P. Sze 
Do you frequently suffer from a headache or migraine? If yes, then you must have spent the rest of the day in a dark and quiet room, almost overdosing on pain killers. If this is your case, then you should definitely try the GB 41 acupuncture point to find relief from that awful pain.
Location Of The Acupoint: GB-41 (Other Names: Gallbladder-41/Zu Lin Qi/Foot Governor of Tears)
This acupuncture point is located on the external edge of the dorsum (the portion of the foot facing upwards when standing). Approximately in the depression distal to the conjunction of the 4th and 5th metatarsal bones, on the lateral side of the tendon of the muscle extender digiti minimi of the foot.
The Amazing Benefits Of GB-41
GB 41 acupuncture point has the potential to treat a variety of health conditions in the body. In acupuncture, the indications of any particular point are often linked to the area of the energy pathway in the body or their corresponding organ, in this situation the gallbladder. GB (Gall Bladder) 41 helps in treating migraines, headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, vertigo, vision problems, and eye issues such as redness, pain in the outer corner of the eye, and dryness.
GB41 is also unique because of its access to a prime meridian known as the Dai meridian. The Dai or belt meridian spreads all across the waist. This enables GB41 to be used to relieve pain in the lower back, hip, pelvis, and abdomen, as well as conditions linked to menstruation, fertility, and digestion. It is also helpful for the pain and swelling of the foot and discomfort during pregnancy. If your job requires excessive standing, experts recommend activating this acupoint and ub64 acupuncture point together to relieve tiredness in the foot and prevent plantar fasciitis.
At this point, you must be wondering why the GB 41 acupuncture point works so well for treating migraines and headaches? Migraines are usually a mixture of Liver Qi (energy) stagnation as well as trapped Qi and blood. GB 41 is very good at moving the Qi that is trapped, particularly in the Liver meridian. The Gall Bladder pathway passes around the head-temples, the side of the head, the forehead just above the eyebrow, and the area around your ear. Migraines typically occur in these regions and are generally spread across the entire head.
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), when we refer to the gallbladder, it is not quite the same as the gallbladder that you are familiar with in Western medicine. The Gallbladder in TCM, due to its close association with our Liver, has a lot to do with internal matters such as how we sleep at night, the quality of our sleep, feelings, stress, menstrual cycle, and even digestion.
Acupoint: Liv-3 (Other Names: Liver-3/Tai Chong/Supreme Rush) – Another Great Point For Pain Relief
Liv-3 also known as Tai Chong is another significant acupressure point found at the top of the foot, in the depression between the 1st and the 2nd metatarsal bones. It is situated approximately two finger widths above the place where the skin of the big toe and the next toe connect together.
You can try stimulating this point yourself through acupressure. If you move your finger over the gap between the big toe and the second toe, you’ll note a small dip where the metatarsals meet. Push down gently with your index or middle finger and use a soft circling motion over this point. Do this for about 30 seconds to 2 minutes to get the Qi moving.
It can help treat problems of the eye and the head, particularly tension headaches, numbness of the head, anxiety, lower back pain, hypertension, red eyes, dizziness, and insomnia.
Why Choose Acupressure Over Acupuncture?
Both acupressure and acupuncture fall under the category of complementary or alternative medicine that incorporates the principles of TCM and are similar in many ways.
These techniques are based on the notion that the body’s core energy passes across meridian points on the body that links to multiple organs, transfer energy, and contribute to optimal well-being.
Acupressure uses steady pressure and massage to stimulate the meridians (also called acupoints) using the thumb or fingertips. On the other hand, acupuncture involves the insertion of hair-thin needles to activate those acupoints.
Both approaches are practically pain-free and can be used to treat a variety of disorders, including allergies, depression, inflammation, nausea, headaches, migraines, and foot issues. You cannot perform acupuncture on your own. This procedure takes a lot of time to learn than acupressure and hence requires the expertise of a qualified professional.
However, if you want to reap the rewards of acupuncture without seeing a doctor, then you can try stimulating points such as GB 41 acupuncture point, which you or your partner can easily do at the comfort of your home. Acupressure is relatively simple to learn and is a smart choice for everyday health problems such as pain, migraines, headaches, and insomnia.
How To Use Acupressure
You can quickly and easily learn acupressure at home by following these simple tips:
- First of all, find a quiet and comfortable spot where you can relax, either sitting or lying down
- Find the pressure point that you are targeting
- Use your knuckle, fingertips, or any soft-pointed tool like a pencil eraser to put deep pressure on each pressure point
- Apply pressure of 15 to 30 seconds
- When doing acupressure, try to calm down and breathe deeply while massaging the area
- Repeat the process on the same point on the opposite side of the body
You should feel instant relief after this process.
Conclusion
Next time you have a headache or migraine, try massaging your GB-41 and Liv-3 to find relief. You will most likely find it to be tender. In particular, acupressure point GB 41 is a crucial point for treating migraines, headaches, and other pain disorders. The best part is that you can quickly learn acupressure and stimulate all these pressure points for free by yourself in the comfort of your home.
Photo by Adrian Swancar on Unsplash, Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
