As the weather begins to warm up again, many feel inspired to go outside, get some sunlight, and maybe even start gardening or participating in outdoor sports. While getting out and moving your body is great, especially during this time of year, there can be one thing that stops you in your tracks: allergies. For those that are sensitive to pollen, the over the counter medications and home remedies may not alleviate those aggravating symptoms. Did you know that there are certain types of massage that can help to reduce your allergy symptoms? In addition to so many other massage benefits, what better way to help your body than holistically!
Fight Back Against Your Surroundings
Being in an area like Augusta, Georgia where the air quality is often significantly affected by tree and grass pollen, it’s normal to feel like you’re at your wits end sometimes with your allergies. Seeking out alternative solutions to help your body and immune system fight back against your surroundings is often necessary!
If you’ve read through our blogs before, you know that a routine massage brings more than just stress relief and relaxation! You’ll begin to feel better overall with improved circulation, better sleep, more energy, lower blood pressure, chronic pain reduction, and more!
Reducing Allergy Symptoms With Massage
All of the benefits listed above are great. Although, if allergies are still keeping you down, have a talk with your massage therapist! There are certain techniques and areas they can focus on to help reduce inflammation, encourage lymphatic drainage, and point your body towards its natural healing abilities.
Stress and Your Immune System
I know we stated above that stress isn’t the only result of a massage. But if you think of ‘the effects of a massage on your body‘ as a map, stress relief is at the top and branches off into many other awesome effects. When you are experiencing high levels of stress, your body releases additional histamines. This results in further aggravation with your itchy eyes, sinus pressure, and runny nose. Unless you have an over the counter antihistamine already in your system, this can leave you struggling for hours.
While you destress with a massage, one of your body’s natural responses is to minimize cortisol and histamine levels. Your massage therapist will also be helping you reduce inflammation throughout your body. Ultimately, this helps your immune system to not feel like it has to stay in “fight or flight” against your seasonal allergies.
Lymphatic Drainage
A lymphatic drainage massage, targeting your major lymph node areas and lymphatic fluid pathways, can help to drain your sinuses. A build up of fluid in your head and neck area, as a result of seasonal allergies, can leave you feeling stuffed up and miserable. Targeting these areas can promote circulation and get you feeling back to normal in no time.
Muscle Anthropology is Ready to Aid Your Immune System
Routine massage just before and during the time where your seasonal allergies hit their peak is a sure way to say goodbye to that harsh sinus pressure and greatly reduce those other annoying allergy symptoms! Say goodbye to those expensive allergy pills that you forget to take until it’s too late and take a preventative approach. It’s never too late to get started on the journey to a better body. Book now with Muscle Anthropology!