We’ve all been there (and still are there in many cases) – desperately Googling “cures for migraines”, and willing to try most things that look as if they might have some small possibility of working.
Usually, unfortunately, the easy quick-fix solutions don’t prove to be very successful. However, earlier this year one mum, who had been suffering with a hideous migraine for almost twelve hours without relief, was delighted to find that a simple plastic food bag clip placed strategically on her hand between her thumb and forefinger halved her all-consuming migraine pain in just twenty minutes.
But why would a clip on your hand do any good? Is there any reason behind the relief or was it just a highly-effective placebo?
Apparently yes, there is some research to support the bag clip technique.
Researchers think that the reason that migraine pain can be reduced by pinching the pressure point between your thumb and forefinger is that it triggers a set of responses in the body. These include improving circulation, relieving stress, reducing tension, and possibly even releasing the body’s natural painkillers – endorphins.
This use of pressure points is the same basis for the practices of acupuncture and acupressure. Acupressure, which the logic of the bag clip method stems from, is an ancient healing art that is based on traditional Chinese medicine practices. By pressing on very specific points across the body, muscle tension can be released and blood circulation improved. The pressure point which the bag clip was placed on is called pressure point LI-4, or Hegu, and it has been noted for its pain and headache relieving properties.
If you want to try using it as a means of fast pain relief, then a bag clip is optional. It is said that you can also activate it by using the thumb and forefinger of your other hand to massage the spot in a circular motion for five minutes. The pressure should be firm, but not so hard that it hurts. When one hand has been massaged, the next hand should be massaged.
Even if the bag clip sounds unlikely to you, massaging the Hegu pressure point might be worth trying since it can, unlike medication, be utilised multiple times a day, it doesn’t have side-effects, it’s free, and it can be done in conjunction with other things. It may not work for everyone, but if it works for even just a couple of people, it’s a method worth talking about.
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