, some people become more emotional when they’re drunk. And the last thing the piercer needs is to chase the person around the shop halfway through the procedure.
- For those who have long hair, it’s better to put their hair up before going into the shop. That way, the piercer doesn’t have to ask the person to do so right before the procedure. Otherwise, one will be wasting precious time which might even push the person not to go through with the piercing. Anything that might slow down the process might end up making the person feel even more worried about having the daith piercing. So it’s best to go into the shop ready for it.
- It’s also a good idea to eat something before getting the daith piercing. Although it’s not recommended to consume a full and heavy meal, a light but satisfying can help settle one’s stomach in preparation for the procedure. It’s difficult for a lot of people to have to endure nervousness and pain on an empty stomach. This might even make the person throw up while his daith is getting pierced. Neither the person nor the piercer would like this to happen. The former will feel embarrassed while the latter would most likely feel disgusted.
- Aside from getting a bite to eat, one should also drink a lot of water a few hours before getting the piercing. Even if the person doesn’t feel thirsty, drinking water will keep him hydrated and provide a comfortable feeling to the person.
- Another important thing to keep in mind is to get the daith piercing done by a professional and not just a family member or friend who offers to perform the procedure at a discounted price. Although one may have to pay a bit more for the services of a professional, it will definitely be worth the money. A professional piercer will ensure that the procedure takes place in a hygienic, sterile, and safe environment. This, in turn, will ensure that the piercing you get won’t get infected. One can think of a daith piercing as a long-term investment. Therefore, spending a few extra bucks on an experienced professional who’s also well-recommended would be ideal.
These are some practical tips one can use which he can do before the daith piercing. But before one decides to have this procedure, he should make sure that he really wants it. There are different reasons why a person would have a daith piercing. Although this type of piercing comes with some health benefits (at least according to the claims of others), don’t expect it to be a magic cure for migraines or other conditions. One shouldn’t depend on a single piercing to fix all his problems or cure his ailments. He should weigh his options first before getting the piercing.
After the procedure is complete, the person should learn how to properly care for his piercing especially on the same day. Right after getting pierced is the most vulnerable time when the person would most likely get an infection if he doesn’t take the necessary steps for aftercare. The person should clean his piercing at least 2-3 times each day to keep the daith area as clean as possible. No matter how tempting it would be, the person shouldn’t scratch, play or rub with the new piercing. Doing this will interrupt the healing process and increase the risk of bacteria getting transferred to the piercing site.
How Long Does It Take for Daith Piercings to Heal?
For a daith piercing to heal completely, one would need about 4 to 12 months. But if the person cares for the piercing properly and seeks treatment for it, the piercing may heal in as little as 6 months. Because of the daith’s awkward position, it takes more time to heal compared to regular piercings. But this isn’t the only reason. Other reasons for the longer healing time include:
- First of all, the piercing goes through the daith which is a fleshy and thick area of the ear made of cartilage. This causes trauma to the interior of the ear for a specific amount of time and it depends on the person’s ability to heal.
- Just like other types of ear piercings, daith piercings are prone to airborne germs and dust as compared to piercings in other body parts such as the tongue or belly button.
Although daith piercings take a longer time to heal, there are some things a person can do to make the healing go smoothly and, possibly, hasten the process. These include:
- Prevent any contact between the piercing and harsh beauty products such as perfumes, makeup, and more. All these products may agitate the tissues while they’re healing which, in turn, will make the healing process take a longer time.
- Also, a person should change his linens and pillowcases regularly after getting the daith piercing. This is because dandruff, bacteria, and other particles may accumulate in these fabrics and they may interfere with the healing process.
- One must also cleanse his ears regularly, paying special attention to the area of the daith. This is especially true after the person wears headphones, earmuffs, and other types of accessories which are usually worn on the ears. It’s also helpful to clean the ears after talking on the phone because this can also harbor bacteria which may harm the ears.
- Finally, an infection will also significantly slow down the process of healing. Because of this, people who have had a daith piercing should try their best to prevent an infection as much as possible.
Daith Piercing Aftercare
Any professional piercer who is considered as respectable must provide his patients with information regarding the aftercare of daith piercing. This typically involves cleaning practices which will help prevent any infection at the piercing site. Also, the aftercare may help with the healing process so it won’t take too long. Here are some tips:
- The best way to cleanse the wound is by soaking a small cotton ball in a warm solution of mild soap and water or a saline solution. Then the person should dab the cotton ball onto the wound gently. After cleaning the wound, one can dry it using a new paper towel. It’s not a good idea to use a bathroom towel because it might contain dust, germs, hair, and other particles which may cause an irritation or an infection on the wound.
