Suffering From Migraine Try These Acupressure Points To Relieve Migraine Pain
Acupressure is helpful to release many symptoms related to migraine attack. Know which pressure points can present on your body.
Migraine can give your throbbing pain in your head and it can be quite exhausting, some people are unable to cope up with the pain without the help of medications. Migraine is a chronic condition which lasts for several years and there are less chances of it to be cured hundred percent. People are not aware of the pressure points present in our body that can actually help you and reduce pain of migraine by just putting acupressure. This could prove to be effective and efficient treatment to cure various levels of migraine attack.
How To Treat A Migraine Using These 4 Common Acupressure Points For Relieving Migraine Pain
In conjunction with Acupuncture, Acupressure is a drug-free, self-treatment to reduce migraine symptoms. Most people who actively use acupressure points, for pain, stress, or specifically migraine or headache relief, often incorporate acupressure as part of a holistic, healthier long-term plan for their life.
The practice of acupuncture in combination with at home acupressure will naturally promote blood circulation and can help relieve physical tension for common issues people face regularly. Try this effective 4 point, acupressure routine in between acupuncture treatments in the comfort of your own home for instant comfort and potential relief.
Neck And Shoulders: Gates Of Consciousness And Shoulder Well
The gates of consciousness, also called Feng Chi, refer to two pressure points where the base of the skull joins the neck of the neck. It is believed that applying pressure to these points can help relieve migraines and neck tension.
The shoulder well, also called Jian Jing, is a pressure point located at the top of each shoulder near the base of the neck within the upper trapezius muscles. It is believed that applying pressure to these points can help relieve stress, muscle tension, and headaches.
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Important Pressure Points To Relieve Migraine
There are specific pressure points on the face and ear, which when stimulated relieve migraine. Use your forefinger or the thumb to exert pressure on the points suggested.
The pressure should be good enough for you to feel it. It should not be light. Location of the exact spot is a must. In case you are not able to exert that force with your finger, you can use a blunt round peg, about the thickness of a pen.
Pressure Points To Relieve Your Migraine
Vascular imbalance and excess muscle tension can cause irritations and pains above the neck. Strain in these areas may also lead to headaches and migraines. Many people rely on OTC pain relievers but these medicines offer temporary relief. However, you can alleviate pain and tension through reflexology and acupressure. It is easy to use these techniques because you can easily access the acupressure points in this area. Keep reading to learn more about the most common pressure points for migraines and ways to stimulate them.
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What Is The Science Of Pressure Points And Migraines
Using pressure points originated in traditional Chinese medicine . According to TCM, 12 principal energy meridians run through the human body, connecting the brain and different organ systems. These meridians promote harmony and balance by transporting energy, or Qi.
When you experience a migraine, it could signal that a meridian is blocked. Blocked meridians can create an imbalance in the body, manifesting as disease, illness, or pain. Traditional Chinese medicine believes you can restore balance and relieve symptoms by applying pressure to locations along the meridians.
These targeted locations are what we know as pressure points.
While research continues in the field, there is still limited information regarding the role of pressure points. One recent study¹ found moderate evidence that acupressure effectively relieves pain in cancer patients. A study review² showed acupressure provided positive outcomes for patients suffering from pain, insomnia, and other conditions.
However, this study also noted that bias, lack of information, and methodological flaws are rife across acupressure research.
But What Are The Specifics Of Acupressure
These alternative medicine practices base their treatments on the idea that life energy, called Qi or Chi , flows through pathways in your body that can be blocked by physical tension such as muscle spasms and mental stress anxiety disorders.
Acupressure is an ancient form of therapy that has been practiced for thousands of years in countries like China, India, and Thailand. It reportedly treats everything from sleeplessness to stress-related ailments by applying pressure on specific points along your wrist or finger.
Acupressure involves applying pressure to specific parts of the body called “acupuncture points” or “acupoints,” which can be found all over and have different effects depending on what kind of pain you’re trying to treat.
Continue reading below
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Pressure Points For Migraines
The great thing about reflexology is that you can use these techniques to treat the problems externally as well as internally. In fact, you can get rid of your ailments completely if you stimulate those pressure points regularly. The idea behind stimulating pressure points is to clear the blocked meridians, which in turn helps energy to flow freely through the body. This will also lead to the production of endorphins that act as natural painkillers in your body.
Here are the most common pressure points for migraine:
1. Forehead Region
There are several points on your forehead and face, and all of them are yang points and are full of energy as well. Stimulating these points will make energy to flow downwards and help you find relief from aches and pains.
Third Eye Point
One of many points along your forehead is a point where the bridge of your nose joins the ridge of your eyebrows. Stimulating this point will offer relief from headaches, eye pain, eye fatigue, and hay fever.
