How to press acupressure points to reduce symptoms of headache and stuffy nose due to flu
Some unpleasant flu symptoms such as headaches, stuffy nose causing difficulty breathing can be improved by acupressure. In addition, green tea, licorice, honeysuckle... have good effects in treating flu.
Reduce flu symptoms with Oriental medicine
Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus. The disease is transmitted directly from sick people to healthy people through small droplets when talking, coughing, sneezing. In Vietnam, the common strains of seasonal influenza virus are influenza A/H3N2, A/H1N1 and influenza B.
While Western medicine mainly treats symptoms and uses antiviral drugs such as Oseltamivir, Eastern medicine takes a comprehensive approach: inhibiting viruses, increasing resistance, and clearing heat and detoxifying the body.
Over thousands of years, Oriental medicine has developed many effective flu treatments, helping to limit drug resistance and improve treatment effectiveness.
In fact, when treating flu with Oriental medicine, both children and adults can have their fever go down on the second day and be completely cured on the third day, returning to normal activities.
A study at 11 hospitals in China, published in the US National Library of Medicine (PubMed), compared the effectiveness of using traditional Chinese medicine (Yin Qiao San, Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang) alone, the antiviral drug Oseltamivir (Tamiflu), and a combination of the two, showing that:
- Oseltamivir-only group: reduced fever duration by 34%
- Group using only Oriental medicine: 37% reduction
- Group combining Oriental medicine and Oseltamivir: reduced by 47%
Regarding the medicinal herb honeysuckle, a study published in the journalPhytomedicine2021 showed that the active ingredient chlorogenic acid in this herb has the ability to strongly inhibit the neuraminidase enzyme of the A/H1N1 influenza virus.
This enzyme is the "key" that helps the virus enter the host cell. When "locked" by chlorogenic acid, the virus will not be able to multiply or spread.
Green tea is a familiar drink for many Vietnamese people (Illustration: Tu Anh)
Additionally, a 2022 meta-analysis from Harvard University found that herbal active ingredients such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in green tea and glycyrrhizin in licorice can disrupt the lipid membrane of viruses, weakening them before they can enter cells.
Acupressure - Prevent and reduce flu symptoms
Headache:
Press the following acupoints: Taiyang, Baihui, Yintang, Fengchi, Hegu.
Forehead stroke: Use two thumbs to stroke from the middle of the forehead to the temples (15-20 times). Can combine with oil application to increase effectiveness.
Stuffy nose:
Yingxiang acupoint
Clinical experience shows that when pressing the Yingxiang point, you should gently press your hand into the nostrils to dissolve thick nasal discharge, helping the nose clear faster.
Yingxiang acupoint (Photo: Getty).
In case of cold wind infection causing stuffy nose, pressing Yingxiang point is not effective, you can switch to pressing Fengmen point. When pressing the right point, the patient will feel the nose is completely clear and breathing is easy. In fact, only one side of the point usually gives a comfortable feeling - focus on that side.
Increase resistance: Press the foot 36 point
Location: About 3 inches (about 4 fingers) from the kneecap, on the outer edge of the tibia.
Uses:
Stimulates white blood cell production, enhances immunity (according to research at Shanghai Medical University).
Nourishes the spleen and stomach, increases the ability to absorb nutrients - the foundation for abundant blood and energy.
How to do: Press and massage every morning for 3-5 minutes, or use heated mugwort to increase effectiveness.
Traditional records from the "Huangdi Nei Jing" state that pressing the Zusanli point regularly for 100 days helps "live long and have rosy skin". Many people who apply this method find that their minor illnesses are significantly reduced and their health is significantly improved./.
