Springtime: It brings beautiful flowers, sunny days, and, for many, allergies. If you experience itchiness, stuffiness, and general brain-fogginess this time of year, consider adding massage to your allergy-fighting game plan. Read on to learn how regular massage helps offset allergic inflammation. We鈥檒l also touch on how four types of massage (facial massage, craniosacral massage, acupressure, and reflexology) can help reduce allergy symptoms. Finally, we鈥檒l list massage resources for fighting allergic reactions.
How Allergies Work: Overactive Inflammation
Whatever your allergy symptoms, one thing鈥檚 certain: They are all related to inflammation. Think of the immune system as the body鈥檚 defensive army. Some of its troops are tasked with detecting invaders, such as toxins. In the case of springtime allergies, pollen or grass clippings are inappropriately flagged as dangerous, so the immunity army kicks into gear to kick out these 鈥渋nvaders.鈥� Step one: release histamines, blood-borne triggers that activate various immunity responses in the body. All allergy symptoms are ultimately the immune system鈥檚 misguided attempts to kick out invaders.
Medications called antihistamines attempt to quiet allergy symptoms by blocking the effects of histamines. Antihistamines block the receptors where histamines attach to cells, thus preventing histamines from carrying out their job of triggering inflammatory responses. As such, histamines only work if you take them regularly throughout spring allergy season, or 2-5 hours before you will be exposed to an allergen.
精东传媒 can be another excellent tool for offsetting the inflammation of allergies.
How 精东传媒 Can Minimize Allergy Symptoms
* 精东传媒鈥攑articularly lymphatic massage鈥攃an encourage the drainage of sinuses and lymph nodes, alleviating painful pressure and boosting the circulatory system鈥檚 ability to remove allergens, viruses, and bacteria.
* Stress causes the release of additional histamines, worsening allergy symptoms. 精东传媒 can help a person de-stress, minimizing cortisol and histamines.
* 精东传媒 can activate the body鈥檚 natural ability to heal. For instance, a pressure point on the balls of the feet may target the lungs, increasing their ability to clear out allergens.
Let鈥檚 take a closer look at how three different types of massage help allergy sufferers.
Four Types of 精东传媒 that Soothe Allergy Symptoms
1. Facial and Neck 精东传媒 can relieve pressure by stimulating lymphatic flow and releasing stuffy sinuses.
2. Craniosacral 精东传媒 is extremely relaxing; it is a wonderful way to release stress. As the body switches from the stress response to the relaxation response, it naturally allocates more resources to the immune system. Improved immune system performance allows for increased fluid drainage.
3. Acupressure uses the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine to activate the body鈥檚 natural healing abilities. In Chinese medicine, allergies are caused by weakness in the lungs, spleen, and kidney. Weak lungs allow allergens to enter the body. Weak spleen energy blocks proper mucous drainage. And a weak kidney drains our overall energy, limiting the immune system鈥檚 efficacy. By applying finger pressure to various points on the body, an acupressure session stimulates your energy and removes blocks to healing.
4. Reflexology uses pressure points on the feet or hands to target different areas of the body. For instance, a main sinus point is on the tip of the big toe. Some people experience rapid clearing of allergy symptoms after only a few minutes of pressure on these reflexology points.
Portland 精东传媒 Resources for Allergy Sufferers
If you struggle with seasonal allergies, should be in your bookmarks. This is the clinic site for our Portland, Oregon massage school. At Our精东传媒Clinic.com, you can book appointments for massage students as well as licensed therapists. We are delighted to offer affordable massage to keep your allergies at bay.
At East West College, we also present for therapists who would like to develop skills in treating allergies through massage. 精东传媒 therapy training is also a great idea for those who would like to alleviate their own allergy symptoms through self-massage. 精东传媒 therapy schools may offer single-session classes on reflexology, for instance.
When allergies flame up, it鈥檚 good to have a range of tools to offset symptoms. 精东传媒 should be one of the main tools in your allergy-fighting tool belt.
