You hate the taste of medicine but you are having a bad headache and rushing to finish your work. What do you do? Pinch your nose and pop some painkillers? How about skipping the pills and considering an alternative method?

Reflexology—when this term is mentioned, many people usually think of a foot massage. But actually, reflexology is an alternative medicine practice of applying pressure to specific “reflex points” located on the hands, ears, and feet—these points correspond to different organs of the body. Also known as zone therapy, this alternative method has been gaining popularity in recent years due to its ability to alleviate pain.

According to The American Academy of Reflexology, people who have undergone reflexology sessions report health benefits. Some of the advantages include: detoxification, improved circulation, reduced stress, and alleviation of allergy symptoms.

Here, we provide to you some ways of relieving common discomfort or pain in your body, through hand reflexology. These tips can be quite useful if you prefer skipping the pills, or if access to medicine is limited wherever you happen to be.

1. Headache Relief

Headaches are terrible, making us unable to concentrate on anything. To relieve a sinus headache, massage the tips of your thumb and fingers. The nerves lead to the head and temple region. Another method is to massage the area between your thumb and forefinger. This can also provide general headache relief.

2. Neck and Back Pain Relief

Sitting in front of the computer for too long may result in neck pain, especially when your sitting posture is incorrect. To reduce the stress on the neck and spine, massage from the top of your thumb to the middle of your wrist (indicated by the red line in the below picture), which is the spinal reflex. It may be a little painful if you are suffering from back pain. Massage this area for a longer time with the same pressure if this area is painful. Repeat this several times on both hands.

3. Cold and Flu Relief

Have a runny nose or have the feeling that you are getting sick? Try alleviating the head and sinus reflexes by massaging the base of each finger to the tip. Do this on each finger a few times.

4. Insomnia Relief

Tossing and turning throughout the night? Try massaging the pituitary gland reflex located in the middle of your thumb, the area of your thumbprint. Press the center of the thumb and hold between 30 seconds to 1 minute. Do this on both thumbs a few times a day.