Headache, migraine and acupressure: acupressure points and alternatives for self-help
Table of Contents
1 The different types of headaches
2 Self-treating headache with acupressure
3 Yin & Yang in connection with headaches
4 Acupressure points for headaches
5 Headache and ShaktiMat
6 What stress has to do with headaches
7 The acupressure headband
We all know that one nasty pain. Either it starts insidiously, gets stronger and stronger, presses or hammers your head as if out of the blue. Depending on the severity, most people know only three solutions: The "eyes-closed-and-through" method, numbing with medication, or crawling into bed and preferably never getting up again.
Acupressure is a wonderful method to support you during headaches or migraines, to strengthen your immune system and to give you important moments of relaxation, which are so urgently needed exactly during these phases. With the right acupressure points, you can relieve your pain, at least temporarily.
In this blog article, we would like to educate you about headaches of all kinds and provide you with alternative methods that can support you alongside conventional medical treatment.
Did you know that headaches are one of the most common reasons we go to the doctor?
In Germany, about 54 million people suffer from temporary or persistent headaches. That is around 70 percent of Germany's population.
In total, there are said to be over 200 different types of headache. It is worth taking a closer look here:
Tension headache
The headache register is headed by the tension headache. 53.6 percent of the headache patients state that they are confronted with this type of headache. It seems that this headache is mainly triggered by stress and frustration.
No wonder, if there is tension inside, it likes to extend to the head once in a while. Often this kind of headache comes from tension in the neck, which in turn presses on nerves or arteries and thus complicates blood circulation in the head.
Acupressure primarily provides relief by reducing muscle tension and counteracting tension at nerve endings. In addition, it can stimulate blood circulation and thus provide relief, but more about that later in the article.
Migraine
With migraine have 38.4 percent of all headache patients in Germany have to fight. It's often a really nasty companion that can make it almost impossible to function in everyday life. People who experience migraines often feel dizzy and feel the pain on one or both sides of the head. In addition, familiar symptoms include sensitivity to light and sound. Again, stress may be the culprit. But hormonal imbalances, pulsating light, diet, caffeine, alcohol, allergies and more can also contribute. The reason given is that either too little or too much blood flows through the vessels.Acupressure can help balance blood circulation, balance hormone production, and relieve stress and muscular tension.
Sinusitis headache
This type of headache usually results from a sinus infection, allergies or similar complaints. Here, the pain is felt mainly near the nose, cheeks or forehead. It can lead to toothache, frontal headache or eye pain.
Acupressure can help support the immune system in the long term so it can fight infection. In the short term, it can help relieve pain and open sinuses through endorphin releases.
Cluster headache
Unfortunately, that's not all, because there are still the rare types of headaches, like cluster headache. This is actually the most insidious and nasty type of headache. They come in clusters and often in intervals.
The sufferer feels a sequence of pounding pains in the head that can come on and off within a day or two. It often includes severe pain behind one eye and, just like migraine, light sensitivity and nausea.
No one yet knows what triggers this type of headache, but it stands to reason that they have something to do with the sufferer's biological clock, since they always occur on the same days or at the same times.
Headaches may be ubiquitous and widespread, but that doesn't mean they should be taken lightly. After all, they are a signal from the body that something is just not right. If you experience any of these types of headaches and experience them often, you should definitely see a doctor and get checked out.
The good news: You can take control of your headache!
Headaches are nasty and convey one feeling above all: powerlessness. We feel at our mercy and know what to do with ourselves. As with any illness, it helps to look for the cause and to understand how our body works in its entirety.
All points running along the head and neck are Yang points. It is therefore worthwhile at this point to make a small digression on the subject of life energy - also called Qi.
What Yin & Yang has to do with nasty headaches
Each of you has probably seen the Yin & Yang symbol. It symbolizes the two opposing forces of the universe that are interdependent. One exists only with the help of the other. Thus, the day can only exist because the night occurs and vice versa.
Yin is attributed with feminine qualities, while yang is afflicted with masculine qualities. Nothing in this world is either exclusively yin or yang, everything is a mixture of both - just as we humans are.
Physical health is seen as a unified balance of the two yin and yang forces in the body. Each of us needs more of one part than the other from time to time.
For example, if we have to work through the night, then we need to activate the Yang energy that will help us through this task. So each person must feel for themselves what energy they need right now and take it. This will make your body feel healthier. Unfortunately this is not so easy nowadays, every day many people go beyond their individual limits and regularly force themselves to do things that they feel do not feel good.
Acupressure can help you with the help of the respective acupressure points to bring your Yin & Yang in balance and to let your Qi, your life energy, bubble again. This could also positively influence your headaches and give you more well-being.
Let's get to the DIY part: the most important acupressure points for headaches
Now enough writing, let's get to the main acupressure points that can make your life easier when you have a headache.
LI4 aka best anti pain point
Our large intestine meridian consists of a total of 20 acupressure points, one of which is LI4. This point is known for its pain-relieving effect and is located in the hollow of our hand, exactly where the index finger and thumb meet. Besides the analgesic effect, this point is even anti-inflammatory.
