How effective is it and how to do acupressure for a runny nose

Why does a runny nose appear and why is it dangerous?

The most common cause of nasal congestion is viral infections. Even the strongest immunity cannot resist them - if these strains have not yet entered your body, they will penetrate it after contact with a sick person. As a rule, a runny nose is not the first symptom. First there is a sore throat, cough, and sometimes body temperature rises.

There are many remedies for nasal congestion in pharmacies. These include vasoconstrictor drops and sea water. Of course, all of them give only a temporary effect, and the runny nose returns until the patient goes through all the stages of the disease and develops immunity against this virus. You can make you feel better when you have a cold and speed up your recovery a little with a simple acupressure massage.

A little history

Acupressure has its own specific name - acupressure. It has its roots in ancient Chinese folk medicine and is a branch of acupuncture.

In simple terms, acupressure is the act of influencing points in the body through active finger pressure. And despite the fact that it is now easier to buy medicine at a pharmacy and undergo a course of treatment, this eastern technique has not lost its relevance. It is still used and is popular because it does not require any special knowledge in medicine. This method is simpler and safer than acupuncture, which is a more complex technique. Agree, not everyone would risk inserting needles into their own skin; a specialist is already needed here. Therefore, many people prefer acupressure - a softer version of acupuncture, when the points are affected not by needles, but by fingers.

Massage specific points throughout the face

Acupressure facial massage for a runny nose is most effective at an early stage, when congestion only makes itself felt. Let's consider several options for acupressure for a runny nose, which can replace sprays and drops and get rid of a runny nose in 7 hours.

The main goal of acupressure is to launch hidden resources that can gradually reduce and relieve the inflammatory process. Impact on certain areas of the face improves blood circulation in the tissues, due to which oxygen reaches the site of swelling, which helps the nasal passages to clear and the mucous membrane to quickly return to normal. Stages of acupressure for a runny nose:

1. Massage above the eyes. Place the pads of your middle fingers above the upper eyelid, closer to the base of the eyebrows and the bridge of the nose, and begin to influence these two points with light circular movements. Manipulations should not be abrupt; you need to move in a circle slowly and smoothly - one revolution takes two seconds. Under the eyebrow, you should lightly touch the frontal bone, then move to the bridge of the nose, and complete the circle by touching the cheekbone with your fingers.
2. Nose massage. Place the pads of the index and middle fingers at the inner edge of the eyebrow and begin to move to the very bottom, ending the manipulation near the nostrils. Then go back up again. One stroke up and down takes about one second.
3. Ear massage. You need to grab your ear between your index and middle fingers, and then move up and down - to the lobe where the fingers meet, and back. Do not spend more than a second on one such manipulation.
4. Neck massage. There are three points on the neck that need to be affected. They are all located on the back of the head, right under the hair. First, with the middle finger of the right hand, we massage the point that is located right in the center, and then with the fingers of both hands we massage the muscles at the base of the skull. Both hands must move in the same direction - first clockwise, then counterclockwise.

Such procedures need to be performed twice a day, 36 times each exercise . At high body temperatures, performing such a massage with a runny nose in adults is contraindicated - it can only be done at normal or subfebrile temperatures.

If the skin around the nose is too irritated by a constant runny nose, then it is better to bypass these areas. If there is even the slightest discomfort or increased symptoms during the massage, it should be stopped immediately.

Contraindications

Self-medication is never encouraged by anyone. Illiterate actions can not only harm health and aggravate an existing disease, but also provoke a new one. Therefore, even before performing acupressure for a runny nose, it is advisable to consult a doctor. A specialist will help identify contraindications and advise how to perform the procedure correctly.

High temperature is an absolute contraindication to massage

It is not recommended to perform reflexology in the following pathological conditions:

• high body temperature;
• the presence of moles, abrasions and wounds in the affected area.

