Tongue piercing - what consequences can passion lead to?

Before getting a piercing, have you decided to find out the pros and cons of tongue piercing?
Then the article will be useful. If you want to immediately get the answer, then in a nutshell: the pros - it’s beautiful, but the cons - getting a puncture is damn painful, fraught with the consequences of suppuration with the prospect of being left without a tongue. Have you changed your mind yet? Great! So, in this article you will learn how to make a piercing and still have your tongue intact; how to choose a salon, master, pier; what you can do with an earring, what you can’t; who will like your piercing; how employers and company clients react to it. The pros and cons of tongue piercing are something you should definitely know before getting a piercing.

Tongue piercing – what consequences can a fashionable hobby lead to?

Piercing various parts of the body is a fashionable hobby that has become popular among young people for quite some time. Many people choose the tongue as the place for the piercing, since here the earring can always be hidden from prying eyes, for example, while studying or working. But it should be understood that decorating an organ presupposes its inevitable injury. Without a careful and responsible approach to the healing period, an infection can get into the wound, and problems cannot be avoided. Today we’ll talk about how piercing is done, what unpleasant consequences can occur, and what to do if your tongue hurts badly after the piercing.

Brief historical background

The earliest evidence of tongue piercing comes from the rituals of the Mesoamerican peoples, who used plant spines as tools.

It is known that the procedure was performed to initiate a person into the upper echelons of society and was part of a cult. The indigenous people of Australia considered tongue piercing a means of exorcism and treatment against evil magical influences.

The fashion for this type of piercing came to Europe already devoid of religious significance. In the 1990s. The popularity of body modification began to flourish, and such piercing was demonstrated by many youth idols, music and film stars, making it a symbol of freedom of expression and sexuality. Since then, it has been included in the range of services of most piercers.

Piercing as a source of pain

If we talk about the degree of pain of the procedure itself, then performing a tongue piercing is not a pleasant event. If a person becomes very nervous and twitches, causing the specialist to be unable to make an accurate puncture, everything will end with serious damage to an important organ. Therefore, many salons and medical institutions offering this service recommend using local anesthesia. Today, both injection and superficial methods of administering anesthetic are widely used.

Will my tongue hurt after a tongue piercing?

On a note! When choosing piercing under anesthesia, get ready for the fact that in the first couple of hours you will not have the opportunity to express yourself normally, since your tongue is unlikely to obey you. It is better to make sure in advance that someone you know is next to you. The effect of “freezing” will completely wear off only after 1-1.5 hours.

After the piercing, the tongue will still hurt and cause discomfort for some time. To relieve pain, you can take a painkiller tablet. This organ contains a huge number of blood vessels and nerve endings, so for another 2-3 weeks you will feel some soreness and swelling of the soft tissues. Be careful: if it doesn’t get better, the pain intensifies, becomes pulsating, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Possible complications in this case include an allergic reaction to the metal and infection of the wound.

Decoration selection

Mostly, straight barbells are used for tongue piercing. It is important to choose the right barbell size for your tongue. A barbell that is too long or too thin will cause discomfort due to constant movement and may lead to broken teeth.

Choosing a barbell that is too short can cause discomfort and pain from the pressure of the barbell on the tongue.

While the puncture is healing, a long rod made of gold, Teflon, platinum or niobium of only high quality is inserted. Since a barbell intended for constant wear will be too short for a swollen tongue and will compress it.

The bar must be smooth - any unevenness will not only cause irritation and pain, but will also slow down the healing process of the wound.

How to make a puncture

To know what to expect, you first need to find out exactly how the piercing procedure is performed. So, this process involves the following steps:

to begin with, the tongue is placed in a special tool - a clamp, in the center of which there is a hole for decoration,
after this, the master makes a puncture, for which he uses a special sterile needle intended for one-time use,
a “barbell” is inserted through a special hole in the needle, after which the needle and clamp are removed,
after this, the oral cavity is treated with a disinfectant solution, for example, Chlorhexidine.

The photo shows the procedure for piercing the tongue.
If the procedure was carried out during the day, then in the evening the tongue will inevitably swell and cause some inconvenience.
The speed of healing largely depends on the individual characteristics of the human body. For some, this process takes five days, for others – two weeks. Keep in mind that during this period you will have to exclude spicy foods and acid-containing foods from your diet, and, if possible, limit the consumption of solid foods. It is also recommended to talk less and move your tongue so as not to accidentally touch the wound.

