Nothing stops productivity quite like a headache. It's impossible to focus with all that throbbing going on inside your head, and good luck falling asleep at night. Your response might be to grab an over-the-counter pain reliever or drink a tall glass of water. If you still find your headache lingering after all your usual tricks or you want to avoid taking medication, consider trying acupressure.
WARNING: If you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant consult a doctor, as some pressure points might interfere with your pregnancy.
Acupressure is an ancient style of massage used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. According to Rogel Cancer Center, the goal of acupressure is to stimulate "the movement of qi ("life energy") through the 14 channels inside the body" to help restore the body's balance and promote healing. This is done by pressing specific spots on the body called acupressure points. We've investigated which points are frequently targeted to relieve a mild headache, so you can try them out at home the next time you're in need of some pain relief.
Acupressure Point: LI4 (Hegu)
Memorial Sloan Kettering recommends performing acupressure on the point LI4, also known as Hegu, to help ease headache pain. This acupressure point is found between the base of your thumb and index finger. To perform acupressure on this point, start by using your right thumb and index finger to find acupoint LI4 on your left hand. Your thumb should be on the top of your hand and your index finger will be on your palm. Press your right thumb and index finger together firmly on the acupressure point but not to the point of pain, and move your thumb in a circle as you continue applying pressure. Do this for five minutes and then repeat on your left hand.
Acupressure Point: GB20 (Feng Chi)
Explore Integrative Medicine recommends the acupressure point GB20, or Feng Chi, to relieve headaches. To find this point, place a finger behind each ear and slowly move them across your neck and toward your head. You are looking for the soft grooves where your neck muscles attach to your skull. To perform acupressure here, clasp your hands together and intertwine your fingers. Open your hands slightly to form a cup shape, and then place your palms on the back of your head with your thumbs resting on the acupressure point. Use your thumbs to massage in a circular motion for thirty seconds to two minutes.
Acupressure Point: GB21 (Jian Jing)
U.S. News interviewed Melissa Dana, a licensed acupuncturist and East Asian medicine practitioner, to learn about acupressure in relieving headaches. One of the acupressure points Dana recommends is GB21, or Jian Jing. This pressure point is located "between your neck and the point where your arm meets your shoulder." Find the point on each side of your neck and use your fingers to massage in a circular motion. Dana suggests doing this in short intervals and using continuous motion as you don't want to be pressing on these trigger points in the neck for too long.
Acupressure Point: B10 (Tian Zhu)
Our final acupressure point recommendation for headache relief is B10, or Tian Zhu, recommended by the Alaska Sleep Clinic. This point is located "on the back of the neck, one-half inch below the base of the skull." If you were able to locate GB20 earlier, B10 is found just below. Apply firm pressure and massage in a circular motion for one minute. Because GB20 and B10 are so close together, it may be helpful to view the video below to learn how to find your B10 acupressure point, or use this image from Chair Tai Chi for a great visual of GB20, GB21, and B10 in relation to one another.
Sources: rogelcancercenter.org, mskcc.org, exploreim.ucla.edu-gb20, health.usnews.com, alaskasleep.com, chairtaichi.wordpress.com