help infected piercing

[passmethebiscuit]

Advice without horror stories please (have googled so been awake all night awaiting imminent death).
Had a daith piercing last week in a desperate attempt to help with migraines. day 3 got infected, ignored it as was busy, by yesterday agony and face swollen so pharmacy sent me to GP who has prescribed antibiotics and painkillers and gave me a lecture on being so foolhardy at my age (approaching 50). am cleaning with salt water, taking antibiotics but when can i take it out as feel embarrassed about it now. when the infection has gone in a few days? shall i go back to the piercer (was a specialist with a needle) and remove? will i make it worse if i remove before its healed? Help! i am in pain and so ashamed i have done this so please be kind. Plus to top it off the GP said migraines possibly worse last 6 months as iron and Vit D so low and they missed calling me after a blood test in Jan!! Advice and reassurance needed please.

Go back to the piercer ( or maybe a different one) and get their advice. Generally you shouldn’t remove it until the infection has gone but once it’s no longer infected, why not just keep it? You’ve earned it after all! x

Don't be embarrassed, my GP advised trying a daith before going down the medicinal route.
It didn't work for me but it was definitely worth a try.
I would keep it in unless it gives you more bother once the infection has healed.

I don’t understand why you keep saying how ashamed and embarrassed you are? Sometimes piercings get infected, it’s really not some great moral and personal failing! Your GP sounds like a self righteous, ageist prat. Don’t take the earring out, once it’s settled and the infection is gone, just let it be and wash out occasionally with salt water.

i’m not sure either i have a fair few other piercings, possibly as husband said it looked ridiculous then the GP commenting and ashamed about wasting NHS time for something i have caused. any ideas on when the antibiotics will kick in? the pain is really awful today 😥

That’s very unkind of your husband, I’m sorry. As for wasting nhs time tor something you’ve caused.. excuse me? Where would your gp draw the line? Someone seeking medical attention after a fall from a horse, or cancer treatment after smoking for years… silly thing to say and very unfortunate that they thought it was appropriate to make a patient seeking legitimate medical help feel the way you do now. I feel rather outraged on your behalf!
For me, it did take about 24hr before the antibiotics started working when my tragus piercing got infected then another 24hr to feel noticeably better. Have you any stronger painkillers than just paracetamol?

I used these products on my last piercing, I know they say only salt water but it wasn’t healing and I needed something more. Cleared it up really quick.

https://piercingmania.co.uk/piercing-healing-kit

I don’t think she meant the GP said she was wasting NHS time, she herself was embarrassed about doing so.

Oh yes, on a reread you may well be right. Either way, a lecture about being ‘foolhardy’ etc was unfair and, imo, inappropriate.

Any decent piercer will offer after care free. Definitely contact them. In the meantime, I was recommended to do hot compresses with camomile tea bags twice a day on an infected piercing. It REALLY helped!

thank you. possibly feeling overly sensitive as it hurts…wahhh!! Dr was possibly super busy and not much tolerance for middle aged women trying to fix migraines with piercings!

thank you will email the piercing place. They did say they offered free aftercare but wasn't sure if it was too soon.

Second this. Worked really well on my nose and helix piercings.