Piercings

[SeanC]

So, I got my ear pierced last week. It was almost exactly a week ago, actually. It was fine for that first week, little tender, but every since yesterday my ear has become swollen. It hurt yesterday, very tender, but today it's just swollen. I had my ear pierced when I was younger and it became infected. I remember how badly it hurt and how much it ached when I finally took it out. My ear right now, however, is just a little swollen. There's no pain today, just swelling, but I'm concerned it might be infected. I really don't want to lose this earring (like it a lot. I'm such a badass) and it really doesn't seem like the piercing itself is the problem, just that my ear is aggrivated by it. It's weird.

Anyone offer some advice or anything at all? The piercing is through the cartilage in my upper ear.

[DrMachine]

Staph infection

take it out or get on antibiotics

or both

could be a hypersensitivity, in which case

take it out

[amy]

what kind of piercing is it? some areas of the ear are going to hurt/be more tender than the lobe.


also you could be allergic to the metal.



go to the doctor to get it looked at or at the very least back to the piercer (if you went to someone who has been piercing a while and is reputable).




edit: Just read location of the piercing...it is more sensitive than the lobe so it's not uncommon to be tender, especially if you sleep on that side. get it looked at though.