Migraine can ruin your day, your plan, and make you suffer from an untimely headache. You may have tried various medicines, pain balms but it is tough to get rid of migraine from the core. Few pills can remove the excruciating pain for a while, but that cannot be a remedy. If you think that you are bound to spend the rest of your life with this migraine, then you may not have tried acupressure for migraine.
Acupressure is an ancient Chinese healing art that can address a lot of physical issues. And treating migraine is one of them. Acupressure is one of the most practiced alternative migraine treatment. Migraine is one of the most common problems nowadays and can affect your thought process, work, and even ordinary life.
Did You Know!
- As per the American Headache Society, almost 28 million Americans over the age of 12 experience migraines(1).
- Outside of Asian-American populations, Chinese medicine remained virtually unknown in the United States until the 1970s.
- Today, there are millions of patients who attest to acupuncture’s(2) efficacy, with nearly 9,000 practitioners in all 50 states.
Can Acupressure for Migraines be of Any Relief?
The actual reason for migraines is a matter of debate. It often happens due to environmental issues, nervous blockage, genetic basis, and many more. Acupressure stimulates the specific points of the body. Acupressure heals it from the core.
According to this Chinese medicine, every ailment is a consequence of energy flow blockages in meridians. Acupressure(3) is pressing the acupressure points for migraine of your meridians to restore that flow in your meridians, it rebalances the natural energy flow and triggers the issues from inside.
Acupressure enhances blood circulation, lowers stress level, releases tension and releases pain-relieving hormone endorphins. According to research, a one-month session for acupressure for headache and migraine can ease chronic pain.
[Read: Natural Remedies for Migraine Relief]
Research Says
You can be unsure about the effectiveness of acupressure for migraine. And that is natural because it is our natural tendency to follow what the majority is doing. But if you have any doubt regarding migraine acupressure then let us talk about the researches and studies on the efficacy of acupressure for migraines.
According to the Journal of Neurological Sciences, applying acupressure in the specific points of the wrist can ease nausea caused due to Migraine.
As per the American Journal of Chinese, Migraine acupressure can give you relief from the chronic headache caused by migraine. It also says acupressure treatment for migraine can benefit someone within a month.
According to a study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, acupressure is very useful for headache and neck pain as well.
Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies publishes another study in 2018, and it says acupressure can ease migraine during menstrual days(4).
[Read: Massage for Migraines Relief]
Acupressure Points for Migraine
We have already explained the efficacies of acupressure for migraine. And you are probably feeling excited and curious to know about those magic points which can give you the relief from the migraine pain you are suffering from. Though there are a lot of pressure points for migraines, here we will talk about the most effective pressure points for migraine relief.
GB 20 / Feng Chi:
Follow the skull bone from the backside of ears to the point where neck muscles are attached to the skull. That point is your acupressure point for migraine, fatigue, headache, and low energy.
GB 21 / Jian Jing:
Pinch the muscle halfway point of shoulder and neck with thumb and middle finger, that point is known as the Jian Jing. It can eliminate headaches, neck pain, and shoulder pain.
LI 6 / He Gu:
He Gu’s location is on the hand. To get the exact location, you need to bring together your thumb and forefingers. The loftiest point of the muscle between the thumb and finger is your magic point. This point is good for toothache, facial aches, headache, and stress.
Pericardium 6 / Nei Guan:
Keep three fingers beneath the wrist on the inner forearm, and you will get the Nei Guan just between the two tendons. It can ease nausea and headache.
LI 20:
LI 20 point is also known as Welcome Fragrance and located at the depression zone of your outer nostril. It is excellent for headache, nausea, neck pain, face pain, wrinkles, and good skin as well.
B2 / Drilling Bamboo:
B2 or Drilling Bamboo point is located just beside the inner corners of your eyes. Pressing these two points on your face is useful for the headache at the front of your head.
GV 24.5 / Third Eye Point:
GV 24.5 has a common name, and that is the third eye point. This location of this point is between both your eyes on the forehead. Pressing this point can give you relief from any headaches, neck pain, and shoulder pain.
Acupuncture Points for Headaches and Migraine
Apart from acupressure, acupuncture for migraine is also useful. We have told you about the pressure points for migraine. Now we will be talking about all the acupuncture points for migraine.
GB8 or Shuaigu:
Shuaigu point can give you relief from headache, one of the significant migraine symptom nausea and neck pain too. This point is located just above your ear.
GB40 or Qiuxu:
Qiuxu point is on your feet, just at the gap or depression of your feet and the shin bone. Acupuncture at this point is useful for any persisting pain, especially headaches.
GB41 or Zulinqi:
If you place your four fingers together just below the small finger of your toe, you will get Zulinqi. This point is one of the most used acupuncture points for migraine.
Acupuncture is a bit different from acupressure. In the case of acupuncture, fine needles are inserted in the specific acupuncture points for migraine. If you have a needle phobia or any doubt regarding acupuncture, then talk to the therapist before starting the session.
Tips and Precautionary Measures
Now, you have an idea about the benefit of acupressure for migraine, acupressure points for migraine, and scientific base behind this. But acupressure treatment should be applied correctly for the result. And you must know some more details to get the result and to avoid related risks too. Remember the following points:
- Press each of the points for 1 to 2 minutes.
- The pressure needs to be right. You need to press the points firmly and deeply.
- If you are feeling uneasiness, unbearable pain or discomfort then immediately stop applying pressure.
- In the case of acupuncture, if there is bleeding or major bruising then avoid acupuncture altogether.
- Using the middle finger is the base for acupressure. Some other parts of the body like elbows, knuckles, knees, legs, also can be used for pressing the specific points.
- You should always have an opinion of your doctor before doing acupressure for migraine.
- Try to understand the type of headache. If it is not a symptom of migraine and caused because of some other issue, then pressure points for migraine may not be practical.
- If some other symptoms like soreness in the neck area, reddish eyes, etc. are associated with a headache then immediately talk to your doctor.
So, you know the precautions, do’s and don’ts related to migraine acupressure and acupuncture. Now you need to know who should avoid trying acupressure for migraine altogether.
Pregnant women need to consult with their physician before any session of acupressure for migraine because most of the pressure points for migraine mentioned above are not meant for pregnant women.
Do not apply acupressure to the points if they are near or in the area of any:
- Bruises
- Wounds
- Varicose veins
If the pressure points are near to any previously fractured bone, then avoid that point.
You should not try acupressure during any fever.
Apart from the points mentioned above, anyone can go for acupressure for migraine. But if you know the cause, then treatment will be more effective and comfortable.
We guess this article will be the new hope for you if you have already suffered a lot from migraine. We are not against conventional medications or other treatments. But acupressure, if applied correctly, can heal migraines naturally. And the best part about acupressure is, it does not have any other side effects.
If you do not have any other severe ailment or physical condition, then it is not hard to use the mentioned pressure points and apply acupressure for migraine, all by yourself.
