The process of getting a body piercing involves a needle that punctures through the tissue, cartilage, or skin. During the piercing process, your piercer will insert a piece of jewelry into the hole. A new piercing requires consistent efforts to take care of it. Moreover, you can’t change your jewelry until the piercing has healed completely. On the other hand, many people tend to assume that besides having pain and discomfort around a new piercing, they will experience a constant headache.
Are headaches a common side effect of piercings?
Headache is not known as a potential side effect of a new piercing. However, some people may experience a headache after a few hours of getting a new piercing. You are likely to feel intense pain and discomfort during the process of piercing. However, you can save yourself from unnecessary pain by choosing a well-trained piercer who knows how to do his job. Before getting a new piercing, you need to understand that with a new piercing, you may not feel very comfortable in the beginning. Regardless of your piercer’s expertise level and experience, you are likely to experience the following reactions.
- Pain at the piercing site
- Skin irritation
- Bleeding
- Headache
Developing a headache may indicate pain and discomfort caused by the piercing. Similarly, having a new piercing in your inner ear or cartilage may lead to the risk of headache. However, you can relieve your headache by taking certain medicines.
Do’s and Don’ts with a New Piercing
- You can consider using the following remedies to treat a headache or relieve discomfort at the piercing site.
- If you experience bleeding in your new piercing, avoid taking aspirin or any other medication that contains aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve). Since aspirin acts as a blood thinner, aspirin intake can lead to excessive bleeding from the piercing site.
- New piercings are likely to close up without jewelry on them. Therefore, consider wearing the jewelry on your new piercing to ensure that it stays intact for a few months.
- A mild headache that lasts more than 48 hours needs the immediate attention of your healthcare provider. Similarly, if you can’t find any relief from medications to treat your headache, consider seeking help from your healthcare provider.
A headache after a new piercing can go away on its own. However, if you can’t tolerate the pain anymore, you can take over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) for instant pain relief. Also, you can place a cold compress on your forehead to relieve pain. In some cases, aromatherapy can help soothe your mind and provide pain relief with a new piercing.
