Acupressure sinus relief

What is acupressure?

Acupressure is using your fingers to stimulate and activate acupuncture points (acu-points). You activate them by gently pressing on them, some acu-points feel good with gentle circular movements.

Please be gentle as some acu-points can be tender, you don’t want to bruise yourself. You don’t have to press hard for the acu-points to be effective

How do acu-points relieve sinus pressure?

Some of the acu-points we will be using are located over the sinus cavitvities in the head. The sinus cavities can feel sore, full or tender when there is some fluid or inflammation in the area (eg from a headcold, hayfever or sinus infection). The acu-points help to encourage natural drainage of the sinuses.

The following acupuncture points shown are used to:

• open the nose, clearing a stuffy nose

• open the sinuses, easing tension around the eyes, temples and sinus areas

• unblock the sinuses

• ease sinus pain

BL-2 is also known as “gathered bamboo”

Find the inner edge of your eyebrows. Gently push this upwards towards the hairline. You will feel a sense of pressure easing from around your eyebrows and the bridge of your nose

BL-2 helps to

• relieve headaches in the forehead and around the eyes

• relieves sinus congestion

• provides soothing relief to eyes

• is a great point for stress relief

• relieves tension from the forehead and around the eyes

Taiyang is also known as “Greater Yang”

Find the the outer end of eyebrow, and add one fingerbreadth. This is in the temple area. You might already know this point and use it to relieve tension in the temples. Gentle circles on this acu-point will help the tension melt away from your temples

Taiyang helps to:

• relieve tension headaches

• relieves blocked sinuses

• soothes irritated eyes

• good for relieving stress and tension from the temples

LI-20 is also known as “welcome fragrance”

You find this point on either side of the nose outside the nostrils. Press gently on this acu-point. You will feel a nice sensation of pressure releasing

Li-20 is great for:

• easing hayfever and sinus symptoms

• releieves blocked sinuses

• eases blood noses

• may restore a lost sense of smell

Sinus relief acupressure

Let’s put all these points together for this sinus relief massage that takes only 5 minutes.

1. Start at the inner eyebrows (BL-2) applying gentle pressure and follow your eyebrows along the arch until you get to the temples (taiyang). Repeat 3 times.

2. Do a few little circles on taiyang

3. Start at the outer edge of your nostrils applying gentle pressure and gently swoop along under your cheekbones to the temples

Congratulations, you’ve completed your sinus relief acupressure. Your head will feel clearer and less congested. Remember to repeat this a few times a day when needed