Drilling Bamboo
In the inner corner of your eyes is another pressure point that helps find relief from allergy symptoms and sinus headaches. It is precisely located below the eyebrows, and stimulating it will also help improve vision. Be sure to apply pressure for at least a minute on both sides.
2. Temple Region
3. Face Region Facial Beauty
4. Neck Region
The Uses Of Pressure Points
Taw says if the pressure point is activated correctly, it’s possible to feel some relief immediately. If you aren’t feeling pain relief, you might have to do a few more rounds of applying pressure to the points.
Taw says there are multiple ways you can utilize pressure points for headaches:
- As a preventative measure: If you’re prone to regularly occurring migraines, you can use these pressure points as a preventative measure to prevent flare-ups, Taw says.
- When you have an aura or feel a migraine coming on: Some people experience an aura right before a migraine starts. A migraine aura is frequently a change in your vision, and could include blind spots, flashing, or zig-zag lines. Alternatively, an aura could be numbness or tingling. When you see or feel these signs, immediately start using the pressure points. Taw says acupressure at this point can help calm down the headache and potentially make it less severe.
- When you’re in the midst of a migraine attack: If your migraine has already hit you full force, you can still use acupressure, it isn’t too late. At the very least, it can take some of the edge off. If you’re really struggling during an episode and you’re with a roommate, partner, or family member, see if they can help you out and apply the pressure to the points for you.
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How To Stimulate Pressure Points
You can ask your practitioner to show you two to three acupressure points so that you can work on your own in between sessions.
Follow the steps below when stimulating pressure points:
- Sit in a comfortable position.
- Use your thumb or finger to apply firm, deep pressure to the pressure point.
- Make small, circular movements to stimulate the pressure point.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center suggests working in 5-minute sessions when applying pressure to the Hegu acupressure point.
A 2016 study suggests applying continuous pressure for approximately 1 minute at specific acupoints to reduce both local and more widespread pain.
You can repeat the massage as often as you want throughout the day, but take care to avoid areas with open cuts, redness, or swelling.
Does Stimulating Migraine Pressure Points Help Relieve Pain
Migraine sufferers may find relief by stimulating pressure points on the body. Acupressure is the practice of applying pressure to specific areas of the body for the relief of pain or medical conditions. In this text, we will consider migraine relief pressure points.
Using pressure on certain areas of the body, the traditional Chinese medicine practice of acupressure attempts to unblock the body’s flow of qi. Acupressure is supposed to help with a wide range of ailments, from motion sickness to headaches to muscle pain, by enhancing the flow of energy.
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Ways To Stimulate Migraine Relief Pressure Points
Acupressure is often self-applied. Its good to get guidance on these methods, and, in addition to professionals, there are many resources that can help. Specific techniques vary, but generally, heres what you can do:
- Locate the point youd like to stimulate .
- Press on the area with your thumb.
- Continuously apply pressure while making small circles.
- Repeat the process on the opposing pressure point.
Acupressure is also performed by licensed massage therapists with training in this modality. Regular sessions may be helpful along with other treatments as a preventive measure. These professionals undergo significant training and are licensed by states to perform this work.
How To Know If You Have Hit The Spot
You know the coordinates of the spot. So you can locate it on your face and body generally. But every face and body is different in shape and size.
Some fine-tuning will get you to the exact spot. Once you are in the general area of the pressure point, keep pressing with your finger in and around the specified point.
As you do that, you will hit one spot, which will be painful to press, and that is your pressure point in that area.
Whenever an organ or part of the body is unwell, the corresponding pressure point will be painful. That is the litmus test to confirm the spot on your body.
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What Can Acupuncture And Acupressure Be Used For
Acupuncture and acupressure are both forms of alternative medicine that work to relieve pain. The only difference between them is that Acupuncture uses needles, and acupressure uses non-invasive touch.
You use your fingers on specific Acupoints on your body to stimulate them for relief from headaches.
What Causes Headaches
At its core, a headache is caused by a mixture of pain signals between the brain, blood vessels, and surrounding nerves. However, different situations may affect this line of communication and result in a headache, like:
- Illness Infections, colds, and fevers)
- Neck and back strain from poor posture
- Stress and how we react to it
- Environmental factors smoke, scents, chemicals, allergens, noise, lights, weather can all be triggers.
- Rebound headaches from reliance on prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.
- Hemicrania continua
- Genetics Migraine condition tends to run in the family. If both parents get them, the child is 70% more likely to experience them. If only one parent suffers from this condition, there is a 25% to 50% chance the child will inherit them.
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Is There A Downside
Using migraine relief pressure points may or may not reduce your headache pain. But the good news is that you dont have to ingest anything or take any crazy risks to try it.
Traditional Chinese medicine urges avoiding some of these pressure points during pregnancy. So if youre pregnant, youll want to do some extra research first. Beyond that, your main risk is pressing too hard, and youre in control of that.
