Pressure Points for Headaches and Migraine Pain Relief
Everyone might have experienced headaches sometime in their lives. The severity of a headache varies from person to person. A headache can be sensed in the facial area above the neck or the skull region.
Some may feel symmetrical pain in the head while the others may feel localized pain or suffer from a migraine. The pain can be acute or chronic. With such varied signs, headache prevails in almost 50% of the adult population (1).
While significant population opts for painkillers or analgesics, healing naturally is always better. Identifying pressure points for headaches can help relieve a migraine or a headache.
One can opt for acupressure for headaches and migraines to ease the pain efficiently and quickly.
What Causes Headaches and Migraines?
There can be many reasons for a headache, but the exact cause of migraines is unknown. Some common causes of a headache include:
- Hormonal changes
- Stress
- Triggers in the form of food and drink
- Environmental triggers or genetic disorder
In women, hormonal changes during periods can lead to a headache. Hormonal imbalances during puberty can also be one of the causes of a headache. Lifestyle changes that lead to physical, mental as well as emotional stresses may also be a primary cause of headaches.
A migraine is a tension causing localized severe pain. It is a severe headache that lasts for days. In a migraine, some deep-rooted mechanism of the brain is activated. It releases pain-producing inflammatory substances around the nerves and blood vessels of the head.
How Does Acupressure Work for Headache and Migraine Relief?
Acupressure is originally a traditional Chinese medicine. It is different than acupuncture and avoids the use of needles. It is believed that acupressure relieves pain by sending self-healing message to the energy flow or meridians of your body.
In acupressure, the pressure is applied to specific points in the body using fingers, devices, palms or feet. It is said that it balances the energy flow and thus reduces or eliminates the pain.
Modern science describes it as an ancient science which works by relaxing muscle tension, increasing blood circulation and endorphin levels. There are many results where people suffering from a migraine got relief from acupressure. Thus, acupressure is an upcoming preferred treatment for headaches and migraine. Following are a few effective pressure points for headaches.
Pressure Points for Headaches and Migraine Relief
There are different pressure points of headaches and migraines present in various parts of your body. You can use the acupressure technique to get relief from headaches or a migraine.
Different pressure points for headaches are:
- Third eye point
- Bright light pressure points
- Temple region points
- Neck area points
- Hand & foot points
- Face area points
The pressure is applied for some seconds to few minutes, and the amount of pressure to apply also varies from person to person:
1. Third Eye Point
This point is present between your eyebrows, above the bridge of your nose. It works best as a pressure point for headache relief. It is also the best pressure point to clear sinus and to relieve tension around the eyes, face, or head.
Use one finger to press this point for several minutes. Hold your finger and release after few minutes. Applying the pressure twice or thrice a week can help to get relief from headaches.
2. Bright Light Points
These pressure points for headache are present just below the tip of your eyebrows and above your eyes one on each side. Usually, your hands naturally go around these points when you have a headache.
Apply pressure on both points using one hand for one minute and then release. These points also help in relieving sinus congestion and headaches.
3. Temple Region Points
There are five points present in the temple region for a migraine. The points include the hairline curve, valley lead, celestial hub, floating white, head portal yin.
Close to the tip of your ear is the first point, the hairline curve. The rest of the pressure points surround the curl around the ear and are located at a finger’s width from the ear.
These are the best pressure points for temporal headaches and migraine. Apply pressure to all these points simultaneously to get better results.
4. Neck Region Points
The pressure points for tension headaches are present at the back side of your neck. Acupressure points for neck regions help relieve the tensed neck muscles. These points lie between your ear and spine juncture.
Applying pressure to each of these spots for a few minutes will help in relieving headaches and also in relaxing neck. Moving lower than these points is the Heaven’s Pillar pressure points. It is located half-inch below the base of your skull. Tilt your head backward and massage this area in the circular motion for few minutes.
5. Foot & Hand Points
Surprisingly, your foot also has pressure points for headaches and migraines. Pressure points of feet for headaches are present between your big toe and second toe, half an inch lower than bigger toe. These pressure points are known to relieve migraine headaches, eyestrain, foot cramps and arthritis.
Massage these points and apply pressure for five minutes. Your foot has another pressure point between fourth and fifth toe, an inch above their junction. Pressing these points can help relieve headaches, sciatica, arthritis, shoulder strain, cluster headache and water retention.
Your hands also have acupressure points for headaches. These points are located at the webbing of your index finger and thumb. Applying pressure to this area relieves a headache and neck strain. Pregnant women shouldn’t use these points as they increase the contractions.
6. Face Region Points
These pressure points are present at left and right side of the nostrils, aligning with your pupils. These pressure points are effective in relieving headaches and congestion. It is one of the best pressure points for sinus headaches.
Applying pressure for a minute or two will help in relieving pain, open sinuses, relieve eye fatigue, reduce a migraine, and toothache.
When to See a Doctor
While acupressure points can work to relieve headaches, recurring severe headaches can be a sign of underlying serious health issues. In such cases, it’s important to see a doctor. Although a common problem, headaches can indicate a more serious deep rooted health issue.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, you should consult a doctor:
- A sudden and severe headache
- Consistent sharp and debilitating headache
- A headache follows nausea, vomiting, fever, or diarrhea
- Stabbing pain in head causing distorted or blurred vision
Headaches are the most common discomfort causing pain in our daily life. For some people, headaches are severe and debilitating where medical advice is necessary.
In most cases, Acupressure is an effective technique for reducing pain caused due to a headache and migraines. And knowing the pressure points for headaches will help you get relief from a headache effectively.
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