Acupressure For Headaches
What is Acupressure?
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), some channels flow through your body called “meridians.” Energy or “Qi” flows through these channels like water flowing through a network of rivers and streams.
Anything that causes an imbalance can lead to blockage or stuck energy in these channels, and blockage can then lead to pain and other problems. Things that cause imbalance include improper diet or activity (not doing enough physical activity or too much intense exercise when you’re already tired and should be resting), poor sleep, stress, injury or trauma, and even weather changes.
In addition to addressing these factors, you can stimulate unique points along the channels to restore energy flow and improve your health. This is the basis of acupuncture, but you don’t need needles ─ you can use pressure and massage to stimulate these points yourself!
How do I do it?
To do acupressure, use steady pressure over the point anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes. You can also massage with small circles if that feels better for you. If you feel tenderness, it’s likely a sign that energy isn’t flowing either there ─ massaging these points can move the stuck energy and reduce the pain. It should feel better with the massage, not worse. You can try less pressure or massage at a different spot with more pain.
Combining acupressure with breathing strategies or other relaxation techniques can also be helpful. Stress is one of the major causes of Qi getting stuck, so relaxing the body and being present and mindful will help to improve the flow of energy and give you more benefit from acupressure.
Acupressure for headache
Let’s review three acupressure points to help relieve headaches. But before discussing the specific points, it’s essential to consider what may be triggering the headache. Very often, even if we aren’t aware of pain in our neck and shoulders, muscle tension in these areas contributes to headaches. As discussed above, we want everything to flow well for the best health, and tight muscles can block the flow of Qi.
And what causes the tight muscles? Often, the tightness is from stress ─ whether it’s more mechanical stressors, like repetitive movements or poor posture, or emotional stressors, like overthinking or worry ─ these stressors lead to tension. So, learning to relax and allow these muscles to soften is important.
There are lots of other things that can lead to headaches and feeling unwell. Remember, food and breath are what give us energy. Are we eating the right foods to nourish us? Are we breathing deeply throughout the day? Are we drinking enough water so our blood and energy can flow? Are we getting enough sleep so we can recharge? Are we doing things that inspire us and give us joy?
Thankfully, these acupressure points help with headaches, neck tension, and stress. You can check out Dr. Eileen Yager’s videos for more strategies on relaxing our minds and muscles. Try some of the points below and see how they feel for you. However, be mindful that two of these points are technically not recommended in pregnancy as they could theoretically lead to contractions, so avoid intense stimulation of those points if you are pregnant.
Don’t worry about the different names of these points if you are unfamiliar. In TCM, the acupoints are named according to where they lie on that specific channel or meridian. Most of the meridians correspond to specific organ systems. We can learn more about these organ systems in a different post.
Gallbladder 20
The first point is Gallbladder 20. It is located in the depression along the base of the skull behind the mastoid or ear bone, where the neck muscles attach. Massaging here is useful for headaches, neck pain, flu and cold symptoms, and eye discomfort.
Gallbladder 21
This point, Gallbladder 21, is located at the high point of the trapezius muscles between the neck and shoulders. This spot can be tender! You can push straight down on this point or pinch the muscles here to massage it. Use with caution if you are pregnant! It is helpful for neck and shoulder pain, stiffness, headache, cough, fever, and allergy symptoms.
Large Intestine 4
The Large Intestine 4 point is located at the highest spot of the muscle in the web space when the thumb and the index fingers are brought together. This is also a point to use with caution if you are pregnant! This point is excellent for clearing pain, especially in the face, head, and neck. It helps regulate elimination, digestion, and menstruation, and it is also great for stress management. Think about this point for letting go of what you don’t need!
