Statistics & Research

Published on 04/01/2023

Statistics recorded 6 months after the daith piercing from people who have attended my Burgess Hill or Harley Street Clinics.

This is the result of a survey answered by 508 patients I gave the option to tick the boxes for the answer below or make comment. 86 people opted to make comment of which 76 did as below. The comments give a great insight into what really happens and help for a better overall picture. 

How is the frequency of your migraine at present ?

(answered at 6 months plus after the piercing)

I have experienced no change 10.67% – 54

I have not had any migraine at all since the piercing 24.90% – 126

They have never stopped at all but are to a lesser degree than they where 25.09% – 127

They stopped after the piercing but have now returned to a small degree 18.77% – 95

They stopped after the piercing but have now returned to the same level they were 3.55% – 18

They are now worse then before the piercing 0.39% – 2     (this is rectified by removal of the piercing)

For the other 86 people (not inc in stats above) who preferred to make comment rather than tick a box, here are the comments made. These are copy and pasted from the survey software with no deletions or additions. Please note not all are migraines. 

These comments have been made at my 6 month email survey after the initial appointment. Having comments has really highlighted the already known reaction of one migraine, this is normally within 2 weeks of the piercing and is intense but shorter in frequency, after this it is frequently reported that the feeling of a migraine coming starts but then disappears.

Comments from survey softwear as follows:

I had one migraine a month after the piercings, but it was very mild compared to usual. None since then.

I have only had 3 migraines since the piercing, all of which were due to significant stress.

My epilepsy seizures have reduced

I have only had one after a week of insomnia. The symptoms were lessened and it only lasted a couple of hours whereas they used to last for multiple days.

I’ve only had one migraine since the piercing but this was following a rock concert on a hot day in Hyde park.

Most migraines are milder than before, it I have just had a severe 3 day one.

Migraine last month, first since piercing, was a bd headache instead of being horrific

They stopped for 3 months but have now returned with regular attacks

They have shifted from left to the right side but less severe i think i need help with my right-hand side of piercing

Very rare and hormonal so only before periods now whereas it was pretty much relentless before piercing

I’ve only had 1 migraine since the piercing

I still get them now and then when I don’t take my medication but instead of my migraine coming on straight away it comes on over a couple of days

since I saw you – I had one weekend but that’s it – so much much better

They took a while to settle but I have had hardly any for a couple of months now

They reduced slightly after the piercing but now are the same as before

very occasionally I have a much milder one than previously.

I have had only migraines since the piercing two of which were in my sleep
Have had one migraine but nothing like it used to be

They reduced for 2 months, enough to come off my daily preventative (Amitriptyline). However, they went back to 2 a week around March, interestingly after my first covid jab, but I have now been on a vegan diet with high vitamin C for 4 weeks and my migraines are twice a month and if a lesser degree.

Get them not as frequently less pain and with medication clear quickly

I have had a couple of migraines since but to a much lesser degree and the headaches don’t last as long.

Was not fitted for migraines

Though my migraines never fully stopped, they have decreased significantly!

They were a bit less intense after piercing but bigger change occurred after a step up in medication dose. I have had hardly any in last 6 months. Piercing was 1 year ago.

They were temporarily better after the piercing then worse. And now again better when the piercings healed completely.

They are far, far fewer, much less severed and don’t last long which is a big change for me and have completely changed my life. I can tolerate the very few mild migraines that I do get.

I only had 2 very very mild episodes other than that I am migraine free!

They have stopped but I occasionally get the foggy head feeling without the pain

I still have them, but they have changed. Still always on the left side, but they are less intense, but last longer.

They are greatly reduced but I do still get the occasional migraine if I have had a poor night’s sleep or stress.

I have clusters of bad migraines but the mild clusters I get in between have stopped

Less frequency and less severe

No migraine, but sometimes I have a slight feeling as if I have a headache coming on, but it never happens. This is rare though and doesn’t happen very often.

I do not experience migraines. But have noticed a reduction of headaches is relation to TMJ issue

They have reduced considerably in frequency; I’ve only had 5 since the piercing was done

Initially I thought they had got less but are now back to normal

I have had 2 in 6 months!

Less than before, when I had daily headaches, however some days I still have them

I had one while having the procedure then one a week later. Since then, nothing.

