How to Ease a Toothache With Acupressure

Acupressure uses gentle but firm hand pressure against meridian points in the body to relieve pain. Unlike acupuncture--which involves inserting thin needles into meridians and requires more training--a novice can generally perform acupressure anytime pain rears its head. And few pains are as frustrating as toothaches.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Simultaneously apply pressure to both sides of the face in the area just below the cheekbones, directly beneath the pupils.

2. Use fingertips to apply pressure between the upper and lower jaws on the muscle just in front of the earlobes. If you have trouble locating this muscle, clench your back teeth and feel the area for a bulge--this is the target muscle.

3. Apply pressure to the outer surface of the upper arm a couple of finger widths away from the posterior base of the deltoid muscle.

4. Bring your thumb and forefinger together and locate the muscle on the hand that forms the "web" between those two fingers. Locate the highest position on that "web" muscle. Separate your fingers and relax your hand. Apply pressure to this area.

Tips & Warnings

• Use gradual and steady pressure for at least 3 minutes per meridian point for best results.

• Using 1 or 2 of the pressure points outlined in Steps 1 to 4 is often sufficient. Find which ones seem to work best for you and concentrate on those.

• The best acupressure technique for most of the areas described above uses the middle finger for pressure with the index finger and ring finger on either side for support. But applying pressure with thumbs, knuckles, palms, other fingers or the sides of your hands is effective as well.

• Some slight discomfort is normal when applying acupressure techniques. If you experience too much discomfort when first applying pressure to a spot, decrease the pressure a bit until you locate a balance between pleasure and pain.

• Do not apply pressure to any point that causes extreme pain or discomfort.

• Acupressure is not a substitute for proper dental care and will not cure a toothache. Use the techniques outlined above to ease pain only long enough to get to a doctor or dentist for medical attention.