Blue Banana is delighted to be working with Dr Chris Blatchley, Clinical Director of the London Migraine Clinic, to make the Medi-Daith ear piercing available to as many migraine headache sufferers as possible. He is the creator of the Medi-Daith Protocol, and Director of Migraine Research, the charitable research arm of London Migraine Clinic, and he has joined us as Blue Banana's honorary Medical Director in this first-ever collaboration of expertise between piercers and doctors. He receives no financial reward at all from Blue Banana.
This introduction about the Medi-Daith and London Migraine Clinic's ongoing research has been written by Dr Blatchley:-
What Is It?
The first reports that a Daith ear piercing could help with severe migraine headaches appeared over 30 years ago. After it went viral on social media in 2015, thousands of people around the world have tried it.
Dr Blatchley was the first doctor to begin researching the effect in 2017 and has been at the forefront ever since. Over the last 6 years, he has developed the Medi-Daith Protocol. A Medi-Daith is far more than just a cosmetic Daith piercing, and Dr Blatchley's protocol is used to locate the small and easily missed area of skin supplied by the Vagus Nerve, which is believed to be at the heart of the effect.
Over 85% of those coming to Blue Banana for a Medi Daith have already visited their family doctor for their migraine headaches and found that the usual medical treatments have not worked adequately. Many have even seen a hospital specialist as well.
Does It Work? - The Evidence
Dr Blatchley's latest research shows that the great majority who had a MediDaith for their migraine headaches were very satisfied with the improvement in symptoms.
This follow-up research was recorded from 90 people 2-4 months after they had been fitted at Blue Banana with a Medi-Daith piercing (between August and November 2022). These are the first results of a long-term research programme on 1000 sufferers:-
- 58 of 90 (64%) described that overall their migraine headache symptoms were 75%-100% better, and 22 (27%) as 25-50% better. Only 8 (9%) said there had been no improvement
- 65 of the 90 (72%) reported the migraine headache frequency was "much better", and these found that:-
- On average, the frequency of migraine headache days dropped 69% from 5.5 to 1.7 days/month.
- The severity of the remaining migraine headaches improved too:-
- Days in bed dropped 74% from 3.1 to 0.8 days/month
- Completely Symptom-Free days rose 70% from 9.8 to 16.7 days/month
- There were no similar improvements in the 25 who reported little or no change
- This latest research is in line with or better than the early results published in 2022
- More research is still needed, especially to measure the effect after 1 to 2 years.
At Blue Banana, we are proud to help Dr Blatchley with this very important large-scale research, using the latest technology to get the most accurate evidence yet:-
- Everybody who has a Medi-Daith with us will be invited to join this follow-up research. It is entirely voluntary and will only take about a minute a week of your time
- You can read more about his research at www.migraine-research.org/useful-links/
Did You Know?
The research into daith piercings and their effects on the vagus nerve joins an existing body of research into Vagus Nerve Stimulation.
Before You Consider Having A Medi-Daith
Before considering a Medi-Daith for your migraine headaches at Blue Banana it is very important to understand the following points, especially since there are other doctors who do not accept that it can help migraine headache symptoms, even though they hold this view without any evidence that it has no effect:-
- We always recommend that anyone suffering from frequent headaches should have the cause diagnosed by a doctor, especially if they started recently. Blue Banana does not offer any medical advice because only a doctor is qualified to ensure that you don't have other serious causes of headaches that might need a special investigation.
- Blue Banana's most experienced piercers are given extra training in the Medi-Daith Protocol before they start to fit the Medi-Daith. They are expert piercers, but they cannot diagnose or advise on migraine headaches, as this can only be done by your doctor. They will be very pleased to answer all practical questions about piercing and the Medi-Daith Protocol.
- Migraine headaches are mostly genetic and cannot be cured. All treatments, whether tablets prescribed by your doctor or a Medi-Daith fitted by Blue Banana, can only help to reduce the symptoms. Dr Blatchley's aim with a Medi-Daith is to enable you to control your migraine headache symptoms "so that you are in charge of your migraine headaches, and not them in charge of you".
- Just like all migraine medicines from your doctor, a Medi-Daith is not guaranteed to work for everybody. For reasons we don't yet understand, the latest evidence shows that about 10% report no effect at all. Another 10-15% find only a little improvement. There is still so much to learn.
- There is a broad range of views among specialist doctors on whether a Medi-Daith can help with migraine headaches. Some have a visceral and unscientific dislike of the idea and don't believe a Medi-Daith works at all. They say there is 'insufficient evidence', even though they have no evidence to claim there is no effect. However, this was before the recent evidence quoted above. Others of Dr Blatchley's medical colleagues in specialist hospital migraine clinics welcome his research because they are asked very often by their patients about whether a daith piercing might help.
- Dr Blatchley certainly agrees that further research is still required, especially to measure the effect beyond 2-4 months, and he is continuing to investigate this.
- You should only have a Medi-Daith piercing if you are happy to accept that the evidence is presently incomplete.
- If you do decide to have a Medi-Daith, you'll be asked if you'd like to join Dr Blatchley's continuing research. It is entirely voluntary and will take just one minute of your time each week.
How Much Does It Cost?
The current price of a Medi Daith Piercing is £150 (subject to change).
For those who sign up for our Medi Daith research study, the price is £75.
Why is it more expensive than a Cosmetic Daith Piercing?
A Medi Daith Piercing is far more than just a cosmetic piercing. It is a skilled procedure that takes extra time and training to carefully measure the optimum piercing position using a special protocol researched by Dr Blatchley.
The precise location of the ear varies from person to person, and if the wrong point is pierced the treatment does not work.
Unlike cosmetic piercings, appointments can last for 30 minutes (or more if necessary) to allow for extra time to locate the correct position.
Where Can I Get One?
In a Blue Banana piercing studio near you! We're working on rolling out this Medi Daith migraine headache procedure across our Blue Banana piercing studios. Currently, the procedure is available at the stores listed below.
If you have any queries, you can either drop into your local branch or request a call-back through a link provided below. Choose the branch closest to you and a specially trained Medi Daith Piercer will phone you back. They can answer any questions you may have, and even arrange a suitable appointment in the branch.
