Umm I was just curious if anyone could give me any advice because recently my tongue has really swelled up again to the point were its painful, talking hurts, moving my tongue hurts, eating and drinking hurts. I have a big ball of swelling right around the barbell that's around the size of a round peanut and its really killing me :/ its been like this for around 4 days now and I go back to school in 12 and would prefer not to have the swelling there for school.

Any advice on how to reduce swelling would be much appreciated.
Cheers.:)

I am not going to tell you that tongue piercing is dumb as you are already coming to that crashing conclusion in a hurry.

If your tongue does not heal itself by tomorrow morning, then I suggest you see a doctor immediately. The infection you have in your mouth is getting worse and worse and you may likely be a good candidate for VERY serious problems in short order. In the meantime take the dumbbell (barbell) out of your tongue immediately for starters.

How old is the piercing? And is there any discharge?

**EDIT** - I guess you went offline before I could catch you. It sounds to me like you might have an infection. If there is any discharge, then you definitely do. I suggest that you go to the doctor and see what he can do for you. If it is an infection, you will get some antibiotics that should clear it up. If you get it treated right away, you may be able to keep your piercing. If you let the infection progress, then the chances of you having to take it out are high. Just because it is infected (if it is) does not mean you have to take it out. Good luck and let us know how it goes. :)

How old is the piercing? And is there any discharge?

**EDIT** - I guess you went offline before I could catch you. It sounds to me like you might have an infection. If there is any discharge, then you definitely do. I suggest that you go to the doctor and see what he can do for you. If it is an infection, you will get some antibiotics that should clear it up. If you get it treated right away, you may be able to keep your piercing. If you let the infection progress, then the chances of you having to take it out are high. Just because it is infected (if it is) does not mean you have to take it out. Good luck and let us know how it goes. :)
Thanks for the advice but that's the thing, I'm already on antibiotics for my naval infection and that's clearing up just fine and the discharge from my naval is gone but there is no discharge coming out of the hole or anything, its just swolen and painful. :( I have also made an appointment to see my doctor next week. And the piercing is just over a month old

Good job for making a doctor's appointment. A doctor is the only one who can tell you for sure what is going on.

Have you injured it recently that you can remember? Have you been giving oral sex? I know that's a terrible question, but if you have been participating in that it could have something to do with what is going on. Sorry, not trying to be nosy. :p

Did you do anything significant recently, such as change the jewelry?

It sounds like it might be the early stages of an infection, but like I said before, only a doctor can tell you for sure. :)

Good job for making a doctor's appointment. A doctor is the only one who can tell you for sure what is going on.

Have you injured it recently that you can remember? Have you been giving oral sex? I know thats a terrible question, but if you have been participating in that it could have something to do with what is going on. Sorry, not trying to be nosy. :p

Did you do anything significant recently, such as change the jewelry?

It sounds like it might be the early stages of an infection, but like I said before, only a doctor can tell you for sure. :)
LOL! Not recently I haven't been giving oral sex no, sorry if I sound rude but I found that amazingly funny. Sorry, um no I haven't changed the jewellery or anything like that, the only damage I can recall is I was eating dinner a couple of weeks ago and I got the top ball cought on my teeth then sort of pulled my tongue in the opposite direction and I felt a ripping feeling, my tongue was sore for the rest of the night, no bleeding though. That's pretty much all that's happened to my piercing. I take great pride and care in my piercings because I love them all so much and I would hate to have to take them out because of a minor infection... :(

I'm sorry.. lol. I felt stupid asking that question. :p

Its great that you love your piercings. I love mine too. :) You wouldn't have to take your tongue ring out for a minor infection as long as you take the antibiotics prescribed to you. Now if you let it progress with no treatment, you could get extensive scarring and will probably have to take it out.

What happened to you a couple of weeks ago should not be the reason for what is happening right now. I still stand by my suggestion... see what your doctor says.

Have you been overcleaning or anything like that?

