| If your headaches don't happen every day, or if | | | | How to Get Permanent Relief From Chronic |
| your neck onlytightens up at work, you may get | | | | Tension Headaches |
| relief from a technique calledacupressure. It's sort | | | | A tingling sensation may spread out from the |
| of like acupuncture, but there are no | | | | trigger point. That'snormal. Once the pain subsides, |
| needlesinvolved and you don't need to know | | | | your headache will most likelyeither significantly |
| specific anatomical points. | | | | decrease in intensity or disappear. If you |
| What you're going to do is stimulate muscle | | | | havemore than one knot, or trigger point (as is |
| "trigger points." Atrigger point is an area where | | | | likely), you'll need tostimulate each one. |
| you have or have had pain. If youstimulate that | | | | Sometimes, because of the position of the trigger |
| area, you'll cause more pain. | | | | points, you won'tbe able to get a good angle on |
| Yes, I know that sounds counterproductive, but | | | | them with your finger. This willprevent you from |
| bear with me; it'llmake sense to you shortly. | | | | being able to apply enough force to dissolve them. |
| First, you need to find a trigger point to stimulate. | | | | If that happens, you need to enlist the help of a |
| That's easy. | | | | good, trustworthyfriend, or your spouse |
| Take your hand and run it over the muscles in | | | | significant other. |
| the back of your neckand down the base of your | | | | When using acupressure on yourself to dissolve |
| neck to your shoulders. They're probablytight, so | | | | trigger points, don'tworry about hurting yourself |
| you may have to push into the muscles a little bit. | | | | or, if someone's using acupressure onyou, |
| Besidesbeing sore and tight, you'll feel little lumps | | | | someone hurting you. The worst thing that can |
| or knots. If you pushthese knots...WOW! | | | | happen is youwon't be able to "pop" the trigger |
| Sore, huh? That sore knot is a trigger point. | | | | point. In that case, wait until thearea of the |
| Now comes the fun part. Using the tip of a finger | | | | trigger point calms down, then repeat the |
| - the one that'sgoing to reach the trigger point | | | | procedure. |
| and provide you with the mostleverage - roll over | | | | While it doesn't work 100 percent of the time, |
| the trigger point until you find the tip. Push | | | | I've gotten greatresults most of the times that |
| yourfinger in as hard you can, right through to the | | | | I've used this technique on my patients. |
| trigger point. | | | | If you suffer from daily tension headaches and |
| Yes, it's going to hurt - in fact, it's going to be | | | | are starting to haveother, more serious |
| extremely painful. | | | | symptoms - like tingling in your arms orweakness |
| Nevertheless, I want you to continue pushing | | | | in your hands - acupressure isn't going to be very |
| until:you can't stand the pain, oryou feel the | | | | effectivebecause you have too much spasm over |
| trigger point "pop," or dissolve (you won't | | | | too wide an area. |
| actuallyhear it pop, but you will feel a little | | | | Fortunately, there's a second technique for |
| explosion in your muscle) | | | | permanently getting rid ofthese spasms. |