Sinus Pressure · Acupressure · East Setauket, NY
That heavy, swollen feeling behind your cheeks and eyes, the forehead ache that gets worse when you bend over, the stuffy nose that will not quit: sinus pressure is one of the most common reasons people go looking for pressure points. Acupressure will not clear an infection, but many people find a few minutes on the right points eases the feeling of pressure and helps them breathe and relax. Here are the ten points we teach, exactly where to find them, how to press, what else helps, and when sinus symptoms need a doctor.
Which Pressure Points Help Sinus Pressure?
The most useful points sit right over the sinuses: LI20 beside each nostril, Bitong at the top of the smile lines beside the nose, Yintang between the eyebrows, BL2 at the inner end of each eyebrow, and ST3 on the cheek below the pupil. Press each with firm, comfortable pressure in small circles for 30 to 60 seconds while breathing slowly through your nose.
Acupressure may ease the feeling of congestion and facial pressure for some people, but research is limited and it does not drain the sinuses, shrink polyps or treat infection. Pair it with steam, saline rinses and rest. See a doctor if symptoms last more than 10 days, get worse after improving, or come with a high fever or swelling around the eyes.
Why Sinus Pressure Builds
Your sinuses are air-filled spaces behind your forehead, between and below your eyes and inside your cheekbones. They are lined with tissue that makes mucus and drains through small openings into the nose. When that lining swells, from a cold, allergies, dry winter air or irritants, those openings narrow, mucus backs up, and you feel pressure, fullness and sometimes pain.
That is also why the pain moves around. Frontal sinuses produce forehead pressure, ethmoid sinuses cause aching between the eyes, and maxillary sinuses in the cheeks can make your upper teeth ache. If tooth and jaw pain is your main complaint, see our guide to sinus pressure points for tooth and jaw pain.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, congestion is often described as dampness or “Wind” affecting the face and head. In plain terms, those are traditional ways of describing swollen, congested tissue, and they are the reasoning behind points that are traditionally said to “open the nose.”
The 10 Sinus Pressure Points, Step by Step
Use clean hands, short nails and the pads of your fingers. Firm, comfortable pressure is the goal: a dull ache is fine, sharp pain is not.
Points around the nose
- Point 1 · LI20 (Yingxiang)
Beside each nostril
Place an index fingertip in the groove right beside the widest part of each nostril. Press both sides at once, in small slow circles, for about a minute. This is the classic “open the nose” point.
- Point 2 · Bitong
Top of the smile lines
Slide your fingertips up from LI20 along the sides of your nose until you reach the top of the smile-line groove, where the hard nasal bone meets the softer cartilage. Press gently inward and slightly up.
Points around the eyes and forehead
- Point 3 · Yintang
Between the eyebrows
Press the spot midway between the inner ends of your eyebrows with one fingertip, in small circles for 30 to 60 seconds. Many people find it calming as well as relieving for forehead pressure.
- Point 4 · BL2 (Zanzhu)
Inner end of each eyebrow
Find the small notch where each eyebrow begins, just above the inner corner of the eye. Press upward against the bone with both thumbs or index fingers, never onto the eye itself.
- Point 5 · ST2 (Sibai)
Below the eye, on the bone
Look straight ahead. About one finger-width below the lower rim of the eye socket, directly under the pupil, you will feel a slight hollow in the cheekbone. Press gently against the bone only.
- Point 6 · Taiyang
The temples
Find the soft hollow about one finger-width behind the space between the outer end of your eyebrow and the outer corner of your eye. Circle gently with two fingers. Helpful when sinus pressure spreads into a headache.
- Point 7 · GV23 (Shangxing)
Above the hairline
On the midline of your head, about one thumb-width above where your front hairline would naturally be. Press with a fingertip for forehead heaviness.
Points on the cheek, neck and hand
- Point 8 · ST3 (Juliao)
On the cheek, below the pupil
Draw an imaginary line down from your pupil and another out from the bottom of your nostril. Where they meet, on the cheekbone, press upward with your index or middle finger. Good for cheek fullness over the maxillary sinuses.
- Point 9 · GB20 (Fengchi)
Base of the skull
Lace your fingers behind your head and place your thumbs in the two hollows at the base of the skull, between the large neck muscles. Press up and in toward the skull. Helpful when congestion comes with neck tension.
- Point 10 · LI4 (Hegu)
Web of the hand
Squeeze your thumb against the side of your index finger; LI4 is at the highest point of the muscle that bulges between them. Press toward the index-finger bone for 30 to 60 seconds per hand. Skip LI4 if you are or may be pregnant, as it is traditionally avoided in pregnancy.
Safety for facial acupressure
Never press on the eyeball, and stay on bone around the eye socket. Do not press over broken skin, a rash, a recent injury or cosmetic injections. Stop if any point produces sharp or shooting pain, numbness or dizziness. Children can use gentle pressure on the nose points with an adult’s help.
