Pressure Points for Headache

A heavy head, or a band of tightness. Here are four points you can press yourself, with a diagram for each and a plain account of how far the research goes.

Not yet reviewedThis page has not yet been checked by a doctor or a licensed acupuncturist. The star ratings, cautions and advice on seeing a doctor may change after review.

Before you press: see a doctor now if your headache comes with any of these

If any of these apply, do not wait and see with acupressure.

  • A sudden, severe headache unlike any you have had before
  • Weakness or numbness in an arm or leg
  • Slurred speech, or trouble finding words
  • Double vision, or a sudden loss of vision
  • Fever with a stiff neck that is hard to bend forward
  • Confusion, unusual drowsiness, or a seizure
  • A headache after a blow to the head
  • Headaches that grow more frequent or more severe by the day
  • Tenderness at the temples, or jaw pain when chewing
  • A red eye with halos around lights
Call your local emergency number (911 in the US and Canada, 999 in the UK, 112 in the EU, 000 in Australia, 119 in Japan). Where to go: emergency department, neurology, neurosurgery

If you are not sure whether it is an emergency, phone your local medical advice line or your doctor.

Four points to try first

Press until it feels strong but still comfortable. Take 5 seconds to press in, 5 seconds to release, about 5 times.timing to be confirmed in review

BaihuiTaiyang
Whole body, front
FengchiHegu
Whole body, back

Roughly where on the body. Use each diagram below for the exact spot.

Hegu

WHO code
LI4
Pinyin
Hégǔ
Back of the right handEnlarge
Where
On the back of the hand, in the hollow beside the index-finger bone, just before the thumb and index-finger bones meet.
How to press
Place the thumb of your other hand on the point and press in toward the index-finger bone. Do both hands.
Evidence
★★☆ (provisional)One of the points used most often in acupuncture studies of headache. We found no study of pressing it with the fingers.[1]
Caution
Do not press hard during pregnancy.to be confirmed in review

More about Hegu

Fengchi

WHO code
GB20
Pinyin
Fēngchí
Head and neck from behindEnlarge
Where
At the hairline at the back of the head, in the hollows just outside the two thick muscles of the neck. One on each side.
How to press
Cup your head in both hands, set your thumbs in the hollows, and press up and in toward the centre of the head.
Evidence
★★☆ (provisional)One of the points most often used in a small trial of acupressure in 28 people with chronic headache. It is also the most used point in acupuncture studies.[2][1]
Caution
Do not twist your neck forcefully. Stop if you feel dizzy.to be confirmed in review

More about Fengchi

Baihui

WHO code
GV20
Pinyin
Bǎihuì
Top of the head, from the frontEnlarge
Where
At the top of the head, where a line joining the tops of both ears crosses the midline of the face.
How to press
Stack both middle fingers on the point and press straight down toward the centre of the body.
Evidence
★★☆ (provisional)One of the points most often used in the same small trial as Fengchi.[2][1]
Caution
Do not dig in with your nails.to be confirmed in review

More about Baihui

Taiyang

Extra point
EX-HN5
Pinyin
Tàiyáng
Face from the frontEnlarge
Where
At the temple, in the hollow one finger-width behind the midpoint between the outer end of the eyebrow and the outer corner of the eye.
How to press
Rest the pad of your middle finger on the point and press slowly in small circles.
Evidence
★★☆ (provisional)Often used in acupuncture studies, but we found no study of pressing it with the fingers.[1]
Caution
Do not press in hard. A throbbing headache may get worse.to be confirmed in review

More about Taiyang

How to read the stars, and what we do not know

★★★
Several clinical trials, and a review that pools them.
★★☆
At least one small clinical trial, or mainly acupuncture research.
★☆☆
Traditional texts and practitioners' experience only.

Most research on headache and these points studied acupuncture with needles. Studies of pressing with your own fingers are few and small. One trial of 98 people found that adding acupressure to medication made no difference to pain.[3][4]

The stars on this page do not promise an effect. They show how far the point has been studied.

When to see a doctor about a headache, and which doctor

See a doctor if

  • Headaches several times a month that get in the way of work or home life
  • Using over-the-counter painkillers on 10 or more days a month
  • Nausea, or sensitivity to light or sound, with the headache
  • A new kind of headache that starts after age 50

to be confirmed by a doctor

Which doctor?

Start with your primary care doctor, who can refer you to a neurologist or a headache clinic. If stiffness in the neck and shoulders is prominent, an orthopaedic doctor can also advise.

Sources

  1. Lu L et al. Acupoints for Tension-Type Headache: A Literature Study Based on Data Mining Technology. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021;2021:5567697. PubMed 33777156／DOI 10.1155/2021/5567697
  2. Hsieh LL et al. Effect of acupressure and trigger points in treating headache: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Chin Med. 2010;38(1):1-14. PubMed 20128040／DOI 10.1142/S0192415X10007634
  3. Xu JH et al. A randomized controlled trial of acupressure as an adjunctive therapy to sodium valproate on the prevention of chronic migraine with aura. Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(27):e7477. PubMed 28682918／DOI 10.1097/MD.0000000000007477
  4. Lee JS et al. Acupressure for treating neurological disorders: a systematic review. Int J Neurosci. 2011;121(8):409-14. PubMed 21545308／DOI 10.3109/00207454.2011.570465
  5. MSDマニュアル家庭版「頭痛の概要」 (full review 2025年2月, accessed 2026-11-12)
  6. World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific. WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region. 2008. (locations not yet checked against the original text)