Piercings are not only for show; they can also serve a practical purpose. For example, tragus and daith piercings are better therapies for migraines and some other ailments. Nonetheless, there is always a risk that comes with getting a piercing.
There are various distinctions between the two, but there is far too little scientific literature to draw strong conclusions.
FACT: Migraines affect over 37 million people in the United States. According to the Migraine Trust in the United Kingdom, migraine is the world’s third-most common disease and affects an estimated one in every seven people.
The more widely discussed method for avoiding and relieving migraines and headaches is Daith piercing. With that in mind, we’ll review the most significant items before getting a tragus or Daith piercing.
This article will look at using Daith or tragus piercing for headaches and evaluate the available evidence. We aim to find out if daith piercings can help with migraine treatment.
What are Daith and Tragus Piercing?
In online forums, Daith and tragus piercings are commonly discussed as alternative migraine treatments. But what piercing helps with migraine? Well, a few migraine patients claim piercings help relieve their symptoms. Therefore, there isn’t any scientific data to support those certain claims.
A few more people with the condition have reported less pain all through migraine threats after obtaining a daith or tragus piercing in the ear’s outer cartilage.
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Daith Piercing |
Tragus Piercing |
| Daith piercings are located above your ear canal on the crus of the helix. | Tragus piercings are located on the small cartilage flap |
| They are formed on the lowest fold of cartilage in your ear | They include a portion of your inner ear |
| A Daith piercing can be done with both or even just one ear | Tragus piercings can be done in both ears or even on just one side of the head |
These piercings are thought to help with migraines affected by vagus nerve issues since this vagus nerve extends into the daith and tragus. However, it is important to note that there is no scientific evidence to support the claim of Daith and tragus piercings.
It is also typically performed by inserting a small needle through the cartilage and inserting a stud or hoop earring into the hole, which has possible risks. So even though ear cartilage is small and curvy, it can be difficult to pierce.
Furthermore, recovery can be lengthy—up to several months. If somehow the wound is not cleaned regularly, it is easy that it can become infected, as well as the piercing itself may be painful. There is also a chance that the piercing will complicate migraines, and the jewelry will be placed improperly.
How They Both Performed?
Daith and tragus piercings, which also are typically performed by inserting a small needle through the cartilage and inserting a stud or hoop earring into the hole, have possible risks. So even though ear cartilage is small and curvy, it can be difficult to pierce. Furthermore, recovery can be lengthy—up to several months.
If somehow the wound is not cleaned regularly. It is easy that it can become infected, as well as the piercing itself may be painful. There is also a chance that the piercing will complicate migraines and also that the jewelry will be placed improperly. An allergic reaction to the piercing needle or the jewelry itself is possible.
You may also experience the following difficulties:
- Disease
- Pain
- Bleeding
- Swelling
- Scarring
- Itching
- Affection
- Trauma
- tearing
Why daith and tragus piercings might work for migraines
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States approved vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) as a symptomatic or abortive therapy for migraines in 2018. According to research, VNS works to reduce migraine pain because the vagus nerve is considered to help modulate the brain’s headache pain signals to the brain.
Because the vagus nerve branches effectively into some of these areas, the daith and tragus piercings. They are placed on what are regarded to be highly effective sensitive areas that help to minimize migraine headaches. Piercings located within those pressure areas are thought to help relieve migraine pain.
Researchers’ Opinions About Daith or tragus piercing for headaches
There is some indication that this theory holds up, at most in terms of the daith. We know much less about how tragus piercings may help with migraine pain, though they may work similarly to Daith piercings. The majority of what we know regarding tragus piercings for migraine headaches is anecdotal.
Acupuncture treatment options and body piercings may have a link. The tragus and daith are located on your ear near the very same pressure point that acupuncturists use to treat migraine headaches.
To relieve migraine side effects, acupuncturists insert needles into the ear cartilage. Acupuncture is thought to activate central nervous system channels that turn off pain.
Acupuncture has been studied more extensively than piercing treatments for migraine headaches. But what piercing helps with migraine? According to a reliable source of medical literature, treatment works much better than sham or placebo therapies for migraine, both prevention and relief.
Does it matter which side the piercing is on?
If you want to receive a tragus piercing to treat migraine headaches, the side you get it on is important.
FACT: According to anecdotal evidence, you should have a piercing on the part of your head at which your pain generally tends to cluster.
In theory, they enhance the nervous system on the side of your head where migraines begin. They would be critical to ensuring that the treatment works.
How could it affect migraine pain?
More research is needed to see whether Daith or tragus piercing for headaches is an efficient migraine treatment. Tragus or daith piercings may be beneficial when vagus nerve difficulties cause migraine headaches.
The vagus nerve is really a long nerve that branches into many regions of the outer ear, including the daith and tragus. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is being looked into as a potential treatment for a variety of medical conditions, which include:
- epilepsy
- depression chronic
- inflammatory disorders
Optional Treatment:
VNS is also a treatment option other than tragus or daith piercing for migraines, with the potential to prevent or relieve the constant pain. Several more people believe that tragus and daith piercings can help relieve migraine discomfort and prevent headaches by enhancing the vagus nerve.
However, the indication that either type of piercing can relieve migraine pain is mostly anecdotal. A few more people who have pain on one side of their head report that getting the piercing on the opposite side helps. However, there is no scientific research to support these claims.
