Acupressure became popular in the West in the last part of the 20th century as a drug-free method of pain relief. Since that time, mainstream medicine has increasingly turned to acupressure as a complementary technique. Acupressure is one of several methods that doctors use at the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine to treat headaches and neck pain. With a little effort, you can learn to use acupressure at home to help ease your headaches. Acupressure is not a replacement for conventional medical therapies.
Research
Clinical research suggests that acupressure is very effective. In a 2010 study published in "The American Journal of Chinese Medicine," L.L. Hsieh and colleagues at the Department of Rehabilitation at Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan concluded that acupressure offered more pain relief than muscle relaxant medication for patients with chronic headache. Six months after the study, patients who used acupressure reported better quality of life and less pain than those who relied on medication.
Considerations
Because acupressure is a drug-free form of treatment, it is safe to use in combination with any medications you might be taking. Once you know enough acupressure basics to self-treat, you won't have to rely on a practitioner or wait for an appointment in order to get relief. For maximum benefits, combine acupressure treatments with visits to an acupuncturist, Chinese herbalist or medical qigong practitioner. Using two types of traditional Chinese medicine simultaneously can multiply the effects of both therapies and speed your healing, according to Janet Zand, doctor of oriental medicine and co-author of "Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child."
Distinctions
Choose your course of acupressure depending on the location of your headache pain. Pain located at the front of the head requires you to manipulate a different set of points than pain at the back, top or sides of the head, or migraine pain that collects behind the eye, according to AcupressureOnline.org.
Method
Find pressure points for headache by using an acupuncture or acupressure chart. Locate the point on yourself by probing the area firmly with a fingertip. When you find a spot that is tender or even sore, you've found the pressure point. There are two techniques you'll want to use to manipulate the point, according to the Eclectic Energies website. Press and massage the point using small, counterclockwise circles to clear energy blocks. Press firmly and hold the point to increase the flow of qi.
The Great Eliminator
To relieve headache, use the pressure point called the "great eliminator." This point is great for releasing congested qi anywhere in the body, including the head. Find the great eliminator by closing the gap between your thumb and index finger. Locate the crease that forms on the back of your hand. Place your thumb at the end of the crease, on the mound of flesh that forms when your hand is closed, says Michael Turk, director of the East West Health Center in Chico, Calif., in his book "Pain's Healing Secrets." Push your thumb into the flesh, angling it toward the bones of the hand. When you hit a tender spot, you've found the great eliminator. Massage and press it for several minutes until it is no longer sore and your headache eases.
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