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Tongue Rings > What
should i do about my swollen tongue ring?
Even if you have taken perfect care of
your tongue ring piercing and followed your piercer's aftercare
instructions to the letter, you may still develop an infection.
Ordinarily, you may experience a
swollen tongue ring piercing for the first 3-5 days. During that
time, you may also notice that the piercing has a bit of clear, watery
discharge, and even some very mild bleeding. Normally, the bleeding
will stop within the first 24 hours of the initial piercing, however,
the discharge may continue for several days or even weeks more. Keep
in mind, this discharge is normal and actually serves to help
prevention an infection of the wound.
Having said that, if your situation is
unique from the above, and you are still experiencing swelling and/or
bleeding and discharge outside of the normal scope outlined above, you
should remove the piercing and see a qualified health care provider
immediately. Possible infections are NOT something you want to take a
chance with. In extreme cases, an infected tongue left to long can
actually cause the person to have to have it surgically removed to
prevent spread of the infection!
You need to see a doctor immediately if
you have:
- Difficulty breathing or wheezing
after your piercing, or a feeling that your mouth or throat are
swelling closed. Seek emergency attention immediately!
- Hives, redness,
itching and irritation around the piercing, which may signal an
allergic reaction to the piercing jewelry. Your piercing
professional can try replacing it with an alternative metal (try
titanium or 14k gold).
- Inflammation that
lasts longer than a few days, with redness and irritation. See your
piercing professional or doctor.
- Discharge that
becomes noticeably thicker and is yellow or green in color. This is
a sign or infection and should be checked by a qualified health care
professional.
- Any other sign that you are having a
possibly severe reaction to the piercing -go see a doctor
immediately!
It can no be stressed enough the
importance of proper aftercare and maintenance of your tongue
piercing. Having said that, your health is always more important than
your body art - keep your priorities straight!
Disclaimer: The
materials on the AllPiercings.com web site are presented for
informational purposes only, and
are not intended as a substitute for professional dental / medical
advice, and accordingly you should not use this information to
diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with
a qualified healthcare provider. |
