Introduction: Resolve Tension Headaches with Acupoints
Tension headaches are a chronic problem for modern people. Do you experience that bothersome pain that arrives in the afternoon, that urge to press your neck and head? Tension headaches occur when the muscles in the neck, shoulders, and scalp become excessively contracted due to stress and poor posture. As blood circulation within the muscles decreases and metabolic waste accumulates, the pain worsens.
Traditional Chinese medicine views tension headaches as resulting from insufficient qi and blood circulation in the neck and head, and promotes muscle relaxation and blood circulation by stimulating specific acupoints. I’ll now introduce the secret to achieving immediate pain relief by investing just 5 minutes with a single finger, without medication.
Acupoint 1: Fengchi (GB20)
Location: On both sides of the back of the neck where the neck and head meet. It’s the indented area just above the hairline.
Acupressure technique: Using both thumbs, press slightly upward while rubbing in circular motions 10-15 times. You can also repeat the pressing motion for 3-5 seconds, 10 times.
Benefits: GB20 is known as the acupoint that “relieves neck tension” and directly alleviates muscle stiffness in the neck. It’s the most powerful acupoint for simultaneously relieving occipital and temporal headaches, neck stiffness, and back-of-neck tension.
Acupoint 2: Hegu (LI4)
Location: In the webbing between the thumb and index finger, at the indented area slightly below the end of the thumb bone, toward the index finger.
Acupressure technique: Using your opposite thumb, apply firm pressure for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then release. Repeat 5 times. Rubbing in circular motions slowly is also effective.
Benefits: Known as the “universal remedy for all pain” in Oriental medicine, LI4 regulates nerve signal transmission to broadly relieve upper body pain including headaches, facial pain, and toothaches. It’s particularly effective for tension headaches caused by stress.
Acupoint 3: Taiyang (Extra Point)
Location: At the temple. It’s the indented area roughly midway between the eye and ear when pressed.
Acupressure technique: Using your index and middle fingers together, rub slowly in circular motions 15-20 times. Maintain slight pressure while making small circular motions. You can also do 10 circles in one direction and 10 in the opposite direction.
Benefits: This is a specialized acupoint for temporal (temple area) headaches. It’s especially effective when tension headaches occur on one side of the head, and it also helps with eye fatigue and vision improvement.
Acupoint 4: Baihui (GV20)
Location: At the crown of the head. It’s the intersection point where a line connecting the highest points of both ears meets a line through the center of the face. When pressed with a finger, it’s a slightly indented area.
Acupressure technique: Overlap your middle fingers to stimulate the GV20 point. Repeat pressing for 3-5 seconds 10 times, while simultaneously rubbing in small circles. Be careful not to press too hard.
Benefits: This acupoint, whose name means “resolves a hundred problems,” clears overall mental energy. It relieves headaches at the crown and throughout the head, while simultaneously alleviating fatigue and lethargy. It’s particularly beneficial for stress-related headaches.
Acupoint 5: Tianzhu (BL10)
Location: At the center of the back of the neck, slightly below GB20. It’s on the upper part of the muscles on both sides where the neck and shoulders meet.
Acupressure technique: Using both thumbs, press firmly downward and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 8-10 times. It’s even more effective if you simultaneously gently stretch by tilting your head backward.
Benefits: BL10 is an acupoint that relieves severely stiffened muscles at the back of the neck. It simultaneously relieves occipital headaches, neck stiffness, and shoulder tension, while improving blood circulation to the brain to treat the root cause of headaches.
5-Minute Self-Acupressure Routine—Quick and Effective Method
Here’s a routine you can complete in 5 minutes when tension headaches appear during a busy day:
- 1 minute (Preparation): Sit in a comfortable position and take 3 deep breaths, exhaling slowly. Slowly rotate your neck and shoulders left and right 2-3 times.
- 1 minute (GB20): Stimulate GB20 with both thumbs. Apply firm pressure and massage in circles 10-15 times.
- 1 minute (Taiyang + LI4): With one hand, rub your temple (Taiyang) in circles, while with the other hand, press LI4 firmly. After 30 seconds, switch hands.
- 1 minute (GV20 + BL10): While gently pressing the crown of your head (GV20) with your middle fingers, strongly stimulate the back of your neck (BL10) with your thumbs. Repeat 10 times.
- 1 minute (Finishing): Again, slowly rotate your neck left and right, and breathe deeply to release tension.
Tip: By doing the routine once in the morning as prevention and twice in the afternoon when symptoms appear, you can stay free from headache worries all day.
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