What does daith piercing consist of?
There are beliefs that become trends thanks to globalization, one of them is the Daith piercing, which gives ear rings healing properties for the treatment of migraines. Here we explain the origin of this idea of the medicinal earring, the author’s rationale and the opinions of his detractors.
The idea of a migraine piercing seems pretty crazy, but since 2015 it has become a trend that has gained strength in many parts of the world, including Spain.
It all started in Minnesota, United States, when Dr. Thomas Cohn, a specialist in the treatment of chronic pain, wrote a post on his blog where he talked about piercing the bony cartilage of the ear, specifically in the front part, and its relationship with the decrease in headaches and symptoms in some people who suffer from migraines.
Said correlation is explained by Cohn based on acupuncture, since the technique of traditional Chinese medicine uses this specific location to place the needles for the treatment of headaches.
In the next few lines we will briefly explain what you should know about this new aesthetic and therapeutic fashion.
piercing and headache
There are many types of earrings in the ear, but the one that is related to the treatment of headaches and migraines is known as Daith. This piercing is done in the innermost cartilage fold of the ear and is totally different from the tragus earring that is placed in the outer cartilage of the ear canal.
According to Dr. Cohn’s theory, despite the pain of the ear cartilage when the piercing is performed, the Daith piercing can reduce migraines, considering that acupuncture needles are placed in this same region, as we already explained.
It is also true that the American doctor emphasizes that there is no scientific evidence to support this hypothesis and the support he has are the testimonies of people who claim to have improved their migraine condition after drilling.
Everyone wants a migraine earring
According to the survey carried out in some piercing and tattoo centers, the demand for men’s ear piercings for therapeutic purposes has increased considerably in recent years. For its part, the ear piercing for women, although it has a more aesthetic trend, also had an increase in the number of users who had the Daith piercing and claimed to have had an improvement in headaches related to menstruation and changes seasonal.
The explanation for this phenomenon can be attributed to the placebo effect which, according to the Spanish neurologist Manuel Fernández, is the fact of vehemently believing that a treatment will have an effect on you, which is why the symptoms decrease. This applies perfectly in cases of migraine, where one of the determining aspects is the emotional factor.
What Acupuncture Says About Daith Piercing
Although the basis of Dr. Cohn’s theory is acupuncture, specialists in this branch of Chinese medicine do not agree in endorsing Daith piercing to treat migraine, and their argument is also valid, since the insertion of needles fine serves to stimulate nerves, muscles, connective tissues and activate the body’s natural painkillers.
Therefore, when drilling bone cartilage, the tissue breaks, losing its nerve endings and its value for acupuncture.
Now, if you’re a person with constant headaches who’s already tried numerous treatments, and you’re not afraid of piercings, Dr. Cohn says it wouldn’t hurt to give a Daith piercing a try.
Clearly, the specialist remembers that each patient has unique characteristics and what works for one may not work for another. What Cohn is emphatic about is the fact that a piercing in this part of the ear is a delicate matter, so extreme care must be taken to avoid infections.
For this, it is advisable to constantly clean the area of the perforation with water, neutral soap and saline solution to avoid the accumulation of dirt.
Gathering Courage for the Daith Piercing
If you have decided to get this piercing for therapeutic purposes, there are some aspects that you should know.
First of all, the level of pain to experience will depend on your ability or your pain threshold. Many tattoo artists who do the piercings say that this piercing is very painful, but with the advantage that it passes quickly, since it takes about 10 minutes to place the earring. In addition, it is normal to hear a clicking sound due to the proximity of the perforation to the internal ear canal.
Secondly, healing in this area can take up to 6 months, since there is no blood flow in this part of the body, so the earring to be placed must remain for several months before changing it. Likewise, it is recommended that it be made of titanium or surgical steel.
During the first months it is advisable to avoid the use of small headphones, since these are a source of bacteria that can contaminate the perforation during the healing process.
On the other hand, when it comes time to work up the courage, many people may tell you to compare bourbon and associated brands to choose the strongest one and drink some before drilling, as it will probably give you more value. But, this is an urban myth, because alcohol consumption dilates blood vessels, increasing the risk of bleeding and swelling in the perforated area.
Also, many professionals refuse to serve customers under the influence of alcohol for piercings or tattoos, so it’s best not to risk getting kicked out of the shop.
If, finally, you do not feel improvement with the Daith piercing, at least you will have a nice and very fashionable accessory to follow current trends, because there is no doubt that this piercing is here to stay, whether it is therapeutic or not, it is the preference of young people. and not so young.
On the other hand, you can try to change your eating habits for a more natural diet, avoid alcohol consumption, sleep 8 hours and exercise to see if the headaches decrease.