Verified answer

I got my navel pierced right when i was 18 and it definitely was not excruciating pain. It hurt me more when I woke up one morning and the ball was completely pushed into the hole. I don't know if an ice pack will help and you may want to ask the person doing it because sometimes they don't like for you to mess with the area before it's pierced. It's like getting your ears pierced, there's not really any pain after-wards either. Just make sure you keep it clean and be careful if you're a wild sleeper!