Using Massage to Manage Allergies

Using Massage to Manage Allergies  – by Courtney Crane, LMT 

Most people don’t think of massage to help manage and ease their allergies.  This season can be different with techniques like lymphatic drainage and craniosacral massage, which help relieve sinus pressure, congestion and headaches that often come with your allergy symptoms.  

Lymphatic drainage massage helps to give your lymphatic system a “tune up.”  By manually stimulating the increased flow of lymphatic fluid, it can reinvigorate your immune system and sweep out harmful toxins. When a person suffers from hay fever, the body’s immune system goes into over drive as it reacts to the foreign body invaders, like pollen. Lymphatic drainage (and all massage) can be a gentle and effective way to calm, clear and boost your immune system to help combat your symptoms this season. 

A contributing factor, which is often overlooked when it comes to allergies is stress.  If you are experiencing significant stress in your life, your body will respond by releasing additional histamine. The amount of histamine circulating in your blood correlates directly with the severity of your allergy symptoms. Craniosacral Massage can significantly reduce stress which in return lowers cortisol and histamine levels which can improve your allergy symptoms.  Craniosacral is a hands on, non-invasive therapy that uses a gentle touch to manipulate the tissues in the cranium or skull, parts of the pelvis, and the spine. It aims to help promote the body’s own healing capabilities, relieve pressure and instate a sense of deep relaxation for the receiver.