Massage is an effective therapy that has been practiced for thousands of years. Effective massage helps in reducing stress, anxiety, pain, muscle ache, and many other medical conditions. Various spas and massage centers provide multiple massage therapy styles, and you can choose over 80 massage techniques. These techniques involve a combination of pressure, movement, tapping, kneading, and rubbing the body to ease pain and discomfort.
According to research conducted by the “American Massage therapy Association“ in 2018, roughly 19% of Americans had various Types Of Massages. And they had a wide range of reasons to do so. Some wanted to have general relaxation and comfort and wanted to enjoy a stress-free and joyful life. But some had serious medical issues like neck pain, shoulders pain, and lower back pain due to the hectic and stressed work routines. After taking a massage, a moderate positive change was observed in their physical and mental health.
Which Massage Styles Can You Say Is the Best for Your Mental and Physical Health?
Various massage types are popular at different times, and people take advantage of these effective massage techniques. Some help relieve your pain and discomfort, but some have effective health benefits and provide relaxation and pleasure.
Some therapists use liquids, oils, and lotions to massage, and some do not. Massage can last anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the nature of the massage and your preferences.
Here a question arises, why do you need a massage, and what type of massage will be helpful for you? So, before booking an appointment, you need to tell your therapist that you are taking a massage for relaxation or have any serious medical or health issues. Then the Massage Therapist will suggest effective massage therapy depending on your preferences and health issues.
Furthermore, Nasal congestion is a common issue nowadays. Although it’s not a serious medical issue, it can cause nasal discharge, headache, and facial pain. So, the Sinus Massage is an effective treatment that can reduce these symptoms and relieve your pain, stress, and discomfort.
What is Nasal Congestion, and how is it caused?
The sinuses are designed as a network of small, hollow cavities inside the skull. They are generally found and connect behind the cheekbones and forehead, opening into the small nasal cavity. Sinus tissues produce mucus (a thick sinus tissue fluid excretion) draining into the nose.
Sometimes, seasonal allergies or common colds cause blockage in the sinus tissues and create inflammation. So, these inflamed sinus tissues create swelling, and mucus doesn’t drain properly. This congestion is called chronic sinusitis. Research by the “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC“ has shown that nasal congestion affects around 30 million Americans.
What is Sinus Massage?
Sinus massage is an effective massage that produces gentle pressure and heat through fingers to release mucus buildup in the sinus. Melting and releasing mucus from the sinus will help to cure sinus congestion and also help in;
- Facial pressure and pain relief
- Stuffy or running nose
- Headache
- Jaw pain
- Easy release of postnasal drainage fluid flows down the throat’s back.
Sinus massage has various techniques that effectively relieve sinus pain and mucus and provide relaxation and comfort. So, in this article, we will discuss 05 effective techniques of sinus massage.
05 Effective techniques of Sinus Massage:
Sinus massage is easy and effective to do by yourself, but professional therapists know the exact pressure points that can relieve your pain and stress. You can take a sinus message with 05 types depending on your discomfort or pain caused by sinus congestion.
1.   General Sinus Face Massage:
This is the general type of massage that you can take to relieve your sinus issues and discomfort. It will help you de-stress, and you may feel at ease and satisfied. The general Sinus massage has different patterns to follow; these are;
- Place four fingers on each of your temples and gently massage in a circular motion.
- Hold and breathe several times while massaging your sinus spots to relieve pain in a tense spot.
- Place the thumb and index finger on your eyebrows close to the nose and gently pinch down. Then hold the same position for several seconds and then slowly move his thumb and index finger on the forehead and hairline.
- Place four fingers inside your cheekbone near the bottom of the nose, massage gently, and drag the fingers outward. And repeat the same massage practice several times.
- After finishing the massage outside your ear, gently massage the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) that connects the jaw with the skull.
- In the end, make a v shape with fingers by separating the index finger and middle finger from the pink and ring finger. Then bring fingers near the ear and massage the area in an upward and downward motion.
