Symptoms of another illness after having a tattoo or body piercing can include:

• A general feeling of tiredness, or lack of energy (fatigue).
• A general feeling of illness (malaise).
• Fever.
• Loss of appetite.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Constant discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen.
• Dark amber urine.
• Muscle aches or joint pain that lasts for a long time.
• Skin or white part of the eye turning yellow (jaundice).
• Skin rash.

There is little chance for disease to spread with piercing or tattooing when a sterile technique is used. Look at the tattoo or piercing studio. Make sure it is clean. Find out what safety procedures are used. Ask whether needles are discarded after each tattooing.

The risk of spreading many potentially life-threatening diseases through piercing or tattooing is increased when sterile technique is not used. The most common diseases transmitted are hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Other diseases that can be spread from piercing or tattooing include tuberculosis, syphilis, HIV, or blood infections (sepsis).