I'm sorry..lol. I felt stupid asking that question. :p

Its great that you love your piercings. I love mine too. :) You wouldnt have to take your tongue ring out for a minor infection as long as you take the antibiotics prescribed to you. Now if you let it progress with no treatment, you could get extensive scarring and will probably have to take it out.

What happened to you a couple of weeks ago should not be the reason for what is happening right now. I still stand by my suggestion...see what your doctor says.

Have you been overcleaning or anything like that?
Its all right I don't mind :)
And no I wouldn't call what I did over cleaning, I rinsed my mouth with warm salt water morning and night and after I ate, once a week I lightly cleaned the balls to get the plaque off and was constantly eating ice cubes and ice cream to reduce swelling, which is why I don't understand why I have an infection, I'm pretty sure I didn't do anything wrong, then again, I don't seem to have much luck with piercings, this is the third piercing I have had that's gotten infected, first ears, second naval and now this :( not cool..

Then you just answered your own question. "This is the third piercing I have had thats gotten infected". Take out the ball now so at least you can eat and speak properly. What's more important to you... having your tongue, being able to eat and speak or having a damn ball in your tongue.

Don't delay, see your doctor as soon as possible since you are already taking antibiotics and are not having the infection from your other piercing totally go away. Apparently you are one of the people who have adverse reactions to piercing. When you bit down with your teeth while eating you obviously tore something on your tongue's surface.

Face it, you'll just have to opt for another form of "body disfiguration" such as tattoos, body scorching, tongue splitting, flesh carving with sharp razor blades, etc.

Then you just answered your own question. "This is the third piercing I have had thats gotten infected". Take out the ball now so at least you can eat and speak properly. What's more important to you... having your tongue, being able to eat and speak or having a damn ball in your tongue.

Don't delay, see your doctor as soon as possible since you are already taking antibiotics and are not having the infection from your other piercing totally go away. Apparently you are one of the people who have adverse reactions to piercing. When you bit down with your teeth while eating you obviously tore something on your tongue's surface.

Face it, you'll just have to opt for another form of "body disfiguration" such as tattoos, body scorching, tongue splitting, flesh carving with sharp razor blades, etc.
That's a bit extreme for me... im only 15 years old and none of the above intrests me. Thanks for your advice and if you had of read the post before-hand you will know that I have already made a doctors appointment.
& to be quite honest, I don't know about other people, but to me, I would rather put up with the pain and still have my tongue pierced. And I'm sure that I'm not the only one here that has had trouble with piercings and is willing to put up with it until its healed over its just something you need to to in order to keep the piercing. That's just my opinion.
Cheers

I just read how a girl in US had her tongue pierced and ended up nearly losing her life over it. Her medical bills alone were over $500,000.

If you feel that way and obviously do not value your life... so be it. It is my understanding that the water over in Australia is not as clean as the water is over here in the US. That is the main reason you keep getting your piercings infected. It's the teeny tiny bacteria creeping into your body.

Can't tell you Aussies anything as you are too hard headed. I don't care how old you are, I was trying to at least save you from a horrible outcome, i.e. not being able to eat, drink, talk, swallow, etc and having the problems a girl here had that I knew a few years ago. She did the same thing you did and she kept thinking everything would be fine. She now has a bad case of half of her tongue had to be removed due to the infection.

Cheers! Enjoy your tongue while you have it.

Hun, it might not even be an infection. It could just be an irritation. I hardly see how having your tongue pierced automatically dooms you to losing your tongue. That is ridiculous. For the most part, the reason why someone would get a bad injury caused by a piercing is if they are careless and irresponsible and don't take care of it. As you stated, you care for yours, and good job for that.

Keep taking care of it and make sure you see that doctor! If its only an irritation, you may just need to do something as simple as adjust the amount of times you clean it, or what you clean it with. Keep your head up! But remember, if the doc recommends you take it out, please do so. If he says that, then its for your own good. :)

I was just wondering what your doctor said? Because the same thing is happening to me I've had it about a month and a week ago it got caught on my teeth and now its an annoying feeling around the wound so I don't know if I ripped it or if something's actually wrong :/