Do you have hives that came on suddenly after your piercing and cover all or most of your body?

Do you feel like your mouth or throat is swelling but you are not having any breathing problems?

Are you having mild wheezing or mild difficulty breathing?

Do you have hives over all or most of your body that came on over several hours after your piercing?

Do you have normal breathing at rest, but any amount of effort causes mild shortness of breath or mild wheezing?

Have you had hives for 24 hours or longer?

Have you had swelling and itching at the piercing site (local allergic reaction) for 24 hours or longer?

Have you had a long-term (chronic) mild breathing problem that has slowly gotten worse during the past 24 hours?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Is swelling so severe that it cuts off blood flow below the site of the body piercing, making the area cool, clammy, or painful?

Do you have severe, rapid joint swelling near the site of the body piercing?

Has gradual swelling developed over a joint area after having a body piercing?

Has swelling that is not in a joint area gotten worse after 24 hours of home treatment?

Do you continue to have mild to moderate swelling after 48 hours of home treatment?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have diabetes?

Do you have peripheral arterial disease?

Do you have a disease or take medicine that causes problems with your immune system?

Do you have increased pain, swelling, redness, heat, or tenderness around the piercing site?

Do you have red streaks extending from the piercing site?

Do you have pus coming from the piercing site?

Do you have swollen or tender glands (lymph nodes) above or below the piercing?

Do you have a fever or think you have a fever?

Have you had mild pain and swelling with redness less than around a piercing site for 48 hours or longer?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Are you worried that the piercing has gotten dirty or has germs on it and your last tetanus shot was longer than 5 years ago?Note: Something is dirty if it has dirt, soil, spit, or feces on it.

Are you not sure when you had your last tetanus shot?

Did you not get the first series of tetanus shots (primary vaccination series)?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Have you had a general feeling of tiredness, or lack of energy (fatigue)?

Have you had a general feeling of illness (malaise)?

Have you had a fever or think you have a fever?

Have you had loss of appetite?

Have you had nausea or vomiting?

Have you had constant discomfort in the upper right side of your belly?

Have you had dark urine (the color of root beer)?

Have you had steady muscle aches or joint pain?

Has the skin or white part of your eye turned yellow (jaundice)?

Do you have a new skin rash?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have a body piercing that is not healing, but you do not have other symptoms?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you may need immediate care. Call your health professional now to discuss your symptoms and arrange for your care.

• Symptoms are likely to worsen without medical care.
• If you do not have a health professional, seek emergency care.
• Emergency transportation is not needed. However, if you are not able to travel safely either by driving yourself or having someone else drive you, call an ambulance.

You do not need to answer any of the other questions.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you need to call your health professional to discuss your symptoms and arrange for care.

• An appointment today is usually needed.
• Symptoms are unlikely to improve without medical care.

Return to the Check Your Symptoms section and answer the questions. You may need to see a health professional sooner if you have other more serious symptoms.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you may wait to see if your symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or the specified time period). If symptoms improve, no appointment is needed.

• If symptoms do not improve after 24 hours (or the specified time period), an appointment within the next 24 hours is usually needed.
• If appropriate, try home treatment to relieve your symptoms.
• Check your symptoms in 24 hours, or sooner if there is any change.
• Call your health professional if symptoms get worse.

Return to the Check Your Symptoms section and answer the questions. You may need to see a health professional sooner if you have other more serious symptoms.