I suffer from migraines. Like, a LOT of migraines. You’ll constantly see me popping Motrin and extra-strength Tylenol at all hours of the day. Sometimes I have to miss class because I literally cannot move without it feeling like my head is about to implode and my eyes will roll out of my skull and onto the floor. Needless to say, I’ve tried everything my doctor has suggested to help ease these migraines. I was at the end of my rope, until I heard about a piercing in the ear that’s shown to reduce the intensity and frequency of migraines. Here’s how I found out about Daith piercings and why I’m so thankful for them.
The daith is a little ridge inside of your ear, a little above the tragus. It’s a common pressure point used in acupuncture to help ease headaches and sometimes even anxiety. This spot has actually been used for thousands of years, and people recently had the idea to pierce it in order to keep the effects of the applied pressure here. There have been an outrageous amount of people happily claiming that the amount of migraines they experience and the severity of them have dropped dramatically! Not only did they have a cool new piercing, but their headaches were no longer hindering them from experiencing common daily activities.
I knew I needed to try this, but my parents were a little shaky. Bittersweetly, my mother also experiences migraines, and she was more than willing to let me try something in hopes that it would help, which in turn convinced my father (okay, I actually had to make a whole PowerPoint presentation and stuff, but he eventually agreed)! As soon as they said yes, I ran to the nearest tattoo and piercing shop in Conyers and shoved a needle through my ear. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt; if anything, it was more of a weird pressure since that part of my ear never really feels anything. Immediately, I felt the effects. I went in with a headache, and as I was paying, I noticed that I felt completely fine. Honestly, I almost burst into tears because I was so happy to see that it was already working. Luckily for me, it has also helped my sleep better, and I wake up feeling more rested each day.
The healing process and care has been relatively easy so far. I consider myself lucky for this. However, if you get this piercing and it starts to flare up, Oxford’s health center has plenty of handouts explaining how to care for and treat various piercings. They’re also more than capable of caring for odd piercings and have studied them separately in order to ensure the best possible treatment. Knowing that I still have a safe doctor on campus when I’m away from home has helped me feel a lot safer, and their pamphlets have also taught me different ways to care for my new piercing.
Long story short, if you have constant migraines and are tired of constantly taking medication or other therapy, a Daith piercing may be worth trying out! It does feel odd for a split second, but it’s more than worth it now that my migraines are decreased in frequency and strength. Just be warned, a major side effect is that you’ll look super cool.