- Keep in mind that a lot of soaps available can dry out the skin. Because of this, it’s not recommended to use too much soap on the piercing. Although it’s important to wash the piercing’s jewelry each day, the person should try not to get any of the soap into the wound itself. Also, try to avoid using skin oils, sprays, and hair gel as these products might get into the wound and prolong the healing process. Fortunately, cleaning a daith piercing is very easy.
- In terms of cleaning the daith piercing, one should do this for a couple of months or at least until the person feels that the piercing has healed completely. Keep in mind though that even if the exterior of the piercing looks like it’s already healed, that doesn’t always mean that the interior has fully healed too. Generally, the outer part of the skin heals at a faster rate than the inner part so remember this while the daith is healing. To be sure, one can visit his piercer and confirm if the piercing has already healed completely and he doesn’t have to keep on cleaning it daily.
- As much as possible, try to prevent any accumulation of earwax inside the person’s ear canal. This is because the earwax can potentially disrupt the healing of the skin on the inner ear. Also, it’s best not to wear any hats or headpieces which might catch on the daith piercing.
- When washing one’s hair, stay away from hair care products which are strong or contain harsh chemicals because these might irritate the piercing, cause an infection or slow down the healing process.
- As aforementioned, it’s never a good idea to play with, scratch, rub or keep on touching the piercing no matter how tempting this may be. One should resist the urge as doing this might increase the risk of transmitting or spreading bacteria to the wound which, in turn, increases the risk of infection. If the person really needs to touch the daith piercing, then he should wash his hands thoroughly first or at least wear a pair of sterile gloves.
- Another thing to keep in mind is that one shouldn’t change the jewelry of his daith piercing until the wound has healed completely. The piercer should inform his patient of this. The reason for this is that premature removal of the stud or the jewelry placed by the piercer might cause trauma to the wound that’s trying to heal.
But what should one do if his daith piercing already gets infected? No matter how much people try to prevent an infection, sometimes it just happens. In such cases, there are some things the person can do to help alleviate or even cure the infection. Consider these tips:
- First of all, the person should know how to recognize an infection within or around the daith piercing. This is important so that the person knows that he has to take the necessary steps for the treatment so the infection won’t get worse.
- To see if one is suffering from an infection, he should check for any inflammation on the ear especially around the piercing site. Also, one may have an infection if his ear becomes very red and starts to feel painful especially in or around the daith. Also, excessive swelling which doesn’t go away after a couple of days may indicate an infection. If one notices any of these, he should consult with a doctor.
- Of course, the after one gets the piercing, he may notice redness, swelling, and even pain in the first couple of days after. This doesn’t mean that the piercing is already infected. But if these don’t go away or they worsen after a few days, the person should contact his doctor.
- There are rare cases when pus accumulates inside the person’s cartilage. This is a dangerous occurrence because it may lead to the death of the cartilage tissue because there is a loss of the supply of blood. If left untreated, the shape of the person’s ear may change and the person may suffer from an ear deformity called cauliflower ear.
- If the person is concerned about his piercing, it’s best to consult with a doctor to be sure. If indeed, he has an infection, the doctor may prescribe an antibiotic in order to help get rid of the infection. The best results would come from early treatment that’s why it’s essential to consult with the doctor as soon as he recognizes the infection.
- In some cases, the person won’t get an infection but he may develop keloid scars after acquiring the daith piercing. This would appear as a large tissue that’s puffy-looking and it mainly consists of excess collagen. Usually, keloids appear on the upper part of the ear after a person gets a piercing. If such scars form after the daith piercing, the person can also consult with his doctor. There are some treatments which can help make the skin smoother. These include pressure dressings, cortisone injections, and laser therapy. However, there’s still a chance that the scars remain even after the treatments.
Daith Piercing and Anxiety: What’s the Connection?
A daith piercing would be done in the innermost fold of a person’s ear. For some people, they believe that this type of piercing can help alleviate anxiety along with the symptoms that come with the condition. Although most of the evidence is anecdotal in nature, there is some research about the potential mechanism of action of daith piercing.
