Acupressure for Headaches

Massage away pain by focusing on specific pressure points.

Let your fingers do the talking. Acupressure works when your fingers press points on the body that release muscular stress. Do it yourself next time your head is pounding, or get a shiatsu massage. Experts warn against using accupressure during pregnancy.

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Belly of your temporalis muscle: Located in the center of your temple region. Palpate the region with your first and middle fingers pressed closely together, until you find a tender, muscular zone. If you have trouble finding this, place your fingers on your temples and clench down on your molars. You should feel the temporalis muscles bulge.

Behind the ears: Locate the points at the base of the skull in the back of the head (just behind the bones in the back of the ears). Apply rotational pressure for two minutes with your thumbs.

Between the eyes: Pinch the tissue just above the nose with your middle finger near one eye and the thumb near the other. Slowly push upward so you feel pressure near your eyebrows.

The hand web: Using the thumb and index finger of one hand, punch the soft fleshy web between the index finger and thumb, on the back of the other hand.

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