A bad day at work, an argument with your partner, or even bad weather can trigger a headache. In fact, headaches are the most common disorder of the nervous system. It is estimated that 47% of adults have suffered at least one headache over the past year.
When faced with a headache, the most common thing to do is to resort to medication. Some people even do it out of inertia; they feel the headache and automatically reach for the pill. However, many of the drugs that are currently used to combat headaches can cause serious health problems over time, especially when taken frequently.
That’s why, in most cases, it’s best to relieve headaches by resorting to natural methods. In fact, if you detect it in time, these techniques will allow you to stop the headache before it becomes more serious.
Three natural techniques to relieve headaches
1. Intercalated breathing. Sitting, lean forward until you adopt what is known as the “coachman position”. Rest the upper part of the body on the dorsal lumbar area, which should be relaxed, with the elbows on the thighs.
Take the index finger of your right hand and press on your right nostril until you stop air from entering. Then, slowly take air in through the other nostril and exhale very slowly. Repeat this exercise 10 times. Then, repeat the exercise but this time covering the left nostril.
If the headache is mild, it usually goes away immediately. If it is a bit stronger, rest for 1 minute and repeat the exercise again, always concentrating on your breathing.
2. Hand pressure. Acupressure and acupuncture are part of alternative medicine. In recent years, numerous studies have been carried out which have shown that these techniques do indeed increase blood flow and reduce pain, triggering a series of neurophysiological processes such as the release of endorphins and adenosine, which have a relaxing and pain-relieving effect.
To relieve a headache, you can press the intestine point (LI) 4, which is located between the thumb and index finger of the left hand. You just have to open your hand and apply light pressure to the cavity between these two fingers.
You may not find the exact spot at first, but to find it, you just need to do a kind of massage, applying pressure on the area. At some point, you will feel a slight sting, and that is the spot you should press for about 1 minute. If the headache still persists, wait another minute and press again. While performing this technique, it is recommended that you breathe deeply and slowly.
It is worth clarifying that it is not recommended to stimulate this point in pregnant women.
3. Massage the temples. Emotional headaches are often caused by excessive tension in the muscles of the neck and scalp, almost always as a response to stress. Therefore, massages on certain points can cause the muscles to unblock and relax, relieving the headache. For example, different nerves accumulate in the temples, so a massage in this area is very effective in relaxing the muscles of the face and activating blood circulation.
Sit in a relaxed position and place your index fingers on your temples. Without applying too much pressure, begin massaging in small circles, counter-clockwise, for 1 minute. You may feel a slight discomfort, especially if your headache is severe, but as soon as you finish the massage, you will notice relief from your headache. If it does not go away completely, repeat the massage as many times as necessary, always breathing deeply.
References:
Cobos, R. (2013) Acupuntura, electroacupuntura, moxibustión y técnicas relacionadas en el tratamiento del dolor. Revista de la Sociedad Española del Dolor; 20(5): 263-277.
Collazo, E. (2012) Fundamentos actuales de la terapia acupuntural. Revista de la Sociedad Española del Dolor; 19(6).
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