Bright Light Pressure Points
Another couple of pressure points that are effective for relieving headache pain and sinus congestion are the Bright Light pressure points. These are located just beneath the tip of your eyebrows. There is one of these pressure points for each eye, just above the eye and below the eyebrow tip, in the fleshy area surrounding your eye. Both pressure points can be stimulated using one hand. Apply pressure for one minute, and then release. This will help relieve tension.
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Massage Therapy At Total Body Chiropractic
If you deal with regular headaches, its time to give massage therapy a try! This non-invasive treatment option has proven to ease the effects of headaches to help you feel more comfortable. Massage therapy also delivers a number of other beneficial benefits for your mind and body, including increased flexibility, reduced joint pain, better sleep quality, lymphatic drainage, and so much more. At Total Body Chiropractic, Massage & Acupuncture, we create an individualized treatment plan to target multiple problem areas at once and help you feel your best. Schedule your appointment with us today!
Research On Migraines And Pressure Points
Though theres more work to do, a significant body of evidence suggests that acupressure and the stimulation of pressure points can help with migraine. This technique has been shown effective for other types of pain, and studies have demonstrated a myriad of effects, including:
- Efficacy against primary headaches:A wide-ranging review of research into acupressure for primary headache disorders, including migraine, found some evidence that it can help reduce the frequency, severity, and duration of attacks. However, the authors cautioned that more research is needed, and some of the formative studies were lacking.
- Effective for nausea: Several studies have found acupressure to be successful in managing nausea associated with migraines. In a study of 40 people who have migraine with aura, wearers of the Seaband experienced significantly less nausea at 30, 60, and 120 minutes after onset.
- Prevention of attacks: A study of 28 patients with chronic headaches found those who underwent regular acupressure therapy for one month had a lower incidence of attacks than those using muscle-relaxing drugs. This suggests that acupressure can help with migraine pain, though more research is needed.
Notably, acupuncturewhich involves stimulating the same points as acupressurehas shown efficacy in reducing the incidence and severity of attacks. This suggests that stimulation of pressure points can have utility.
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How To Properly Apply Pressure
When performing self-acupressure, you need to use enough pressure, but not too much.
To start, do the following:
- Locate the pressure point you are going to focus on. Double check your placement.
- Place your index finger or thumb on the pressure point. It should be just enough pressure to indent the skin slightly.
- Move the thumb or finger in slow circles, keeping pressure even.
- After every few circles, slightly increase the pressure until you start to feel your muscles relax beneath the finger or thumb.
- Continue the pressure point circles for at least a minute. You may feel a dullness or achy feeling, which is a normal response to acupressure. You should never feel a stabbing or sharp pain.
You can repeat stimulation of each acupressure point after several minutes if you do not notice improvement. You can focus on just one pressure point, or multiple points.
Union Valley Pressure Point Large Intestine 4
The Union Valley pressure point is located in the web or fleshy depression between the thumb and the index finger.
This tension headache relief pressure point releases pressure in the neck and head. It is also great for pain in the face, head, and neck, especially when it comes to sinuses, jaw pain, and earaches. The LI4 point can also help with detoxification and menstrual cramps.
How to stimulate the union valley pressure point:
Using the thumb and index finger of the opposite hand, apply gentle yet firm pressure on the fleshy depression for 3 minutes. Take deep breaths during this time. You can also massage the area in small circles.
You should not stimulate this point if you are pregnant, as it can induce labor in some instances.
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Pressure Points To Relieve Sinus Headaches
The pain over the nasal area thats caused by a sinus headache is often caused by acute infection, which can block sinus ducts and prevent normal drainage. In that case, youll need antibiotics or a decongestant to get rid of the infection. In the meantime, targeting two pressure points can help alleviate the pain: LI-20 , located next to the nostrils and DU-24 , found just above the midpoint of your hairline.
- Press on either side of the bridge of your nose with your thumb and index finger.
- Hold for one to two minutes. Repeat three times.
- Using your two index fingers, press the DU-24 pressure point.
- Making very small circles, slowly move down either side of your skull toward your ears.
Third Eye Pressure Point
The third eye point can be found between your two eyebrows where the bridge of your nose meets your forehead.
Firm pressure applied to the third eye pressure point is thought to relieve eyestrain and sinus pressure that often cause headaches.
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Can A Person Do It At Home How
A person can stimulate pressure points at home by following these steps:
- Sit or relax in a comfortable position.
- Use a thumb or finger to apply firm, deep pressure to the pressure point.
- While applying pressure, make small, circular movements to help stimulate the pressure point.
- Repeat the massage as frequently as desired throughout the day.
A person should stop applying pressure if they feel discomfort or if they begin to experience any new symptoms.