JOY FEELINGS MAGAZINE July issue 2106 | Page 38

the morning after I showered and brushed my teeth and then again in the evening when I got ready for bed. Doing it this way helped make cleaning my piercing seem like a simple addition to my daily routine, and also helped me remember to do it. Will There Be Pain? A lot of people have asked if getting a cartilage piercing is painful. Although everyone's pain tolerance is different, for the most part it isn't anything too painful. Yes, there is some level of discomfort. Getting a foreign object inserted into your ear isn't going to feel pleasant, but it won't be anything unbearable (or at least it shouldn't!). Does the piercing procedure hurt? The initial sensation feels like a small, dull pinch; maybe a five or six on the pain scale. A great way to simulate the feeling is to quickly pinch the area you would like pierced. It won't be an exact replica of the feeling you'll experience, but it will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect. How long does the pain last? It is normal for your ear to hurt immediately after getting a cartilage piercing, pain that commonly lasts for two weeks to a month. Be careful to not sleep on the side that was pierced: Doing so will cause healing complications and unnecessary discomfort. What can I do for the pain? Fortunately, there are a