These are absolute contraindications to massage for a runny nose. In addition to the points discussed, there are certain restrictions to acupressure that you should be aware of:

• if the patient’s condition worsens and the symptoms of a runny nose intensify, the sessions must be stopped;
• in case of skin irritation, it is recommended to reduce the frequency and duration of procedures;
• During the first massage, you should carefully monitor your health and the body’s response to manual manipulation. This will help you choose an individual manipulation technique.

The use of acupressure for a runny nose promotes rapid healing and restoration of health. In addition, acupressure will significantly reduce the intake of potent medications, which will be very useful for people with allergies and other contraindications to taking medications.

Why does a child's runny nose require immediate treatment?

If in adults a prolonged runny nose most often ends in sinusitis - inflammation of the paranasal maxillary sinuses, then in young children congestion quickly leads to complications in the form of otitis media, bronchitis or ethmoiditis.
The maxillary sinuses open only at the age of seven, so until this age children do not suffer from this unpleasant disease. However, otitis and bronchitis are no less unpleasant things, and in children's groups it is very easy to catch rhinoinfection. And in the summer, children love to swim until their lips turn blue, eat cold ice cream and drink soft drinks, which often leads to a cold.

But inflammation of the paranasal sinuses: sinusitis, frontal sinusitis (in older children) or ethmoiditis is the result of bacterial or allergic rhinitis. When a viral infection is not treated properly, bacteria multiply in the mucosa, which increases swelling and leads to a buildup of mucus in the sinuses. If it is an allergy, then this can be understood by the color of the mucous membrane. Her pallor indicates that the persistent runny nose is of an allergic nature.

Massage for the little ones

The task of parents is to prevent the development of complications. Not only pharmaceutical drugs will come to the rescue, but also light acupressure for a runny nose in children, which is indicated even for babies under one year old:

• under the nostrils;
• between the eyebrows;
• at the outer corners of the eyes;
• above the earlobe.

Place your thumb and index finger on the above points and perform circular movements 10 times. For a good effect, it is better to repeat the procedure three times in a row, and after three hours do another approach. Such manipulations can be carried out at temperatures up to 38C. However, if the child does not want to do this and resists, there is no need to insist, since recovery will not be achieved by force. During the massage procedure, the patient should completely relax.

Small children under one year old with a runny nose can only put special drops in their nose, and vasoconstrictor sprays are prohibited for them. Until the child turns three years old, it is generally undesirable for him to inject anything into his nose - it is better to limit himself to ordinary saline solution drawn into a pipette. Nevertheless, massage for nasal congestion in a child will not harm the baby at any age.

How to relieve nasal congestion with a nasal massage?

In order for acupressure to be an effective physiotherapeutic procedure, it must be performed according to certain rules

Before massaging biological points, you must take into account the following recommendations:

1. First of all, you need to press on those points located near the wings of the nose. The patient massages the indentations between the wings of the nasal pyramid and the cheeks with the index fingers for about 60-90 seconds.
2. Then you can massage the points under the nostrils. The patient should feel the areas under the nose and above the lip.
3. Then you can move to the bridge of your nose.
4. If you have a headache, a temple massage will help relieve the discomfort.
5. Then you can move on to acupressure of points passing along the hands.

When massaging a stuffy nose, you should remember that you need to do the movements with warm fingers. If your hands are cold, you can warm them up by holding a hot cup of coffee or rubbing your palms vigorously.

Massage can be done up to 3 times a day. After the procedure, you can drink a glass of warm liquid: water, juice, compote, tea. Thus, the therapeutic effect will be more effective.

Those who want to cure a runny nose, before relieving nasal congestion, need to know that massage movements can be done not only with the pads of the fingers. Acupressure is also performed using the tapping method. To do this, you need to bend your fingers and use the bones. Tapping should be done in a sitting position.

• For the first half a minute, the bones are knocked on the active points on the wings of the nose. Tap three times on one side, then on the other, alternately for thirty seconds.
• For the second half a minute, tapping is performed once alternately on both sides of the nose.
• For the third half a minute, biological points are massaged with two bones simultaneously.
• After this, tapping is performed on the bridge of the nose.

Simple massage movements stimulate blood circulation in the nasal cavity, reducing swelling. They strengthen muscles, eliminate snoring, and tone the endocrine glands.

