It is normal that it hurts .. it is one of the toughest piercing to heal ... afterall it is hard tissue. While it is healing ... and ALL piercings ... keep your hands OFF your piercing. Your piercing IS NOT a TOY, at least until it heals. A couple things you need to know about an industrial: 1) The bar should be at least a 1/4 inch longer ... there will be minor swealing, and if it is tight you will only worsen the piercing. Also, you need space to move the bar freely for cleaning. 2) Don't switch the jewelry. The piercing WAS NOT done straight as when you have studs. It was done in an angle so that the barbell can sit IN THE PROPER place. 3) Avoid switching the jewelry until you have reached a complete healing. Remeber not to gauge up the piercing unless you are willing to wear, from then on, a thinner piece. 4) NEVER use gold in a fresh piercing. Gold is good only once the piercing is completely healed. Gold is a porous metal, which will hold bacteria and infect your piercing. Just think of a golf ball and its dents. 5) Always make sure your piercer uses stainless steel grade 316L or better. When you are not sure .. go with the basic jewelry. The fancier jewelry tends to be made in Orient and the quality control is almost non-existant. Lower grades of steel are more porous and will complicate the healing. Like in #4. 6) NEVER put alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on a piercing. Both of those products do desinfect a wound. But a piercing IS NOT a normal wound ... it has a strange metal rubbing against it. The body tries to fight the metal, but worst ... alcohol and hydrogen peroxide will soften the piercing as you use it on it, making it easier for the metal to break extra an further tissue. In your case, while sleeeping you will unconciously sleep on the pierced ear and re-break soft tissue ... it will get infected easier and make it a never ending process. 7) Bactine is excellent. Also .. use anti-bacterial soap on the jewelry while in the shower ... moving the jewelry back and forth. Try to get as much AB soap out of the piercing. If some stays in after you tried, it won't do any harm. Also, water and salt helps to heal. It is easier if you buy Saline Solution (contact lens kind) and pour on it several times a day. If you see the piercing getting redish or infected ... apply Neosporin or any antibiotic ointment. Cartiledge piercing ... and industrials take longer than most piercings. Anywhere between 2 and 6 months. Remember ... everybody heals at a different rate. Happy holidays ... VIP .