A 5-Minute Sinus Routine for Congested Days
Minute 1: Warm up
Lay a warm, damp washcloth over your nose and cheeks, or breathe steam from a shower. Warmth makes the points easier to feel.
Minute 2: Nose points
LI20 for 30 seconds, then Bitong for 30 seconds, both sides at once, breathing slowly through the nose.
Minute 3: Eyes and forehead
Yintang, then BL2 and ST2, about 20 seconds each, gentle pressure on bone.
Minute 4: Cheeks and temples
ST3 for 30 seconds, then Taiyang in slow circles for 30 seconds.
Minute 5: Neck and hands
GB20 for 30 seconds, then LI4 on each hand (skip LI4 in pregnancy).
Repeat as needed
Two or three times a day on congested days. Stop if symptoms or tenderness get worse.
What the Research Says
We would rather be honest than oversell. Research on self-acupressure for sinus pressure is limited and mostly small. Evidence is better for acupuncture in allergic rhinitis (hay fever): the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes acupuncture may improve some allergic rhinitis symptoms and quality of life, and a 2015 American Academy of Otolaryngology guideline states clinicians may offer or refer patients for acupuncture for allergic rhinitis.
| What acupressure may do | What it cannot do |
|---|---|
| Ease the feeling of pressure and fullness for some people | Drain the sinuses mechanically or “flush” mucus |
| Help you relax and breathe more slowly through the nose | Treat a bacterial sinus infection |
| Relieve muscle tension in the face, jaw and neck that adds to the ache | Shrink nasal polyps or fix a deviated septum |
| Give you a safe, free option to use alongside medical care | Replace evaluation of severe or lasting symptoms |
What Else Helps Sinus Pressure
- Warm compress and steam. The CDC recommends a warm compress over the nose and forehead and breathing steam from a bowl of hot water or a shower.
- Saline spray or rinse. The NCCIH notes saline irrigation may modestly help sinus and allergy symptoms. Use only distilled, sterile or previously boiled and cooled water, never straight tap water, as the FDA explains.
- Fluids and rest. Staying hydrated keeps mucus thinner and easier to clear.
- Humidity in winter. Heated Long Island homes get dry. A clean humidifier can help; empty and clean it regularly.
- Sleep with your head raised. An extra pillow helps mucus drain overnight.
- Ask about medication. Your doctor or pharmacist can recommend nasal sprays, decongestants or antihistamines that fit your health history. Most sinus infections are viral and do not need antibiotics.
Allergies and Long Island’s Sinus Seasons
On the North Shore, sinus pressure often tracks the seasons: tree pollen in spring, grass in early summer, ragweed from late summer into fall, and mold after wet weather. Allergy-driven congestion usually comes with sneezing, itchy or watery eyes and clear mucus, while a sinus infection more often follows a cold and brings thick, discolored mucus and facial pain that lasts.
If your sinus pressure is mostly allergy-driven, acupuncture has better evidence there than self-acupressure does. Read our guide to acupuncture for seasonal allergies, and keep taking any allergy medication your doctor prescribed.
Hormones, Pregnancy and Sinus Symptoms
Some people notice their nose gets stuffier at certain points in their menstrual cycle or during pregnancy, when hormones affect blood flow to the nasal lining. Pregnancy-related congestion is common enough to have its own name, pregnancy rhinitis, and it typically eases after delivery, as reviewed in the Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology.
- The nose, eye and cheek points in this guide are gentle options during pregnancy. Skip LI4 in the hand, which is traditionally avoided in pregnancy.
- Saline rinses and humidity are usually safe choices; ask your OB or midwife before using decongestants or medicated sprays.
- If congestion comes with cycle-related headaches, tracking both for two or three months helps you and your doctor see the pattern. Our guide to headaches and migraines can help.
Sinus Headache or Migraine?
This matters more than most people realize. According to Mayo Clinic, studies suggest most people who see a provider for “sinus headaches” actually have migraines.
| More likely sinus | More likely migraine | |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Follows a cold; lasts days | Comes in episodes lasting hours to a day or two |
| Nose | Thick mucus, reduced sense of smell | Clear runny nose or none |
| Other symptoms | Pressure worse bending forward, achy upper teeth | Nausea, sensitivity to light and noise |
If your pattern looks more like migraine, the approach changes. Acupuncture has some of its strongest evidence for migraine prevention; see headaches and migraines.
When Acupuncture May Help Recurring Sinus Pressure
If sinus pressure keeps coming back every allergy season or every winter, acupuncture may be a supportive option alongside your doctor’s care. At Messina Acupuncture PC, a first visit (about 75 minutes) starts with your sinus history: seasons, triggers, headaches, jaw tension and what you have tried. Treatment may include acupuncture on the face, hands and neck, gentle acupressure and, where helpful, cupping for neck and upper back tension. You leave knowing exactly where your home points are. Follow-ups are generally 45 to 60 minutes. See how to prepare for your first visit. If symptoms suggest infection, polyps or another structural problem, we refer you to your physician or an ENT.