If the patient cannot relieve nasal congestion using acupressure, then it is necessary to consult a specialist. For severe inflammation of the mucous membrane, additional therapy will be required.

Other reflexology methods for runny nose

The method of applying metal needles to certain points of the human body has been known for a long time. It originated in Ancient China. Acupuncture is still the prerogative of experienced specialists, and sticking yourself with needles is highly not recommended.

Moreover, if it is a common runny nose, there is no point in visiting a reflexologist and performing such a procedure. Here we are no longer talking about a cold, but about lingering rhinitis, which threatens with serious complications.

How is this procedure carried out?
Thin metal needles are inserted under the skin at certain points and left for about 20 minutes . Here are five main points, when exposed to which a person can forget about a runny nose for a long time:

1. The first point is between the eyebrows, right above the bridge of the nose.
2. The second point, or rather two points, are located symmetrically at the wings of the nose, above the maxillary canines.
3. The third points are whiskey. The needle should go exactly to the place where the pulse beat is clearly felt.
4. The fourth spots from a runny nose are not on the face or even on the head, but on the hands. They are located between the thumb and index finger.
5. And finally, the fifth points are located right at the base of the thumb, between the bone and the hand.

At first glance, the acupuncture procedure is quite unpleasant. However, it is not. Inserting needles under the skin is almost painless, and the effect of such exposure is very noticeable. After all, needles are used to treat not only a runny nose, but also pain in the back and joints. Just imagine how strong this targeted effect is!

Of course, this procedure is not suitable for children, but you can massage the above points with your fingers when you have a runny nose. It is important that the baby is fed and calm before the massage. The best result will be if the child relaxes during your manipulations and then falls asleep.

Contraindications

The procedure we are considering can only be used as a prophylaxis to relieve symptoms

But it is important to remember that in some situations massage is unacceptable for a number of reasons:

• If your blood pressure is high;
• Worried about vomiting;
• The course of the disease, against the background of elevated temperature;
• Mental illnesses;
• Hepatitis, HIV;
• Cancerous tumors;
• Problems in the cardiovascular system;
• Troubles with internal organs;

If your child has any illness from the list above, you will have to wait a while with the massage. Even if you know for sure that your baby has no contraindications, a preliminary consultation with your doctor or therapist is required. If the child is already twelve years old, massage can be used without additional consultation with a specialist or other prescriptions.

It is important to listen as little as possible to the advice of various traditional healers, your grandmothers, mothers, neighbors and relatives. Be critical of advice published on Internet forums

Any prescription must be given by an experienced physician. The health of your child is the most precious thing you have; do not trust the safety of your baby’s life to a person without experience and appropriate education.

Clean and easy breathing through the nose will make your sleep calm and of high quality. After all, good sleep is the key to restoring the body and, as a result, a quick recovery. The quality of the massage affects the speed of the body’s recovery, so if possible, try to use the services of a specialist.

Each autumn-winter season is characterized by a significant increase in the number of colds. Children and adolescents are especially at risk

It is very important to intervene in a timely manner and begin a course of treatment. You can protect your child from dangerous consequences and complications by taking all possible preventive measures in a timely manner.

Among such preventive measures is competent and systematic daily massage. The systematic inclusion of the body’s hardening process will not harm

It is very important to freshen the air in the living areas of your apartment as often as possible, and especially in the room where the child lives. Get into the habit of walking outdoors

Watch your nutritious diet, take vitamin complexes periodically. Buy as many healthy foods, vegetables and fruits as possible.

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Summing up

So, tablets, sprays and drops are not the only way to treat a persistent runny nose. Massage for nasal congestion is a painless and even pleasant relaxing procedure that is absolutely safe and beneficial for both adults and children.

Acupuncture also gives a quick effect and after two or three procedures eliminates swelling. Do not be afraid of this procedure - it is completely harmless and very effective. However, you should not engage in amateur activities - contact a reflexologist and get the maximum benefit and relaxation from acupuncture.