Sinus pressure can cause painful headaches
You can relieve the pain of sinus pressure by applying pressure to certain meridian points on your body. Meridians are used in traditional Chinese medicine to represent the paths along which energy flows in the body. The points used in acupuncture and acupressure are the same. Pressure points can be used in addition to any other treatments you may be using. Points are listed here by their names, which can vary from system to system, and by their designations, which are generally consistent across systems.
"Drilling Bamboo"
The first pressure point is B2. You have two of these points, one on each eye socket bone, near the top where your nose joins your eyes. Start at the inner edge of your eyebrow, then come down toward your eye and nose, feeling the indentation with your thumb. Do not press on your eye, but rather on the indentation in the bone. It may be easiest to use one thumb on each side, but some people prefer to use their thumb and index finger to "pinch" the points on each side using one hand. Apply gentle pressure for about one minute.
"Heavenly Pillar"
Pressure to point B10 will help relieve head congestion which may be causing sinus pressure. Again, you have two of these points located on the back of your head, about half an inch below where the skull bones give way to the rope-like muscles of your neck. Apply even pressure for about one minute. You can apply pressure to the B2 and B10 points simultaneously if you wish, with one hand on the front of your head and the other on the back.
"Joining the Valley"
The next point, Li 4, is very useful for any type of headache. It can help relieve pain from sinus pressure and congestion in the head. This point is located in your hand, in the webbing between your thumb and index finger. When you bring your thumb in against the side of your hand, you will notice there is a small domed muscle in the webbed area. The pressure point is at the highest point of that muscle, which will be slightly out from where the junction of the finger and thumb bones form a "V" shape. Open your hand and apply pressure to the top and bottom of this point using the thumb and middle finger of the opposite hand; angle the pressure toward your index finger slightly. Hold for about 30 seconds, then repeat in the opposite hand. It is not unusual to find this point more tender in one hand than the other, and you can spend a little more time pressing the point that is most tender. The Li 4 point should not be used by pregnant women because it can cause uterine contractions.
"Welcoming Perfume"
The point known as Li 20 lies on each side of the face. Place your finger on the base of your cheekbone, just under your eye. (This point can also help with a stuffy nose.) Move your finger along the bottom of your cheekbone about halfway toward your nostril. You will feel a small indentation in the bone at about where your laugh lines are. Using firm but gentle pressure, press up against this point for about one minute.
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