It can help you get rid of excess heat that we sometimes have to deal with during flu infections. It can also help with migraines. Psst, good side effect: it also helps with digestive problems.
Important: Pregnant women should not use this point at all! Because the point is known for its strong draining effect, it is also used in obstetrics to induce labor and strengthen contractions.
GB20 aka "Wind Pond
This point is located at the lower back of the head, where the skull ends. If you run your fingers from the middle of the neck towards the ear, the point is in the hollow. This is the first depression you will find when you move from the ear towards the back of the neck.
The point is one of the most important points of the gallbladder meridian and can become your secret weapon against headaches and migraines. Once you find it, you can press it for one to three minutes, preferably on both sides at the same time. So whenever it gets too much for you - in the office, at home or elsewhere - you can stimulate this point and thus provide some relief.
You can also press this point to relax pain in the eyes, nose or ears. In addition, it can also help with difficult mental states and stiff neck.
LU9 aka "Lique
If you spread your thumb away from the hand and move the finger of the other hand from the thumb in the direction of the wrist, you will eventually come across an indentation. From this indentation, you drive a thumb's width further along the side of the arm and should then come across a protruding bone. Then you have found LU9.
Pressing this point will also help you with headaches and neck pain. It is also beneficial for cough. Asthma, sore throat and cold.
LU9 is a true all-rounder, because pressing the point brings with it relief from sadness due to loss and grief or inner emptiness.
Yang Bai aka GB14
You will find this point about a thumb's width above the center of your eyebrows. You can press both points above the eyebrows simultaneously for one to three minutes.
You will notice how your muscles around the eyes and also the skin of the forehead relax when you apply this acupressure point. It helps with frontal headaches, migraines and can balance your eye energy, which is particularly helpful for tired eyes at the office. It also has a supportive effect on visual disturbances, twitching eyelids or nausea.
Say goodbye to headaches and migraines with your ShaktiMat acupressure mat
Surely you already know the concept of acupressure mats, otherwise you would not have landed on our website. So, if you are an owner of such a gem, the mat will help you relieve your headaches or migraines.
All people are different and therefore each person needs an individual treatment when it comes to their very own type of headache. In the following we would like to give you a few examples of how you can use your ShaktiMat or our acupressure pillow for headaches or migraines.
1. relaxation for the neck
2. gently place your forehead or face on the ShaktiMat.
Yes, it sounds pretty darn squeaky, and in fact it is. But some people dare to do it. Especially if your headache or migraine is in the forehead area, this could be a way to loosen up your forehead muscles. Here you can stimulate point GB14 right along with it. It is important for us to emphasize at this point that you should perform this exercise consciously and mindfully, because the tips of the ShaktiMat are really very sharp and should therefore never come close to your eyes!
3. the power combination of ShaktiMat and Pillow
Connection between headaches and stress: Treat yourself to a ShaktiMoment
Many surveys show that headaches often occur in connection with stress, and those affected often find themselves in life situations that they classify as stressful or challenging. This is somehow understandable, as our world is becoming increasingly fast-paced, technology is enabling us to do 100 things a day instead of just 10, and everything is moving faster and faster anyway.
Especially then, it's important to take moments for yourself and simply shift down a gear. Many Shakti users agree on one thing above all: the Shakti moment is a moment when you let go and just be. In order not to give in to the beeping, you have to concentrate on your breathing, which in turn has a meditative aspect.
Many of our customers lie down on the mat, especially in the evening, and associate this ritual with "coming to rest" or initiate bedtime with it. We have even put together a playlist for you, which will make it easier to fall asleep with meditative sounds and transport you deep into the land of dreams. Listen to it here.
How the Shakti acupressure headband can help you specifically
This feeling that your headache is coming from a certain corner of your head or rising from the back of your neck, you surely know. It is not uncommon for people with regular headaches to describe that they can feel beforehand when the storm is coming. For these moments, everyone:r develops their own routines. For some, the only thing that helps is darkness and going to bed, while others can actively do something about it. Our headband with its 264 tips can be a real help here, because you can tie it as tightly as you need to thanks to theflexible Velcro fastener. Whether in the jaw area, classically around the forehead or with the acupressure tips in the neck - you can use it as you like.
The best part is that you can run around with it and do whatever you want. So put it on at the slightest tug in your head and go about your beneficial routines to escape the headache.
That's it from us on the subject of headaches, migraines and acupressure. We hope that we could contribute with this blog entry to the pain relief of your complaints and inspire you to try out other ways of pain management.
Most importantly, don't get discouraged, it's hard to get started and it takes a while to get used to new things. But, let me tell you, once you start setting aside conscious times for yourself in your daily life, you'll be able to rest a little more each day and give your mind a break. And then, at some point, the headaches will certainly be able to give way.
We wish you good health and well-being on your very own path. Please be sure to write us if this article has helped you or if you have any other questions or suggestions. We always appreciate feedback!
Namasté ,
About the author
Karina Schönberger
Karina has been practicing yoga and meditation regularly for many years and owes her creativity in her everyday work to this practice. She studied something to do with media, tried her hand at marketing, events and PR and finally decided to work for herself. Today she is part of our TeamShakti and writes content for you to inspire you to live your life more consciously and happily.