Acupressure Points for Congestion, Coughs and Fevers

The winter weather brings with it those dredded coughs, colds and fevers for young and old alike. So here are some simple and effective acupressure points, by Naomi Tripi, to naturally help your little ones (and big ones) get through this time.

Acupressure is an ancient form of natural healing that uses pressure applied to certain spots on your body. Most acupressure for adults uses intense pressure over several minutes, but for babies this is way to rough and invasive. However, there are a few places that you can use gentle pressure to help remedy some everyday troubles. For babies under 3 months very gentle pressure should be used for a total of only about 10 to 20 minutes a day. Just a few seconds of softly pressing on each point every few hours should be sufficient. Acupressure treatments should only be used in addition to appropriate professional healthcare provider supervision, not as a substitute.

1. Congestion relief points

When your baby is stuffed up it is one of the most miserable things in the world. She can't eat, can't sleep and can't suck on her dummy/pacifier. While using a little saline water and a suction bulb is a great way to remove mucous from her nasal cavity, the swollen tissue that is constricting her ability to breath through her nose is the real issue. Just next to the largest part of each of her nostrils is a pressure point that helps reduce inflammation of the nasal passages. Simply place a finger on either side of he nose at the widest part, and gently massage in a circular motion while counting to 10. This should provide her with some relief immediately, and help to resolve the underlying cause of the inflammation more quickly. You can use these points up to 6 times in a day, spaced a couple hours apart.

2. Cough suppressant points

Sometimes, even though your baby seems to be fully recovered from an illness, a nagging cough will keep bothering your little "Snuffleupagus". This cough is usually a dry hacking one, but even if it is a bit croupy these pressure points can offer a little bit of relief. These pressure points are located on the top section of your baby's index fingers just above the knuckles. Do not pinch when you apply the pressure, just holding onto your baby's fingers will be sufficient. Try to hold on for about 5 seconds whenever your baby has a rough bout of coughing. The cough should be significantly calmed while you hold his fingers, and the duration of the cough over all should be reduced significantly.

3. Fever reduction points

To help reduce your baby's fever, you can try these pressure points located at the base of each of your little angels thumbnails. A gentle non-pinching, grasp of the thumbs for about 10 seconds every 2 to 3 hours throughout the day should help bring down your baby's fever faster and more effectively than simply waiting it out.

Naomi recommends several other tips for reducing a baby's fever when you need to try something extra. There are also three more points for quickly lowering dangerous fevers in another of Naomi's posts (here).