When Sinus Symptoms Need a Doctor
Possible Serious Infection
- Pain, swelling or redness around the eyes
- High fever
- Confusion
- Double vision or other vision changes
- Stiff neck
Book an Appointment
- Symptoms lasting more than 10 days without improving
- Symptoms that get worse after starting to improve
- A fever lasting longer than 3 to 4 days
- Severe headache or facial pain
- Several sinus infections in the past year
Usually Mild
- Congestion and pressure during a cold that is improving
- Seasonal stuffiness that eases with saline and rest
- Mild pressure with no fever
These signs follow guidance from the CDC and Mayo Clinic.
Messina Acupuncture PC is located at 100 N Country Road in East Setauket and sees patients from Stony Brook, Port Jefferson, Port Jefferson Station, Centereach, Lake Grove, Miller Place and across Long Island’s North Shore.
Care is led by Daniel Messina, MSOM, L.Ac., a New York State Licensed Acupuncturist and NCCAOM Board-Certified Diplomate, in practice since 2016. All treatment uses sterile, single-use needles.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sinus Pressure Points
What pressure points relieve sinus pressure?
The most useful are LI20 beside each nostril, Bitong at the top of the smile lines, Yintang between the eyebrows, BL2 at the inner end of each eyebrow and ST3 on the cheek below the pupil. GB20 at the base of the skull and LI4 on the hand are often added.
How long should I press a sinus pressure point?
Use firm, comfortable pressure in small circles for 30 to 60 seconds per point, breathing slowly through your nose. A full routine takes about five minutes and can be repeated two or three times a day.
Does acupressure really work for sinus pressure?
Some people find it eases the feeling of pressure and helps them relax, but research on self-acupressure for sinus symptoms is limited. Evidence is stronger for acupuncture in allergic rhinitis. Acupressure is safe to try alongside other measures.
Can pressure points drain my sinuses?
No. Acupressure does not mechanically drain the sinuses or flush mucus. It may ease the sensation of pressure. Steam, saline rinses, fluids and sleeping with your head raised help mucus clear.
Can acupressure cure a sinus infection?
No. Most sinus infections are viral and improve on their own, and acupressure does not treat infection. See a doctor if symptoms last more than 10 days, worsen after improving, or come with a high fever or swelling around the eyes.
Is it normal for sinus points to feel tender?
Yes, points over congested sinuses often feel tender. A dull ache is normal. Sharp or shooting pain, numbness or dizziness means you should stop.
Are sinus pressure points safe during pregnancy?
The gentle nose, eye and cheek points are generally considered fine. Skip LI4 in the web of the hand, which is traditionally avoided in pregnancy, and ask your OB before using decongestants.
Why do my sinuses get worse around my period?
Hormonal changes can affect blood flow and swelling in the nasal lining, so some people notice more congestion at certain points in their cycle. Tracking symptoms for a few months helps you and your doctor spot the pattern.
Is it a sinus headache or a migraine?
Studies suggest most people who see a doctor for sinus headaches actually have migraines. Nausea and sensitivity to light point toward migraine; thick mucus, reduced smell and pain that follows a cold point toward sinus.
Can acupuncture help seasonal allergies and sinus congestion?
The NCCIH notes acupuncture may improve some allergic rhinitis symptoms and quality of life, and a 2015 otolaryngology guideline says clinicians may offer it. It is used alongside allergy medication, not instead of it.
Can children use sinus pressure points?
Children can use gentle pressure on the nose points with an adult’s help. Avoid firm pressure near the eyes, and see a pediatrician for fever, swelling around the eyes or symptoms lasting more than 10 days.
Where can I get acupuncture for sinus pressure near Stony Brook?
Messina Acupuncture PC in East Setauket, a short drive from Stony Brook, Port Jefferson and the rest of the North Shore, sees patients for recurring sinus pressure and seasonal allergies. Call 631-403-0504.
Get Your Points Placed Right and a Plan for the Season
If sinus pressure comes back every allergy season or every winter, our East Setauket team can look at the pattern, show you your home points hands-on, and talk through whether acupuncture may help alongside your doctor’s care.
Sources and Further Reading
- CDC: Sinus Infection Basics
- Mayo Clinic: Acute sinusitis – symptoms and causes
- Mayo Clinic: Sinus headaches
- NCCIH: Seasonal Allergies and Complementary Health Approaches
- FDA: Is Rinsing Your Sinuses With Neti Pots Safe?
- Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology (2016): Rhinitis and pregnancy, literature review
- NCCIH: Acupuncture Effectiveness and Safety