Migraine Pressure Points: Acupressure Spots That May Offer Relief
Acupressure won't cure a migraine, but for many people, applying steady pressure to specific points offers real, tangible relief — especially when combined with other strategies. Here's where these points are, how to use them, and what they can realistically do.
When a migraine hits, reaching up to press your temples or rub the base of your skull is an almost universal instinct. It turns out that instinct has some grounding in a much older practice — acupressure — and for a meaningful number of people, doing it deliberately at specific points offers more relief than the absent-minded version.
It's worth being upfront about expectations: acupressure isn't going to abort a severe migraine on its own, and the research on it is more about comfort and modest symptom reduction than dramatic cures. But as part of a broader toolkit — alongside medication, a dark quiet room, and hydration — it's a free, accessible, side-effect-free option that's worth knowing how to use properly.
LI4 (Hegu) — The Webbing of Your Hand
Located in the fleshy webbing between your thumb and index finger, at the highest point of the muscle when you bring thumb and finger together, LI4 is one of the most commonly used acupressure points for headaches in general. Applying firm, steady pressure here with the thumb of your opposite hand for one to two minutes, then switching sides, is a simple technique you can do almost anywhere — at a desk, in a car, lying down.
GB20 (Fengchi) — Base of the Skull
This point sits in the two hollows at the base of your skull, on either side of the spine, roughly where your neck muscles attach to your head. Many people instinctively press here during a headache without knowing it has a name. Using your thumbs or knuckles, apply firm upward and inward pressure into these hollows, holding for 30 seconds to a minute, and consider combining this with slow, deep breathing — the neck and shoulder tension relief alone can be meaningful, especially if you carry stress in that area.
Yintang — Between the Eyebrows
Sometimes called the "third eye point," Yintang is located directly between your eyebrows, in the slight depression where the bridge of your nose meets your forehead. Light to moderate circular pressure here with one or two fingers, held for a minute or so, is commonly used for the sinus-pressure-like sensation that often accompanies migraine, and many people find it has a calming effect that helps with the anxiety that can come along with an attack.
Taiyang — The Temples
The temples are another point most people already gravitate toward. Using your fingertips, apply gentle circular pressure to the soft area just outside the outer corner of each eyebrow, where you can often feel a slight depression. Because the temples can be quite sensitive — sometimes painfully so — during a migraine, gentle pressure is key here; this is one area where pressing too hard can make things feel worse rather than better.
LV3 (Taichong) — The Top of the Foot
Less commonly known, this point is located on the top of the foot, in the depression between the big toe and second toe, about two finger-widths up from the webbing. In traditional practice it's associated with stress and tension relief more broadly, and some people find it a useful option when the head and neck are too sensitive to touch directly during a severe attack.
How to Actually Do This
For any of these points, the general technique is similar: use a fingertip, thumb, or knuckle to apply firm but comfortable pressure — enough to feel a noticeable sensation without causing pain — in small circular motions or steady holds, for roughly 30 seconds to two minutes per point. Breathing slowly and deliberately while you do this seems to add to the effect for a lot of people, likely through general relaxation and parasympathetic activation rather than the pressure point itself.
There's no harm in working through several of these points in sequence, and no strict "right" order — many people develop their own routine based on which points they find most helpful.
What Acupressure Can and Can't Do
Be realistic about what this is: a low-cost, accessible comfort measure that some people find genuinely helpful as part of managing an attack, particularly for milder migraines or as a complement to medication for more severe ones. It's not a substitute for appropriate acute treatment if you have a prescribed medication, and it's not going to prevent attacks caused by triggers like weather changes, hormones, or sleep disruption.
Where it fits best is in that early window — when you feel an attack starting and you're already taking other steps (medication, hydration, getting to a quiet space) — as one more tool that costs nothing and carries no downside.
The Other Side of Prevention
Pressure points can help you cope with an attack that's already underway. But if you're someone whose migraines are influenced by weather — and a large number of people are — the more impactful intervention often happens before the attack starts. MigraineCast tracks barometric pressure trends for your location and gives you advance notice when conditions are shifting in ways that have historically preceded your attacks, so you have time to act before you're reaching for your temples at all.
Know when a high-risk window is approaching so you can act before the attack starts. Download MigraineCast free on iOS.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pressure points help with migraines?
The most commonly used acupressure points for migraine relief are: LI4 (Hegu) — in the webbing between thumb and index finger; GB20 (Fengchi) — in the two hollows at the base of the skull on either side of the spine; Yintang — between the eyebrows; and Taiyang — at the temples. Apply firm, steady pressure for 30 seconds to 2 minutes per point, using slow, deliberate breathing.
Does acupressure actually work for migraines?
The evidence is more about comfort and modest symptom reduction than dramatic cure — acupressure won't abort a severe migraine on its own. But it's a free, side-effect-free option that many people find genuinely reduces discomfort, particularly in the early stage of an attack or as a complement to medication. It works best as part of a broader approach that includes a dark, quiet room, hydration, and early medication if prescribed.
Where is the LI4 acupressure point for headaches?
LI4 (Hegu) is located in the fleshy webbing between your thumb and index finger, at the highest point of the muscle when you press thumb and finger together. Apply firm pressure here using the thumb of your opposite hand for 1–2 minutes, then switch sides. It's one of the most widely studied acupressure points for headache and can be used almost anywhere.