Headache: Self-Massage Points from TCM

No needles needed: firm fingers on the right points do a surprising amount for headache. Here is the short list and how to work them.

The points, in order

• yintang: right between the eyebrows
• fengchi: in the hollows at the base of the skull, on both sides of the thick neck muscles
• hegu: on the back of the hand, in the muscle that bulges when the thumb and index finger squeeze together
• taichong: on the top of the foot, in the hollow between the first and second toes before the metatarsal bones meet

Technique

Use the pad of a thumb or a knuckle, press to clear comfortable soreness, and circle slowly for about a minute per point. Twice a day is the standard home rhythm. Soreness that melts as you keep pressing usually means you are in the right place.

What to expect

Acupressure is subtle. Changes build over days and weeks, not minutes, and it works best alongside the food and herb pieces of the plan rather than alone.

Consistency beats dose. A modest amount taken regularly usually does more than a heroic amount taken twice.