The ear contains a lot of pressure points and acupuncturists along with other practitioners of holistic health believe that these pressure points can be stimulated in order to alleviate specific conditions. Mainly, the target of these pressure points is the vagus nerve which is the longest nerve that extends from the bottom of the person’s brain to the rest of his body. Theoretically, a daith piercing would place a constant amount of pressure on a person’s vagus nerve.
There are certain health conditions such as epilepsy and depression which have been proven to respond well to the stimulation of the vagus nerve. Until now, research is still being done to see if the stimulation of this nerve can also treat other conditions. So far, the information which exists with regards to daith piercing being beneficial for anxiety is not entirely conclusive. This is because the information is just anecdotal rather than based on exploratory studies or clinical trials.
For some people, the daith piercing may only provide a placebo effect. This means that it’s only working because the person really believes that it’s working. Still, we don’t have enough information available to rule out the effect. However, we do know that acupuncture is very effective in terms of treating anxiety and migraines so maybe there’s something to it. If such piercings actually work in easing anxiety, then it’s most likely because the mechanism behind it is similar to that of acupuncture.
Here’s another thing to keep in mind when it comes to treating anxiety through daith piercing – it actually matters which side the piercing is on at least, theoretically. If the person wants to get a daith piercing, then he should get it on the side of his head where the pain caused by his anxiety tends to cluster. Of course, if the person isn’t getting the piercing to treat anxiety, then it doesn’t matter which side he gets the piercing on.
Before getting the daith piercing, the person should consider the side effects and the risks. Keep in mind that the process can be quite painful and the piercing takes longer to heal than standard piercings. Also, since the piercing is done on the cartilage, then it’s more likely to get infected. Sometimes, people can even get bacterial infections which, if left unchecked, may lead to toxic shock syndrome or even sepsis.
Finally, there’s always the risk that the piercing won’t alleviate the person’s anxiety. Even though there’s a lot of anecdotal evidence available, there’s really no way a person can be sure unless he tries it for himself. Before making a decision, the person can do research on it and maybe even talk to his doctors about it.
Daith Piercing and Migraines: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Side
Although daith piercing isn’t a new thing, it only gained popularity on the internet about one year ago. Unlike other fads though, this one has a fairly good staying power. This is mainly because of all the testimonials were given by people who have experienced all the benefits of daith piercing in terms of improving their migraines.
The theory behind this type of piercing as a treatment for migraines has its roots in acupuncture. Apparently, the daith is an acupressure point that’s linked to a person’s digestive system. Although there’s no scientific evidence to back this up, a lot of people still believe that it works. And since daith piercing is cheaper than other types of treatments for migraines, people are getting more and more interested in trying it out. Let’s learn more about daith piercing and migraines by looking at all the sides:
The Good. When hearing about the benefits of daith piercing for migraines, most people would ask, does it actually work? Well, based on a lot of testimonials from people who’ve tried it, they’re really happy with their decision. Some people claim that after they’ve acquired the piercing, the frequency of their migraines has reduced significantly. Although these people don’t think of daith piercing as a cure for migraines, they do believe that it has helped them out a lot. In fact, some people even claim that they’re totally migraine-free after the daith piercing.
The Bad. By contrast, some people didn’t notice any changes after getting the daith piercing. Although some have experienced only a temporary improvement or slight changes in their migraines. Some claim that the effects of the piercing only lasted for a month or two and, after it healed, the effects faded too. These people claim that the piercing looks cool but it doesn’t do anything for their condition.
The Ugly. Just like other types of piercing, daith comes with some level of risk. Of course, the process itself causes pain. And while it heals, the part of the ear can remain tender to the touch. Aside from this, the daith piercing may also carry the risk of infection and for those who have experienced this, they claim that it’s highly unpleasant. For some people, the piercing closes up after they’ve removed the jewelry. For others, they experienced a lot of pain because of the procedure only to realize that it didn’t have any good effects on their migraines.
So again we ask, is daith piercing beneficial for migraines? Well, it depends. Obviously, it works for some but not for everyone. Because of this, the decision to get this type of piercing depends only on the person. Although it would be better for everyone if there was more information available to support the claims of those who benefitted from their decision, this information just doesn’t exist. So a person can just learn all he can about the procedure and make a decision based on what he has found out and how he personally feels about daith piercing.
Check out more info on daith piercing procedure here:
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