Acupuncture Points to Treat Headaches

Acupuncture Points to Treat Headaches

Experiencing the pain and discomfort of a headache is incredibly common.

If you’re looking for a more natural way to treat your headache, you may want to think about acupuncture and pressure points. Inserting acupuncture needles into certain points of your body can help relieve headaches. These points are found on the neck, head, shoulders, and hands.

There are some well-known acupuncture points in the body believed to relieve headaches.

Here’s where they are and how you can use them:

Union valley (Large intestine 4)

The union valley (LI4) points are located on the web between your thumb and index finger.

At home treatment option:

1. Start by pinching this area with the thumb and index finger of your opposite hand firmly — but not painfully — for 10 seconds.
2. Next, make small circles with your thumb on this area in one direction and then the other, for 10 seconds each.
3. Repeat this process on the union valley point on your opposite hand.

This type of pressure point treatment is believed to relieve tension in the head and neck. Tension is often associated with headaches.

Drilling bamboo acupressure point (Urinary bladder 2)

Drilling bamboo (UB2) points are located at the indentations on either side of the spot where the bridge of your nose meets the ridge of your eyebrows.

At home treatment option:

1. Use both of your index fingers to apply firm pressure to both points at once.
2. Hold for 10 seconds.
3. Release and repeat.

Touching these pressure points can relieve headaches that are caused by eyestrain and sinus pain or pressure.

Gates of consciousness pressure points (Gallbladder 20)

The gates of consciousness (GB20) pressure points are located at the base of the skull in the parallel hollow areas between the two vertical neck muscles.

At home treatment option:

1. Place your index and middle fingers of either hand onto these pressure points.
2. Press firmly upward on both sides at once for 10 seconds, then release and repeat.

Applying a firm touch to these pressure points can help relieve headaches caused by tension in the neck.

Third eye pressure point (yin tang)

The third eye (yin tang) point can be found between your two eyebrows where the bridge of your nose meets your forehead.

At home treatment option:

1. Use the index finger of one hand to apply firm pressure to this area for 1 minute.

Firm pressure applied to the third eye pressure point is thought to relieve eyestrain and sinus pressure that often cause headaches.

Shoulder well pressure point (Gallbladder 21)

The shoulder well (GB 21) is located at the edge of your shoulder, halfway between your shoulder point and the base of your neck.

At home treatment option:

2. Use the thumb of one hand to apply firm, circular pressure to this point for 1 minute.
3. Then switch and repeat on the opposite side.

Applying firm touch to the shoulder well pressure point can help relieve stiffness in your neck and shoulders, relieving neck pain and preventing headaches caused by this kind of sensation.