My migraines were better under control just before the piercing due to B12 injections, but I have noticed that the piercing has completely stopped my main trigger which was low pressure weather which has been very helpful.

I have them less frequently but still the same severity since piercing
migraines are still regular but now less intense and they last only a couple of hours more less

N/A

I have had one migraine since

Still get the occasional tension headache but not nearly as frequent as before

I’ve had 1 migraine since the piercing, and it was less intense

Had a couple in first 3 months and none since

I’m still on medication so its hard to answer

Did not have piercing done for migraines

I have had 2 since the piecing

I have the odd one, but recover much faster from them

They continued just after the piercing for 2 weeks but have stopped for now.

Had a change of medication, so migraines became worse, changed medication again today, to see if migraines get better

Only get minor headaches when really stressed, they are usually gone within the hour with aspirin.

I have experienced one migraine which was quickly and effectively treated using medication.

Since the piercing I have had only 2 migraines

I was having very regular headaches and only periodic migraines. After the piercing my headaches dramatically improved, but have gradually increased in frequency again. However in general they are not as severe, respond well to painkillers and rarely last for several days which they did before.

They have stopped after the piercing but due to a close family bereavement recently they have returned to a small degree

I’ve had one after a week but was only aura which lasted 3 hours but no headache and I was able to continue working as it was right in the corner of my eye. Had a 2nd migraine in the middle of the night whilst sleeping – no aura just headache and nausea- I took sumatriptan for this. This episode was 5 months later. Much improved!!

I took out the piercing and took up osteopathy instead (Osteopathy advised by Richard)

Migraines have stopped 95% i did have 2 attacks together with acid reflux

My normal experiences of migraines has stopped, i don’t get them weekly nor do i get them when it is my monthly cycle but i have noticed that if i have a night out drinking the day after i experience a severe migraine. this was not always the case prior to piercing. Therefore, i have now had to tone down the alcohol i drink. Even though i don’t drink very often.

Can’t really advise due to a different health problem
I had the piercing to see if it would help with my dizzy spells and I am still clear and free from them

Similar to as before piercing but less normal headaches

They have pretty much stopped completely, was getting at least one to two a month

Reduced frequency but also changed medication which seems to have impacted also

Only one migraine experienced 4 weeks ago

They settled a bit – had them less frequently after the piercing for around 3 months – then returned to the same level as before.

Occasionally experience them around my menstrual cycle. Some months worse than other months but nothing like they were before the piercing

Not done for migraine

Not as many

They dropped by half after the initial piercing then started to return to the same level as before, we then made a second piercing and this has had no effect. Migraines have now returned to where they were before.

My stomach migraine is much better

Vestibular migraine symptoms have disappeared, general migraines still the same

My migraines have reduced to pretty much non-existence, until I have something like Sinusitus then I get them every day until the illness ceases.

I have had 1 bad migraine since having the piercing, a couple of headaches that now go with paracetamol

They lessened after first piercing but got considerably better after 2nd

Since second piercing have had one migraine

Only 1 migraine which was really mild

10 people opted to make a comment but did not fill in this section.

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More Stuff 

UK STATS

“190,000 migraine attacks every day in the UK”.

“6 Million UK sufferers”

Ref Migraine NICE – National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence 

It is estimated that there are 190,000 migraine attacks experienced every day in England and 6 million people suffer from migraine in the UK. Prevalence has been reported to be 5–25% in women and 2–10% in men. Learn about how to rehabilitate from migraine.

 https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta260/documents/migraine-chronic-botulinum-toxin-type-a-final-scope2

WORLD STATS

Migraine is the third most common disease in the world (behind dental caries and tension-type headache) with an estimated global prevalence of 14.7% (that’s around 1 in 7 people).1

Ref The migraine trust. 4th Floor, Mitre House, 44-46 Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 1BN

IMPACT:

Migraine is ranked globally as the seventh most disabling disease among all diseases (responsible for 2.9% of all years of life lost to disability/YLDs) and the leading cause of disability among all neurological disorders.1

https://www.migrainetrust.org/about-migraine/migraine-what-is-it/facts-figures/

OUR STATS

Three months after the piercing we emailed 500 people of which 296 replied. These are the results direct from the survey page. 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-BYY8MFT97/

2014 initial survey and research.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-LFG9YBKD9/