Can a Daith Piercing Help with Anxiety or Migraines?

If you suffer from anxiety or migraines, you may be desperate for an easy fix. A few years ago, an article on Buzzfeed about a magical piercing that could instantly relieve people of anxiety and migraines went viral. Soon, people were visiting their local piercing shops to get this piercing. That is how the daith piercing became so popular today.

But does it really help with anxiety or migraines? In this article, we take a closer look.

How Can a Daith Piercing Relieve Migraines or Anxiety?

According to the viral article, getting a daith piercing is similar to getting acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicinal practice. Acupuncture is all about balancing chi or qi, which stands for the flow of energy, through pathways in the body. It involves inserting very thin needles through strategic pressure points throughout the body. Acupuncture is commonly used for stress relief and overall wellness.

However, the Westernized practice of acupuncture views these pressure points more as a way to stimulate nerves, muscles, and connective tissue to boost the body’s natural painkillers.

According to the viral article and many internet forums, getting a daith piercing acts as constant pressure on the nerve, resulting in pain relief from migraines and severe headaches as well as stress and anxiety relief.

What Do Professional Piercers & Science Say?

The caveat with acupuncture is that the needles need to hit precise pressure points to be effective. However, with a daith piercing, there’s no guarantee that the piercing will go through the exact pressure point. This is because the piercing is done based on your ear’s unique anatomy. You need the proper anatomy to get a daith piercing; there must be enough of a ridge of cartilage to pierce through safely.

Many believe that the daith piercing can relieve migraines and headaches because of pressure put on the vagus nerve, which acts as a permanent pain blocker. However, this is far from the truth. First, every piercing goes through nerves because we have nerves throughout our bodies. Second, piercers typically don’t perform piercings near major nerve clusters or endings for safety reasons. This is why piercings cannot cause paralysis by damaging a nerve.

According to the National Institutes of Health, a daith piercing cannot be recommended as migraine treatment due to the lack of scientific evidence. Unfortunately, all the evidence is purely anecdotal, and scientists believe much of the relief people have found from daith piercings is due to the placebo effect rather than any actual pain relief. A placebo effect is when the psychological impact of believing something works is so strong it has physical effects because of it. However, The American Migraine Associate even made a statement that the daith piercing is just a placebo effect on migraine relief.

Should I Still Get a Daith Piercing?

If you’re looking for a daith piercing to cure your anxiety and migraines, it may not be the best reason to get one. That doesn’t mean you won’t experience relief from the placebo effect. However, daith piercings are extremely popular and stylish. For more information about daith piercings, check out our information and aftercare guide.