Faith In the Daith

One piercing may have the ability to stop a migraine

A daith piercing is more than just a fashion statement. Daith piercings can be help ease migraine headaches.

Caitlin Tabbert

A daith piercing is more than just a fashion statement. Daith piercings can be help ease migraine headaches.

Caitlin Tabbert, Reporter

Picture this: your alarm clock going off at six am. With half-open eyes, you reach over to your nightstand, pick up your dad’s hammer and bash yourself across the forehead. Debilitating pain floods in. Now imagine feeling that pain every morning. A pain so intense, so severe that the simple thought of moving makes you nauseous. This is what it is like to suffer from migraines. This is what four million people experience on a daily basis.
Scientists have yet to crack the code on what causes migraines and why so many people get them. Some theories stem from a nervous system disorder to abnormalities of brain chemicals and nerve pathways. Physiologically, a migraine involves the expansion of blood vessels in the brain. There are many triggers to migraines. Anything from skipping meals to bright lights to hormone changes could initiate the onset of symptoms.
There are a wide variety of treatments for those who suffer from migraines. Typically, over the counter pain relief medicines are go-to solutions. For a small percentage of people these work. Most, however, don’t find relief. Doctors often recommend other treatments such as prescription medication, physical therapy, changes in diet and exercise. Those who still find no relief turn to alternative therapies such as acupuncture, meditation, yoga, and the perhaps more outrageous option, getting a daith piercing.
A daith piercing is a piercing of the cartilage near the helix inside the ear. Junior Alexa Marshall is a migraine sufferer. She opted to try the daith piercing. Marshall explained that she chose to get the daith piercing as a recommendation from her mom and sister. She has noticed a decrease in the amount of migraines she gets. After getting my own daith piercing I, too, noticed a decrease in the severity of my migraines.
Although there is not a lot of scientific evidence supporting daith piercing as a migraine remedy, it is speculated that the daith piercing influences a key nerve located in the ear. Studies show that the daith piercing is an effective form of migraine relief in about 50 percent of people. As a daith piercer explained, although there is a lack of scientific evidence, there is an overwhelming amount of anecdotal evidence supporting its effectiveness. In his words, it’s a win-win situation. You get migraine relief and with it you also get a cool piercing.

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