Who has allergies, who doesn't?

[jenerinlee]

Something triggered a question in me last night after massaging seniors all day, so I went through my files and found that NONE of my senior clients has allergies other than some sinus issues that are seasonal. NONE. All of my clients who react to lotions, oils, scents or meds, particularly antibiotics, are under 50.

Now, I am sure there *are* seniors with more allergies, but my clientele is over 50% seniors, and none of them deal with this.

Being one who suffers from multiple allergy issues, I am not impressed with progress!!

Autoimmune disorders are also far less common among my elderly clients than my younger ones.

 

[louise d]

I'm not allergic to anything that I've been exposed to as of yet. Nor is my brother or sister. We're within 5 years of age. Grew up on a farm, didn't have central a/c, had a wood fire to heat our home. Mom and Dad were both smokers, too. I suspect being exposed to many things early on helps to build immunity?

 

[rmk122]

I suspect being exposed to many things early on helps to build immunity?

I think that there might be something to this. The way our immune system "learns" how to protect us is by being exposed to the very things we need protecting from.

Angie

 

[Happy Hunter]

I have many "allergies". I had a test done at one point, according to the test, I'm allergic too...

All Florida grasses
Dust
Cat & Dog Dander
Most foiliage and pollen in Florida

Do I have pets? Yep. Do I take anything? Nope,

Somtimes I get watery eyes around new dogs or cats, but I quickly adjust. I take something if my sinsues get too stuffy but besides that I ignore the fact that I am allergic to the state I live in! LOL.

Sometimes I think this society is too quick to medicate and doesn't allow for the natural processes of immune response to occur.

JMO

 

[Pompal 09.]

Sometimes I think this society is too quick to medicate and doesn't allow for the natural processes of immune response to occur.

My son had many "allergies" as a child. When they did the scratch test the doctor (a wonderful pediatric ENT) explained it to me this way...he said that everyone would react to certain things (molds, dust ect....) but what they looked at was how severe was the reaction.

And as for allergy shots (which my son did for about a year) what they actually are, are an injection of the very thing that you're allergic to but in small quanitites. This allows your body to adjust and you immune system to react "properly" rather than go all out of wack everytime you're exposed to the substance.

After the allergy shots my son's allergies went away for many years. About the time he hit puberty, they came back with a vengence. Instead of allergy shots (we didn't have insurance at the time) we opted to take him to a friend who does TCM. He put him on some chinese herbs and suggested that we also try shiatsu. He had one session of that and the practioner (a teacher at the massage school) taught me which points to work on at home. This seemed to work just as well as the allergy shots (at least in his instance) and now except for "allergy season" (pretty much the entire month of March here) he doesn't seem to have any problems.

Angie

 

[HenryVIII]

I had severe allergies as a child. severe as in life-disrupting. Pretty much if the house furnace or car heater was on, I couldn't breathe. (and I live in Michigan where "artificial heat" as I called it is necessary!) Interesting point, the allergies just suddenly "appeared" at age 5 after my family moved into a house across from an Orida Potato field where they routinely sprayed pesticides. t102 my parents always thought there was a connection.
I was on several meds for several yrs before trying shots from age 12-15. those worked for me like a fricken' miracle. literally, CHANGED my life. My dr said they would come back after 10 yrs. at 23 I had one season where they came back and I thought I was doomed - but they haven't reared their ugly head since. (I'm 30 now, and very happily allergy free) I've been very grateful for the allergy shots!

 

[Nimrod]

Thanks for the heads-up Sharon...

After reading your post, I pulled a few charts of my senior clients. Out of the 25 charts pulled only one had an allergy... penicillin. I have many younger clients with environmental allergies, nut allergies, tobacco allergies, food allergies, etc. It's really interesting, thanks for giving me something to think about

Darren

 

[The One Known As Anthony]

I'm glad to hear your files agree with my files, Darren. Very interesting!

I'm wondering if all our immunizations keep our immune systems from needing to work, therefore keeping the "muscles" from becoming strong enough to work properly?? Allergies are immune responses gone wild, basically, and reacting when not needed. Or maybe they're just bored and have to do SOMETHING. You know, like a child not kept busy, and therefore getting into trouble, lol.

I do think being exposed to normal stuff in childhood is ultimately good for us. Farm life was probably the healthiest way to live by far, until herbicides and pesticides and antibiotics became in SUCH heavy use. (I can understand some of the use, but it has increased dramatically in the past 30 years.) Still, farm life has to be beneficial.