Acupuncture would seem to have inspired the use of cartilage piercings as a migraine therapy. Acupuncture is a type of Chinese traditional medicine in which needles are inserted into particular areas of the body to consider various health problems.
Because they require the same points, something which acupuncturists stimulate when trying to treat migraine pain, however, a few more people consider daith and tragus piercings to be more fixed types of acupuncture.
Safety precautions
- All body piercings carry some risk of bleeding, infection, and other problems.
- People can reduce their risk by getting their piercings done by a licensed professional and maintaining their piercings fresh and dry, particularly while they are healing.
- Explain hygiene and infection prevention with the person performing the piercing. Because of its low nickel content, a large number should use surgical-grade stainless steel needles and jewelry.
- Nickel is the most common allergen for people who are allergic to metals. Anyone who is sensitive to nickel should wear only gold, titanium, or stainless steel jewelry.
Things to Consider Before Getting Daith or Tragus Piercing:
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Know the Difference Between Tragus and Daith Piercings:
The distinction between the daith or tragus piercings is one of the most important things to understand before obtaining one. The tragus is a triangular component of cartilage located directly next to the ear opening.
When you want to block out sound, this will be the most likely place to press. The data is a cartilage fold found just above the ear canal.
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Tragus and Daith Piercings Can Help Treat Migraines and More:
However not foolproof. Each of these piercings is regarded as a novel migraine therapy. This is due to the fact that they help to enhance the vagus nerve, a long nerve that also branches throughout the outer ear.
Because malfunctions inside the vagus nerve are frequently a cause of recurring migraine headaches, depressed mood, anxiety, and epilepsy, piercing those certain areas can be a treatment for these conditions.
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They Can Be Painful
Daith or tragus piercings are more painful than standard ear piercings because they involve the use of a needle rather than a gun. Furthermore, because these are cartilage piercings, the recovery time will be 3 to 6 months.
A surface tragus piercing, on the other hand, is more for fashion and recovers quickly because it does not enter the cartilage.
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Does a tragus piercing hurt more than death?
Most people say the tragus hurts less, but this depends on a person’s pain tolerance.
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Evaluate the Risks:
As previously stated, any form of piercing carries risks. You should be aware of the following potential risks:
Catching/Tearing:
Daith or tragus piercing for headaches take some time for relief to get used to, and then if users wear hats, scarves, or sleep on certain forms of blankets. For example, your earrings may get caught on these materials, but also your piercing may be torn.
Keloids and Other Unattractive Issues:
You could develop a keloid, pustule, or granuloma, each of which is unaesthetic bumps. They can take place for a variety of reasons. Even though some are not always avoidable, the most effective way to avoid them is to maintain good care of your piercing.
Infections:
Infections can be caused as a result of unsanitary practices at the piercing site or poor hygiene after the piercing is placed. Excessive pain, redness, inflammatory, oozing pus, establishing a fever, and persistent bleeding. They are all symptoms of an infection. You may even be at risk of contracting blood-borne infections like HIV or Hepatitis B/C.
Allergies:
It is always possible to have an allergic reaction to the metal other than tragus piercing benefits. This is characterized by redness, skin irritation, and itching.
Rejection:
It is possible that your body will recognize the new piercing as a foreign substance and reject it entirely.
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They are Costly
Finally, you should consider the costs. Because this is not your typical ear piercing, you should be prepared to pay more for it.
Tragus or daith piercings typically cost between $25 and $50. You may be required to pay for your daith/tragus piercing stud or any other kinds of jewelry. You will almost certainly have to pay for something like the cleaning solution, however, if you already own it at home.
Final Verdict:
According to the American Migraine Foundation, nearly 80% of people who are living with migraine or headache illnesses have used different or complementary treatments to treat their side effects.
Daith and tragus piercings have gained popularity as possible new migraine and headache therapies. There is, however, little scientific proof that all these piercings produce the desired results.
In the meantime, an increasing body of evidence indicates that acupuncture can help treat a variety of chronic pain conditions, including migraine. Anyone thinking about getting a daith or tragus piercing should first try acupuncture. A Daith or tragus piercing for headaches could be beneficial if people respond well to relieve the symptoms of migraine.
Just like with any treatment option, the risks must be carefully considered. Disease, bleeding, and scarring can result from body piercings. There is also the possibility that symptoms and tragus piercing benefits will persist or intensify following a daith or tragus piercing. However, it is tough to predict treatment outcomes without high-quality findings!
FAQs:
Which is more effective for migraines, tragus or daith?
Daith piercings have now become a common method of migraine treatment. And although the proof for daith piercings as a migraine therapy is almost all anecdotal, a few more people seem to believe that tragus piercings might also effectively treat migraine pain in the very same way.
Is a tragus piercing beneficial for headaches?
Many people do believe that tragus and daith piercings can help relieve migraine discomfort and prevent headaches by enhancing the vagus nerve. But even so, the scientific proof that either form of piercing can reduce migraine pain is mostly anecdotal.
What is more, daith or tragus?
The data is located close to the tragus in the inner corner of your cartilage. This area is thicker than the remaining portion of the ear, so assume more pain with this piercing.
For migraines, whether the side should you obtain a Daith piercing?
A Daith or tragus piercing for headaches can be done inside one or maybe both ears. A few more people are in favor of Daith’s piercing suggestion of using it on this same ear, which is on the side of the body that affects most when you get a migraine. Thus, if you suffer from left-sided migraines more commonly, get your left ear pierced.
