A study by the Journal of American Medical Association showed how one brief moment of pain for fashion resulted in daily pain for a woman who decided to get her tongue pierced.

The study, published Oct. 18, linked Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) with tongue piercing.

The patient started to show symptoms of Atypical TN shortly after her tongue was pierced. According to the report, two days after the ring was removed the symptoms ceased and she hasn’t experienced any since.

The chances of developing TN after piercing are slim, according to Mark Linskey, associate professor and chairman of the department of neurological surgery at the UC Irvine Medical Center and a board member of Trigeminal Neuralgia Association, TNA.

“The recent European report of tongue piercing being temporally associated with TN to my knowledge is the first and only report of this potential association so far,” said Linskey, about the recent report, “Given the number of tongue piercing done worldwide since it became popular, I would estimate the chances of anyone else experiencing this association would be extremely small.”

One in 15,000 people lives with TN. Several times a day victims of the disease experience multiple intense pains in their face especially the eyes, lips, nose, scalp, forehead, and jaw. It is also called the “suicide disease” because of the severity of the pain.

“Many people are brought to their knees by the pain,” said Porter, who lives in Alameda and was diagnosed with TN in 1998. Originally he was diagnosed with pre-Trigeminal Neuralgia because of the intensity of his pain, but within months his pain increased and the diagnosis changed.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the pain can be triggered by vibration or contact with the cheek. Everyday activities such as talking, eating, putting on make-up, shaving or a slight breeze against the face can cause pain to someone with TN.

“I wasn't able to kiss my wife without an attack of pain,” said John Porter, 59, a co-leader of the San Francisco North Bay TN Support Group.

Usually the pain only lasts seconds, according Linskey.

People with TN can be treated either with medication or surgery. According to TNA’s Web site most patients are prescribed carbamazepine, which is also used to treat seizures.

Although the chances of getting Atypical TN from tongue piercing are slim, there are other diseases that can result from piercing they should be aware of such as Hepatitis or Tetanus.

To reduce the risk people who are considering piercing their tongues should make sure the piercing shop uses single use needles according Annie Pauer, 26, a body piercer in San Jose, who has been piercing professionally for two years.

People with pierced tongues are also more likely to chip their teeth and have receding gums.

“Being a body piercer I’m losing money, but I don’t recommend tongue piercing,” said Pauer, who pierces at Pierce Out in San Jose. “It is really bad for your month and gums.”

People with tongue piercings wouldn’t let the possible risks deter them from doing it again.

I wasn't aware," Cristal Benacourt said about getting her tongue pierced agian, 23, a junior who is studying art, "but that wouldn't stop me."

“The chances are too small,” said Allen Bostic III, 25, a warehouse worker who had his tongue pierced for more than four years. “There’s probably a better chance of me taking it out for a job.”