Hmmm, I live in a farming community. I wonder how many of my seniors were farmers? Not too many of my younger clients are.

 

[Sassy]

Interesting thoughts. I'll have to look at my client files, but off the top of my head, I'd venture to say most of my clients with allergies/sensitivities are younger. I don't know what causes it. I have read that the use of antibiotics may be a culprit. That does contribute to new and stronger strains of bacteria. Plus, everything is antibacterial this and that - soaps, household cleaning products, etc. Maybe we're killing stuff off before we can develop immunity to it. : I'm not saying antibiotics and antibacterial stuff is necessarily bad but maybe just overused. I admit I don't know how exactly that would relate to allergies, if at all.
A lot of my clients did grow up on farms, even if they don't live or work on them now. Maybe there's something to that. But I grew up in large cities, and I have no allergies or sensitivities whatsoever. Then again, cities aren't the cleanest places in the world.

 

[Mrs.Heretic]

This isn't really about allergies but this thread has brought it to mind for me......I was doing some research on Crohn's Disease (both my brother and son have it) and one doctor has a theory that it's caused by a lack of parasites in the digestion tract.

Seems that over the centuries, man has had different parasites in our intestines.....parasites that were picked up because our food wasn't always "sterile" and we would ingest these "critters" along with our food. Now, I'm not talking about tape worms or anything like that....just nice symbiotic parasites. The doctor's theory is that these parasites help us to digest our food and improve the function of our intestines. Without the parasites our bodies struggle.

His tests involve voluteers who have Crohn's drinking a beverage that contains the larvae of these helpful parasites. I don't know how his research is coming along....but it did seem interesting.

Guess eating mud pies as a child did us all some good.

:
Angie

 

[Kanchha]

No external allergies here, I am alergic to IB Profin and Codine medications which stinks when I am in the hospital but as far as I know I do not have general allergies thank goodness

 

[Linz]

I don't have any allergies (knock on wood.) However, I have a friend who's 5 year-old has a severe peanut-allergy. It has completely changed their life. She can't have any packaged food at all, and restaurants have proven dangerous, too. What's interesting is that 10 students in her elementary school have peanut allergies, so the massageplaneteteria is very careful about food preparation and having safe alternatives. I don't remember knowing anyone having a peanut allergy when I was a child.

 

[meerkat]

I'll echo what Bliss said...

My son's school is a nut free zone with all nut products banned not just peanuts. In fact most of the schools in the district have them banned. The cart that the school nurse has for meds is huge, and antihistimines are a large portion of it. The other biggest bin is for ritaline I think we are and have messed up way more than the environment. I have a seasonal allergy that is due to hit soon (tree in bloom, or some other June pollen).
My son and wife have a few as well, but none serious. My mom (77) has none, nore does any of her sisters.

Here's a related question... I have a few clients that have said they're symptoms decrease after a session, and it lasts for a few days. Anyone else have this experience, or have an idea of what mechanism might be at work here?

Darren

 

[Staci]

A couple of my clients mention symptom decrease too. I have no idea of the mechanism thus far - one of those mysteries like clearer eyesight after a session...

Well, wait, maybe I do have a guess - have there been any studies on massage and immune function in general? Has massage been shown to have a balancing effect, like adaptogenic herbs?

 

[My pic says SLIPKNOT!]

A couple of my clients mention symptom decrease too. I have no idea of the mechanism thus far - one of those mysteries like clearer eyesight after a session...

Well, wait, maybe I do have a guess - have there been any studies on massage and immune function in general? Has massage been shown to have a balancing effect, like adaptogenic herbs?

One of the effects of massage we were taught to spout out was that it enhances the immune system. Our A&P instructor did go into it in some detail for us, but I'd have to read through my notes to tell you how/why it does that. It did make sense. I have also had clients say their allergy symptoms decreased, and have found that receiving massage decreases my skin reactions for a few days. I haven't had much trouble with my asthma at all since I started massage school, but that may be due more to the decrease in stress, as my divorce was complete just before then. I threw the bum out and then realized a few months later that I had not used my inhaler even once!! Now I don't take any asthma meds unless I get bronchitis, which is also much less frequent. I'd like to think massage plays at least a little part in that.

 

[Tight End]

I've heard that sinus issues are often tied to the perfectionist personality and the "little things" get in the way and get the 'nose bent out of shape.' Have you considered looking at your clients personality types too?