Can Chiropractic Care Relieve Allergy Symptoms?

Allergies are the most common health issue for children in the United States, with around 40% of children suffering from symptoms. Overall, about 50 million Americans today suffer from allergies and allergic diseases, with this number rising steadily. While some view allergies as nothing but a mild inconvenience, they can have a severe impact on quality of life and have a variety of presentations. The most recognizable is Hay Fever, which typically displays as itchy and watery eyes, a sore throat, sneezing, and coughing. When you take into account food allergies, there are even more ways that allergies can have an effect on daily life. Since allergies have no cure, only preventative measures and treating symptoms are available as options for those with allergies. Rather than relying on medication, many find that being under Johnson City Chiropractic care with Dr. Micheal Bryan is a safe and effective way to manage symptoms and eliminate troubles with allergies.

What Is an Allergy?

Simply put, an allergy is the body’s hypersensitive reaction to a substance or stimulus. Your body views the allergen as a threat and attempts to combat the threat by manifesting symptoms. This is actually your immune system producing an antibody called immunoglobin E (IgE) when confronted with the stimulant. Depending on what triggers the allergy, the body’s reaction will differ, ranging from mild to life threatening depending on the severity and the type of exposure. There is no widely known root cause of allergies, though various factors like stress and anxiety have been shown to play a role in not only causing allergies, but prolonging their effects. While symptoms are most often noticed in children, allergies can affect people of any age and can vary greatly in severity. Most people manage these symptoms with medications, sprays, or creams as needed, but there are more natural methods that can be more effective with fewer side effects.

Chiropractic Care and Allergies

The central nervous system and the immune system are tightly linked to one another, meaning that an issue in one is likely to affect the other. This means that a misalignment in the spine can cause not only dysfunction in nerve communication, but can also negatively affect the immune system as well. If the immune system is compromised in this way, it may lead to more allergies and food sensitivities.

By focusing on the link between the immune and central nervous systems, chiropractic care has been shown to reduce the severity of allergy symptoms. By carefully assessing and adjusting the spine, a Johnson City chiropractor can alleviate any misalignments that may be causing issues that weaken the immune system.  Case studies indicate that this is effective, particularly in pediatric chiropractic settings. One study showed that one young boy saw a reduction in symptoms within two weeks and they were nearly eliminated after a month.

At Integral Chiropractic, the focus is on your overall health. Dr. Micheal Bryan will work to address any spinal misalignments present, which can lead to a reduction in allergy symptoms. Serving Johnson City, Kingsport, Jonesborough, and Greeneville, Integral Chiropractic looks forward to your first visit and helping to improve your allergies.

Sources

Alcantara, J. and Van Roo, L., 2008. The chiropractic care of a pediatric patient with asthma, allergies, and chronic colds. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 1, p.12. http://icpa4kids.org/Chiropractic-Research/chiropractic-care-of-a-pediatric-patient-with-asthma-allergies-chronic-colds-a-vertebral-subluxation.html.

American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Allergy Facts. http://acaai.org/news/facts-statistics/allergies

Jamison, J., 1999. Stress: the chiropractic patients’ self-perceptions. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics, 22(6), pp.395-398. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10478772.

Takeda, Y., Arai, S. “Relationship between Vertebral Deformities and Allergic Diseases.” The Internet Journal of Orthopedic Surgery. 2003 Volume 2 Number 1. http://ispub.com/IJOS/2/1/8061.