This week I’m going to show you how to easily massage trigger points for headache and neck pain.
Have a tennis ball or lacrosse ball ready. I always opt for lacrosse ball because I like hard pressure. Sit comfortably and place a ball in the middle of the base of the skull where there is a depression. Put both hands on the top of the ball and drop your head forward and just let the gravity do its job as you take deep breaths. Then slowly move the ball up and down and side to side. You are now massaging the suboccipital muslces. Occiput is the back of the skull and suboccipital muslces are a group of eight muscles that connect the first two vertebrae called atlas and axis and the skull. These muscles can have trigger points that cause the headache from above the eye all the way to the side of the head. Roll the ball ten times at a time and do it six times throughout the day. This point is also an acupressure point known as GV 16 or Governing Vessel 16 and it’s good for neck pain, headaches, nosebleeds, and sore throat.
Move the ball further to the side and you may find it really sore or even painful. You just went over the attachment of trapezius and deep neck muscle under trapezius called semispinalis capitis. Semispinalis capitis also can have trigger points that cause the headache on the side of your head above the ears. Slowly roll the ball up and down and side to side to release the trigger points. Roll the ball ten times at a time and do it six times throughout the day. When you roll your ball little further there is another depression next to trapezius. This is acupressure point called GB 20 or Gallbladder 20. This point is good for headache, migraines, blurred vision, glaucoma, red and painful eyes, vertigo, ringing in the ear, insomnia, fibromyalgia, convulsion, epilepsy, common cold, nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, tiredness, stiff neck, neck pain, eyestrain, uptightness, irritability, judgmental attitudes, nervousness, hypertension, and mental stress.
If you have any of these press the GB 20 point with the ball as you breathe deeply. By the way, if you don’t have any of these, congratulations. I think you are a very lucky few.
Now that you know these points, even better way to massage them is to lie on your back with the ball and let the head weight do its job. Hold it with one hand to start with. Instead moving the ball roll your head up and down and side to side. Use your left hand for the left side of the neck. And use your right hand for the right side of the neck. If you dare, use both hands to really increase the pressure.
This week I combined my favorite subjects of trigger points and acupressure points. Hope this helps!
Happy Massaging!
4-13-15 Easy Way To Massage Trigger Points and Acupressure Points For Neck Pain and Headache http://bit.ly/mm-041315