Can an ear piercing help migraines?
If you’ve ever experienced a migraine, you know that one can last for hours or even days. The throbbing sensation in your head, partnered with nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and even vomiting can be unbearable and interfere with your day-to-day activities.
There are many medications, alternative treatments and natural remedies to relieve the intense pain. One alternative treatment in particular is a hot topic in the migraine community: a daith piercing.
What is a daith piercing?
A daith piercing is made in the smallest fold of cartilage in your ear, just above the ear canal. Some patients find it helpful to get the piercing on both sides or on the side where the migraine is worse.
Can an ear piercing really help with migraines?
There haven’t been any randomized, controlled clinical trials to prove if a daith piercing actually helps. Many experts think that it’s a placebo effect. The proposed way for a daith piercing to help is that it serves as a form of neuromodulation. Neuromodulation is the process in which nervous system activity is regulated by providing negative feedback to the pain system.
The idea of this piercing originally came from acupuncture techniques based on the claim that there’s a pressure point in this area of the ear that corresponds to the digestive system. The earring provides constant pressure on the point, which is believed to relieve migraine pain.
Are there any risks with daith piercings?
Because the daith is such a small piece of cartilage, it can be hard to pierce. Most people don’t change the earring once it’s pierced, due to difficulty inserting a new earring. Another issue is that a daith piercing takes a while to heal and can easily become infected. It’s important to receive the piercing from a professional to ensure it’s done correctly.
Kevin Weber is a neurologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
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