In the video on this page you can learn 3 acupressure points for trigeminal neuralgia and facial pain caused by Bell’s Palsy, TMJ, tooth issues and jaw clenching. Also you’ll see a link for a Qigong face massage to help improve the circulation of Qi, blood and fluid throughout the face, head and neck area.
This lesson was taught by myself, Dr. Janice Tucker, Chinese medicine/acupuncture practitioner and the founder of the Space To Relax Programme of Qigong video lessons.
3 Acupressure Points For Trigeminal Neuralgia – Introduction
Trigeminal neuralgia manifests as pain in the trigeminal nerve which provides signaling to many parts of the head and face. The pain can be sudden and feel like an electric shock. It is usually caused by a blood vessel putting pressure on the trigeminal nerve at the base of the brain, although can be due to other causes.
Triggers
Trigeminal neuralgia can be triggered by any stimulation of the face such as:
- shaving;
- touching your face;
- brushing your teeth;
- a breeze on your face;
- smiling;
- washing your face;
- applying make-up.
Treatment Options
Treatment offered by conventional medicine may include medications, surgery or injections. From a Chinese medical point of view pain is due to a lack of circulation of flow of blood, Qi and/or fluid through the area so we can use acupressure points on the affected channels of Qi flow (meridians) to help improve this. Also, a general QIgong face massage can be very helpful in managing the symptoms arising from not only trigeminal neuralgia but also:
- Bell’s palsy;
- jaw clenching or teeth grinding;
- temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues;
- facial paralysis post-stroke;
- tooth issues.
Chinese Medicine Methods to Help Relieve Pain
3 Acupressure Points For Trigeminal Neuralgia
We can press or massage specific, beneficial acupuncture points to help manage the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia using acupressure with the fingers. You can stimulate the 3 acupressure points for trigeminal neuralgia listed below for a couple of minutes a few times per day. Click the name of the point highlighted in blue to find more detail on the exact location of these points.
- STOMACH 7 – XIAGUAN.
- GALLBLADDER 3 – SHANGUAN.
- LARGE INTESTINE 4 – HEGU (contraindicated in pregnancy)
NOTE: These acupressure points are general points to use that may help you but are not a substitute for a thorough Traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis from a qualified practitioner as everyone is different in terms of individual treatment approach. Also, be sure to consult with your healthcare professional if you have not already done so.
Qigong Face Massage
A general self-massage for your face, head and neck can be very helpful in relieving pain because it helps promote the free flow of blood, Qi and fluid through the areas served by the trigeminal nerve. Once circulation becomes more open and free-flowing then the pain may subside. I taught a previous live Qigong class showing you the facial massage and you can follow along by clicking here.
Additional Video Resources & Further Tips
This educational video on Qigong for nerve pain may also be of help to you:
You’ll find many other live Qigong lesson replays on my blog page. Take a look at some of them to find methods that you can easily combine with this one. You can use the search box on the blog page to find any topics you are interested in.
What Can I Do Next?
If you’d like to take your practice to the next level with my structured, step-by-step Space To Relax Qigong programme of 50 video lessons accompanied by audio and PDF files with support from me every step of the way then click here.
To get my free part video series of 3 Qigong lessons which will be delivered to you by email over the course of one week please click here. In these lessons, you’ll learn more about abdominal breathing, Qi movement and how to rid waste Qi. This will help you to feel more relaxed and energised.
If you are new to Qigong you’ll probably find my Ultimate Guide To Health and Wellbeing With Qigong very helpful. It explains the origins and benefits of Qigong along with 10 beginner Qigong exercises to get you started.
You can click the red “subscribe” button to join my YouTube channel. That way you won’t miss any future Qigong lessons from me.
Click here to join our Qigong group on Facebook.