2.   Frontal Sinus Massage:
Frontal sinuses are located in the center of your forehead, right on the upper side of your eyes, starting from the brow bone to the top of the nose. When you have a blockage in the frontal sinuses, you may feel intense pressure and pain behind the eyes or in the forehead. So, to deal with the frontal sinus blockage, you need a massage to get your sinuses open and relieve your pain.
Various patterns and circular motions are involved in massaging the frontal sinuses; these are;
- To start frontal sinus massage, rub your hands together and warm them up.
- Now place index and middle fingers on the either side of the forehead, just above the eyebrows.
- Start massaging the forehead in a circular motion in the outward direction towards the temples.
- Keep doing the same massage for around 30 to 40 seconds.
3.   Maxillary Sinus Massage:
Maxillary sinuses are the largest among all four. These are pyramid-shaped cavities located on either side of the nose, below the cheeks but above the teeth. They extend from below the eyes to the top of the mouth. So, inflammation or blockage in the maxillary sinus leads to facial pain and postnasal drainage. Following are the steps involved in the maxillary sinus massage;
- Start with placing index and middle fingers on either side of the nose, just below the cheekbones and above the upper jaw.
- Use a circular motion and massage gently.
- If you want more pressure to massage maxillary sinuses, use the thumb instead of the index finger.
- Keep massaging for about 30 to 40 seconds for better satisfactory results.
4. Ethmoid Sinus Massage:
Ethmoid sinuses are found on the skull sides in the sphenoid bone, located between the eyes and behind the nose, just below the pituitary glands. They are named as they are found in the ethmoid bone that divides the nasal cavity and the brain. So, to massage these sinuses, the techniques are;
- Place your index fingers on either side of the nose bridge.
- Massage in a small circular motion as you move toward the nose top.
- Find the area between the nasal bone and the corner of the eyes and massage gently.
- Hold and impose pressure with the help of your fingers for 15 seconds.
- Repeat strokes downwards by gently moving your fingers along the sides of the nose bridge.
- Keep massaging for around 30 seconds and repeat this activity several times to relieve your sinuses from congestion.
- Furthermore, you can take sinus massage with other home remedies to relieve your sinus blockage and smooth inhalation with the help of warm compressors and steamers.
5.   Sphenoid Sinus Massage:
The sphenoid sinuses are in the center of the skull, between the eyes, and behind the nose. They are present on the back side of ethmoid sinuses. Sphenoid sinuses sit back on the inner edge of the eye socket and the bridge of the nose. So, blockage of these sinuses will cause headaches, postnasal drainage, and facial pain.
To relieve inflammation of the sinuses, follow the following steps that are;
- Place the index finger and the thumb on the bridge of the nose.
- Gently impose pressure between the inner corner of the eyes and the nose, and massage for 15 seconds.
- Continue applying pressure and slowly stroking the thumb and index finger down along the sides of the nose.
- Keep pressing and repeating this activity for around 30 seconds to relieve pain and stress.
How To Give You a Sinus Massage?
The sinuses are the small spaces of the hollow cavities in the skull. These hollow cavities have a thin layer of mucus. Sinuses become blocked or inflamed due to allergic infections or colds, creating mucus. The production of excess mucus causes facial pressure, headache, and pain that leads to congestion.
So, if you are suffering from these sinus congestions, you can try the above types of sinus massages mentioned above which can relieve pain and pressure. You can use a humidifier, warm water, or a warm towel to relieve the congestion from the sinuses. This will help you remove excess mucus from your sinus and improve your respiration process.
How does Sinus Massage help?
Nasal congestion is a common symptom of allergies and injections. It generally occurs when tissues in the sinuses become inflamed, restricting the smooth flow of mucus and making a thick layer. This thick layer and congested sinuses will lead to a stuffy nose, eye pain, headache, and facial pressure that causes stress and discomfort. So, after getting an effective sinus massage, one can get relaxation and relief from pain.
