Piercings have always been about aesthetics – to accentuate beauty, enhance appearance or show personality. However, piercings are more than just a piece of jewellery as it has been found they may be useful in treating headaches, severe migraines and even anxiety.

Piercings have been considered to have the same health benefits as the practice of acupuncture – especially as they are both doing the same thing. For example, the tragus piercing has been thought to help weight management and headache relief and both the shen men and daith piercing have been known to alleviate anxiety.

The ear has many pressure points that holistic healers and acupuncturists use to help ease headaches as they all target a specific nerve called the vagus. The vagus nerve is responsible for carrying sensory information from the organs back to the brain and helps regulate heartbeat and maintain the gastrointestinal tract. If an individual damages the vagus nerve then the person could experience difficulty speaking, trouble drinking, abnormal blood pressure, and an irregular heartbeat.

What is the Shen Men Piercing?

The shen men piercing is over an acupunctural point just under the top fold of the ear in a spot that is known to alleviate anxiety. Many people have praised the piercings, celebrating the fact they’ve been anxiety free for the first time in years, thanks to the piercing.

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What is the Daith Piercing?

The daith piercing is supposedly the most helpful place to get pierced if you are looking for relief from anxiety, anxiety-induced migraines and other related symptoms. The daith is located in the most inner fold of your ear and has become a popular piercing for both aesthetic and medical reasons. The piercing is thought to keep constant pressure on the vagus nerve and that’s what helps alleviate the side effects of anxiety.

Although there hasn’t been concrete, scientific evidence, the effect of the daith piercing has been received positively because so many people have shared their experiences and the benefits its had on their lives.

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Is There A Right Side to Get Pierced?

If you’re deciding the get the daith piercing because of anxiety-related migraines or headaches, then you should get it pierced on the side that the pain tends to occur the most.

What Side Effects can the Piercing have?

As with all piercings, the daith can have some side effects if not looked after properly. As the piercing is located so close to the ear, hair can tend to get caught up and pull on the jewellery, making the wound have a higher risk of getting infected. The piercing may take a little longer to heal than usual, so it’s important that you follow the correct aftercare and any advice your piercer offers you. Your body may also reject the piercing, and it’s important to get it removed if there’s an inflammation or you’re worried the wound may have got infected. Make sure your piercing artist is using sterilised equipment too.

There is also a chance that the piercing may not help to alleviate your anxiety or related symptoms, so it’s important to speak to a medical professional if you’re struggling.