Almost everyone is familiar with headaches. Everyone has their usual ways to get rid of it: take painkillers, drink coffee, lie down for a ten-minute nap.
And if you know how to massage your head, then you can handle the discomfort of stress, lack of sleep, or fatigue better than painkillers and caffeine.
Acupressure
This type of treatment is also called acupressure – the impact on certain points on the body by pressing with your fingers. If you do it yourself, no special skills are required, but it is advisable to get a preliminary consultation from a specialist.
What to do for headaches? First, relax, otherwise you will not get the desired effect. Sit in a comfortable chair, inhale and exhale slowly. Imagine that you are in a calm place, breathe evenly and deeply.
The acupressure technique can be used not only at home, but also in nature or in the office, as you can remove a headache with your hands in just ten minutes, having worked through each point.
It is necessary to act on the points in turn, which, according to Chinese medicine, can reduce discomfort (or eliminate them altogether).
General massage
Another way to quickly relieve a severe headache without medication is to do a light massage to eliminate spasms and improve blood circulation.
Sit on a sofa or in an armchair and with your fingers perform light massage spiral movements along the neck for two minutes. After warming up the neck, move on. Massage your head in the same way as when washing your hair, 5-7 minutes.
If you feel warm, then you are doing the right thing. If the head hurts, without ceasing, continue self-massage, smoothly moving to a new area – the temples.
Massage them for five minutes in a circular motion, gradually going to the back of the head. Finally, gently massage the lobes for two minutes. As with the classic massage course, after the session is over, you can’t get up abruptly and immediately go about your business, rest for about fifteen minutes.
Acupressure helps quickly and without medication to relieve excruciating headaches.
Push on the dots
Before taking head pills or painkillers, try acupressure. This method is actively used in Chinese medicine and its principle is to act on certain points.
This method is based on the theory that the body can heal itself, you just need to start these processes. By stimulating the points, you release neurotransmitters, hormones and endorphins that have a therapeutic effect, says Malcolm Thau, MD, from the University of Los Angeles.
Pain Remedy
According to the expert, acupressure helps with stress relief, prevents or treats headaches. Dr. Tau recommends daily, at home, to perform such procedures for those who suffer from migraine:
Did you instinctively rub your temples when you had a headache? This is one of the forms of such massage. When applied correctly, many people notice a rapid reduction in headaches, he says.
4 acupressure points for headache relief
The point is located between the thumb and forefinger. To find it, squeeze these two fingers, as with the “OK” sign. Between the thumb and forefinger you should see a bump on the outside of the hand. Put the thumb of the other hand on this place and press, then stimulate.
Place at the base of the skull. To find this point, interlace your fingers and place your palms on the back of your head. Feel with your thumbs at the tender grooved points where the neck muscles attach to the skull. Once you find them, use your thumbs to stimulate those areas.
On the top of the hand, find the groove between the fourth and fifth fingers (ring and little fingers) – a little higher towards the wrist. Press down on this point with your thumb and stimulate it.
These points are located on both sides of the shoulders, in the middle of the trapezius muscles. To find them, use the thumb and middle fingers of the opposite hand. Pinch the shoulder muscle and stimulate this point for a few seconds, then move up and down the muscle.
It helps to relieve tension in the neck and shoulders. You can cross your arms over your chest and massage both sides at the same time.
Aromatherapy
What should be done to make the head go away if you do not want to perform a massage? Use the method that was popular in the 18th century and remember the benefits of some essential oils.
For example, mint was used to eliminate a runny nose, while lavender and chamomile relaxed and gave a long, restful sleep.
How to quickly relieve a headache? Use the following essential oils:
- lavender,
- mint,
- eucalyptus,
- linden,
- sandalwood
- nutmeg,
- rosemary.