All the pros and cons of piercing

The popularity of this form of piercing has deservedly gained popularity, because compared to many other options for decorating your body, it really has many advantages. Here are some of them:

painlessness of the procedure when using anesthesia,
the ability to easily and at any time hide the earring,
low risk of complications, provided all sanitary requirements and procedure techniques are met,
a chance to increase your self-esteem, do something original, decorate your body with spectacular jewelry,
the ability to remove the earring at any time - the tongue has a tendency to quickly regenerate tissue, so such damage heals quickly and leaves virtually no traces.

However, along with obvious advantages, the fashion hobby also has its disadvantages. Thus, the disadvantages of piercing include long and rather painful healing, the appearance of speech defects, increased salivation, damage to tooth enamel, difficulty chewing in the early stages, as well as a likely negative reaction from loved ones and family members, if we are talking about very young people .

Tongue piercing allows you to stand out and increase self-esteem

“My friend once decided to pierce her tongue herself. I disinfected the large needle with something and did everything myself in front of the mirror. And it seemed normal, I went to bed, and then in the middle of the night I woke up from hellish pain and from the fact that it was difficult to breathe. The tongue was completely swollen, the parents immediately called an ambulance. Everything ended well, but personally, as they say, I still have an aftertaste..."
Olala, Krasnoyarsk, from correspondence on the woman.ru forum

In order for the procedure to go smoothly and without incidents, you should carefully choose the place where it will be carried out. Obviously, it would be better and safer to give preference to a trusted medical center that offers services of this kind.

Contraindications and possible consequences - can everyone have their tongue pierced?

Despite its wide popularity, piercing of this part of the body is not accessible to everyone. There is a whole list of contraindications that prohibit intentional injury to an organ:

inability to take the healing period seriously: you should not get a piercing if you currently do not have the time and suitable conditions to regularly treat the wound, rinse and wash,
pregnancy period: during this period, the risk of critical infection poses a truly serious threat, so it is simply unreasonable to expose yourself and the child to danger once again,
allergy to antibiotics: in this case, the potential complication of infection can be fatal,
allergy to metals,
poor blood clotting,
mental illness,
epilepsy,
oral diseases,
autoimmune diseases, hemophilia, diabetes mellitus - all these are strict contraindications to intentional damage to the oral mucosa. If you have any health problems, it would be a good idea to consult your doctor.

Important! In Russia, piercing is allowed for persons who have reached the age of majority - 18 years. In some cases, it is possible to carry out the procedure from the age of 16, but only with the written official consent of the parents1.

Tongue diseases can cause poor wound healing

In addition to many contraindications, tongue piercing has a number of serious complications. Of course, today in medical centers and decent salons all risks are reduced to a minimum, but the likelihood of encountering a serious problem still remains. So, an infection can penetrate into the wound or the metal can provoke an allergic reaction. If the technician performs inept actions, bleeding may occur or a nerve may be damaged, which will lead to partial loss of sensitivity. The most dangerous possible consequence is infection through instruments - hepatitis, HIV and other dangerous diseases.

Tongue piercing at home

If you decide to do a tongue piercing yourself, at home, which is extremely undesirable, then it is done as follows.

Buy a disposable catheter and antiseptic at the pharmacy.
Rinse your mouth with a disinfectant solution.
Also treat the earring with alcohol.
Lift your tongue with your fingers and make a mark between the two arteries. The mark should be exactly in the middle, this is very important!
It's quite difficult to inflict pain on yourself, but next you will need to hold your tongue firmly and pierce it from the bottom up with a needle.
While the needle is in the tongue, insert the jewelry without removing it.
Rinse your mouth thoroughly with disinfectant.

Those people who have already tried to do this on their own will tell you that it is better to go to specialists. Despite the fact that the procedure seems extremely simple, it is not worth doing at home. Even an experienced doctor can sometimes damage your nerve or hit vital arteries, and it’s scary to think what you can do to yourself. Therefore, the opinion of surgeons regarding independent manipulation is sharply negative.

Touching on this topic, it is worth talking about the possible consequences of tongue piercing.

How long does it take for a piercing to heal?

