There’s nothing more beautiful than being outside on a warm day surrounded by trees, flowers, and sunshine…unless you suffer from allergies, that is.

Allergies have a way of ruining even the most perfect days, but you don’t have to give in and let them control your life. Allergies affect over 50 million Americans, making it a top chronic disease in the nation and resulting in billions of dollars of healthcare expenditures each year.

Many Americans rely upon steroids and antihistamines to control their allergies, but these medications come with risks of side effects. Fortunately, there are some very promising natural ways to ease the symptoms of allergies, including massage therapy.

How Massage Affects Allergies

Based on research compiled by the American Massage Therapy Association, trained massage therapists can help alieve many allergy symptoms by using their healing hands to ease the body’s adverse reactions. Here are some of the ways that massage can impact your allergies. Each of these benefits can help keep allergy symptoms at bay.

• Increase blood circulation
• Reduce stress
• Release muscle tension
• Reprograming the body’s panic reaction

To learn more about the science behind massage treatment for allergies, check out these published medical studies: Complementary Therapies in Allergic Rhinitis, Alternative Medicine for Allergy and Asthma, and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Population Based Studies: A Growing Focus on Allergy and Asthma.

Massage Techniques for Allergy Relief

It’s common knowledge among experienced massage therapists that many people experience immediate relief from their sinus congestion by simply lying face-down. This is an especially important position to start with when massaging an allergy sufferer. Therapists can provide these clients relief by focusing on sinus trigger points in the upper back and shoulders.

Head massage is also a wonderful way to relieve allergy symptoms because tight muscles in the head restrict blood flow and cause the sinuses to close up. Facial massage promotes sinus drainage and relieves sinus pressure.

Meanwhile, lymphatic massage is also great for reducing inflammation, removing toxins from the body, and boosting the immune system. About one-third of the body’s lymph nodes are located in the neck, which is why neck massage is so great for people with allergies.

Other Natural Allergy Treatments

Massage therapy in NYC is just one of many natural ways to treat the symptoms of allergies without taking lots of pills every day. Although some serious cases of allergies require medication and professional treatment, mild cases can often be controlled with a few easy lifestyle changes and wellness strategies.

Here are some other natural approaches to soothing your allergies during any season they affect you.

• Neti Pot and saline rinse
• Apple cider vinegar (mix a teaspoon into a glass of water and drink three times per day)
• Probiotics to balance the body’s bacteria and immune system
• Eat more fish or take fish oil supplements
• Butterbur, a natural herb used for pollen allergies
• Quercetin, a bioflavonoid and natural antioxidant
• Practice meditation
• Practice yoga
• Try Acupuncture