CAN MASSAGES HELP RELIEVE MY SPRINGTIME ALLERGIES?

Spring is finally here and instead of basking in the warm weather, allergy sufferers like me, might be feeling nothing but dread. The good news is allergy sufferers might experience relief from their symptoms by making a massage a part of their weekly routine, and who doesn’t like a massage!  Below are the three main ways that massage helps improve my allergy symptoms every spring.

Encouraging circulation

• Massage helps encourage circulation and lymphatic drainage all throughout the body. Allergy sufferers might especially find relief with massage work that focuses on lymph nodes in the neck and face.  Also, certain facial massage techniques can encourage the drainage and decongestion of sinuses.  I know that the sinus headaches I tend to get around allergy season are greatly relieved after I get a facial massage. During allergy season the part of my body that feels the worst is my face. For this reason, facial massages might be especially soothing for people with allergies around springtime.

Improving stress

• When you’re stressed, your body releases additional histamines, causing even greater allergy symptoms.  Receiving a massage can lower the stress hormone called cortisol, making you feel a lot better, both physically and emotionally. I know that when I get a massage I feel supremely relaxed for the rest of the week. When my stress levels are lowered, my allergies don’t bother me as much.

Loosening up tight muscles

• When you begin to feel allergy symptoms, your body’s natural reaction is to panic and tighten up. Regular massages during allergy season will help train your body to release some of that tension. Your muscles can also become stiff from coughing and sneezing, so they will also benefit from this kind of relaxation.  I know that I have a habit of tightening up my muscles when I am not feeling well. A massage makes me loosen up, which makes my allergies feel less severe. A win-win for my brain and my body!