For many who have already decided to decorate their tongue with a spectacular earring, the question remains open of how long it takes for the organ to heal after piercing. As a rule, the whole process lasts from 5 days to 2 weeks - much depends on the characteristics of the body.

Regarding how long the healing process takes, we figured it out. It remains to find out how long the tongue can hurt after a puncture. Unpleasant sensations and discomfort usually persist throughout the healing period. At first, a swollen organ may make it difficult to speak normally. Here it is extremely important to strictly follow all the instructions of the specialist who performed the puncture. Only if these conditions are met will the wound heal successfully within 10-14 days.

The main dangers of piercing

If you have a desire to decorate your tongue with an earring, it would be a good idea to first learn more about the possible negative consequences of piercing this part of the body. So, all potential dangers can be divided into three large categories.

Allergic reaction

After tongue piercing, some people develop an allergy to the metal from which the jewelry is made. Without a preliminary examination, it is almost impossible to find out if you are intolerant to some allergens. If the problem is an allergy, then in addition to pain, skin itching, inflammation and even suppuration of the wound may appear.

Bleeding

If the procedure was not carried out very skillfully and carefully, serious bleeding may occur. As mentioned above, many blood vessels are concentrated in this organ, which can easily be caught during a puncture. As a result, severe swelling will occur, which will ultimately lead to breathing problems. Subsequent recovery will take a long time.

Swelling and bleeding may occur after the procedure

Other consequences - infection

The main danger in piercing is the risk of infection. Infection can easily enter the body through tools and an open wound, so today inspection authorities are very strict in monitoring compliance with sanitary standards and rules by employees of salons offering this type of service. It is allowed to use only disposable needles, which should be unpacked in front of the client. Strict measures were introduced because some time ago the mass passion for piercing led to the rapid spread of such serious diseases as HIV infection and hepatitis.

The photo shows a neoplasm that appeared after the piercing.

Anyone who wants to get a tongue piercing should know that a fairly massive piece of jewelry can cause irritation on the gum and injure it. Also, the presence of a foreign metal object in the mouth will negatively affect the condition of tooth enamel and may lead to a change in taste sensations. If your tongue suddenly becomes swollen and numb after the procedure, or an acute piercing pain appears that only intensifies, and the organ itself begins to pulsate, you should urgently seek medical help.

Care instructions

Immediately after the procedure, at least for one day, you should give up solid foods and spicy dishes, as well as seasonings with strong specific tastes. Special care during this period involves regular rinsing with the use of pharmaceutical antiseptics and medicinal herbs - before this it is better to consult a doctor. It is also worth changing your toothbrush and then rinsing it thoroughly after each brushing. During daily hygiene procedures, you should thoroughly rinse your mouth, including under the tongue, but this should be done carefully, trying not to strain the organ too much.

It is important to follow all recommendations after the procedure so as not to encounter complications.

If you recently got your tongue pierced, take care of it while it heals. There is nothing complicated about it, but there are a number of restrictions that should be adhered to. Try to eat warm foods, not too cold or hot, and minimize any risk of accidental injury to oral tissue. Taking good care of your health will help prevent a lot of serious problems.

According to the legislation of the Russian Federation.

Healing time

Normally, tongue healing lasts 1 month. Sometimes the choice of salon plays a decisive role, because an infection caused by a puncture can jeopardize the recovery process. There may be swelling throughout the first week, which forms on the second day after the procedure. This is a dangerous period during which suppuration and the formation of an open wound should be prevented.

It is not recommended to eat solid foods (nuts, seeds, crackers), play with jewelry items, or remove piercings. Acidic foods provoke burning and pain, while sweet foods provide a breeding ground for bacteria. Twice a day you need to rinse your mouth with a disinfectant recommended by the master (Chlorhexidine, Miramistin, Furacilin) and every time after eating with boiled water, brush your teeth strictly in the morning and evening. Choose a toothpaste with the least intense flavor to avoid burning. You can apply ice cubes to the healing site if pain occurs.

If the fixing ball is lost or swallowed, the barbell will have to be removed, and then the puncture will heal over several hours. In the following weeks, it is recommended to continue rinsing and take care not to damage your teeth on the metal. The onset of diseases of the teeth and gums can have a bad effect on the condition of the puncture and aggravate the inflammation. To speed up the healing process, it is recommended to work a lot with the tongue: speak, sing, move - then the blood flow to the organ will increase, and it will quickly return to normal.