Tragus piercing for migraines

Daith and tragus piercings are among the most talked about — and controversial — alternative therapies for migraine. Some people believe these cosmetic procedures — which involve piercing a small fold of cartilage near the opening of the outer ear — have benefits similar tragus piercing for migraines acupuncture for migraine pain.

A tragus piercing is a type of ear piercing that places a hoop or stud through the cartilage that partially covers your ear canal. The tragus itself is located right below another commonly pierced part of ear cartilage called the daith. Daith piercings have become a popular alternative treatment for migraine headaches. Although the evidence for daith piercings as a migraine treatment is mostly anecdotal, some people believe that tragus piercings could work in the same way to help relieve migraine pain. Scientists are actively investigating how, and if, a piercing could alleviate migraine pain. What we know so far about tragus and daith piercings for migraines is limited. Some migraine specialists believe that a piercing could do more harm than good.

Tragus piercing for migraines

Apr 4, People with migraine headaches are always on the lookout for better relief. There are plenty of prescription and non-prescription drugs available, but a lot of migraineurs would rather not depend on them too much. Tragus piercings are gaining popularity as one of those tools, but do they really work for migraines? The tragus is the small flap of cartilage at the front of the ear canal. Tragus piercings for migraine can be done in one or both ears. The vagus nerve — one of the longest nerves in the body — connects your brain with your gut. It also branches throughout the ear, including through the tragus. The theory behind tragus piercings for migraine is that they stimulate the vagus nerve, thereby alleviating migraine headaches. Vagus nerve stimulation has been shown to help conditions like epilepsy and depression, but claims surrounding migraine relief are all anecdotal. Vagus nerve stimulation has been shown to alleviate some conditions, such as epilepsy and depression , but of course these are not migraines. At this point, evidence that tragus piercings alleviate migraines is mostly anecdotal.

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Managing Migraine. Content created for the Bezzy community and sponsored by our partners. Learn More. Medically Reviewed by:. Though some people have reported experiencing a reduction in migraine symptoms after getting a daith or tragus piercing, research on the effectiveness of ear piercings for migraine relief is limited.

Some people believe that tragus piercings, a type of ear piercing, may help alleviate symptoms of migraine headaches. However, current evidence is mainly anecdotal. While medication is often the primary treatment option for migraine, many people pursue alternative therapies. Some of these alternative treatments include meditation, acupuncture, and, more recently, ear piercings. In this article, we discuss daith and tragus piercings as treatments for migraine headaches and pain. We explore the reasons that these piercings might help, the scientific evidence behind them, and possible adverse effects. When problems with the vagus nerve are responsible for migraine headaches, tragus or daith piercings may help. The vagus nerve is long, and it branches into several parts of the outer ear, including the daith and the tragus. Researchers are currently exploring vagus nerve stimulation VNS as a possible treatment for a number of medical conditions, including:. VNS is also an emerging treatment for migraine headaches — it may prevent them from occurring or relieve ongoing pain.

Tragus piercing for migraines

Not only do they cause intense pain, they can prevent you from living your best life. Could a tragus piercing help remedy the piercing pain of migraine? A tragus piercing goes through the cartilage that partially covers your ear canal. But we def need more research to find out if the perks are for real. According to the American Migraine Foundation , up to 80 percent of folks who live with headache and migraine disorders have tried alternative treatments.

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At least according to anecdotal advice, if you want to get a tragus piercing for migraines, you should have it done on the side of your head where your pain tends to cluster the most. As with any piercing, there is also some pain involved. The pain level experienced during a daith or tragus piercing can vary from person to person, as pain tolerance differs. Like the story? My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health? The studies we have are newer and somewhat limited, but dry needling may be able to bring relief to those with migraine headaches. Your daith is the thick cartilage fold in the center of your ear, just above your ear canal opening. Could a tragus piercing help remedy the piercing pain of migraine? These infections can spread rapidly and cause permanent disfigurement of the ear if not treated early. Fact or Myth: Cream of Tartar for Migraine? Like acupuncture — a common migraine treatment — daith and tragus piercings are thought to treat migraine pain by activating specific pressure points in the ear. What teas can help relieve migraine? If you move forward with the piercing, make sure you choose a reputable piercing parlor. Vyepti and cost Vyepti is a prescription drug used to treat migraine episodes in adults.

Managing Migraine.

Learn more about teas and more. Acupuncture is a form of Chinese traditional medicine that involves inserting needles into specific points on the body to treat various health conditions. One of these methods is the tragus piercing. React below:. Content created for the Bezzy community and sponsored by our partners. Auras are triggered in the brain stem…. Although the evidence for daith piercings as a migraine treatment is mostly anecdotal, some people believe that tragus piercings could work in the same way to help relieve migraine pain. Anyone considering a daith or tragus piercing may want to try acupuncture first. In some cases, bacterial infections from piercings can lead to sepsis or toxic shock syndrome. Then the migraines moved to the other side of my head and after two years, I still get drainage and soreness. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. This is where relief is experienced because the person believes the treatment is working, and is usually temporary. How has it worked for you? However, scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness is even more limited than the research on daith piercing. Migraine is a neurological condition that affects nearly three times more women than men.