The Surprising Benefits of Using a Chiropractor for Allergies

For as many as 100 million people throughout the U.S., allergies are a part of life. They keep outdoor lovers inside throughout the warm months of spring and summer, and they can affect an animal lover’s ability to have a pet. No matter the source or severity of your symptoms, using a  chiropractor for allergies is a surprisingly effective way to find relief.

What Causes Allergic Reactions?

Allergies occur when your immune system goes into overdrive, perceiving non-threatening substances as harmful and releasing histamine and other chemicals to fight them. It doesn’t matter if the substance is toxic or not; what matters is your body’s inability to differentiate harmful substances, called allergens, from benign ones.

The symptoms of allergies are the immune system’s natural mechanisms to remove harmful microbes, bacteria, and other tiny toxic invaders. During a reaction, the body seeks to remove toxins in several ways:

• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Rhinitis (runny nose)
• Tearing eyes

Histamine is the primary player against pollen, dust, and pet hair. When histamine is released, it triggers inflammation to irritate the eyes, flood your nostrils with phlegm, and cause sneezing in an attempt to rid the body of the unwanted allergen.

Using a chiropractor for allergies is a way to restore balance to your immune system and release stress on the nervous system.

How Many Different Allergies Are There?

The possibilities of allergies are infinite, and you may be the victim of an unusual one. It all depends on your immune system, how often you’re exposed to the allergen, and your overall health.

The most common allergens are dust, drugs, mold, pet dander, insect bites and stings, foods, and pollen.

Allergens are broken down by their exposure:

• Inhalation: Breathing in the allergen, like pollen, creates a reaction
• Ingestion: Consuming the allergen results in the reaction
• Injection: A bite or sting causes the reaction
• Skin contact: Touching an allergen, such as poison ivy or chemicals, causes a reaction

Risk Factors for Developing Allergies

Researchers aren’t entirely sure why some people develop allergies while others don’t, but it’s well-known that certain factors increase the risk.

• Family history: A family history of allergies increases your risk of developing them, but surprisingly, your allergens may not be the same as your parents.
• Your immune system: Once your body identifies a substance as dangerous, it will produce antibodies to fight it after every exposure.
• Age: The more exposure to a substance, the more your body may view it as harmful.
• Environment: Whether it’s your occupation, home, or geographical location, your surroundings are a key factor for developing allergies.
• Stress: When under pressure, the body releases many stress-fighting chemicals, including histamine.

When you see a functional medicine chiropractor for allergies, risk factors will be evaluated to determine what lifestyle changes you can make alongside your treatment.

The Benefits of Seeing a Chiropractor for Allergies 

While you commonly think of chiropractic care for treating back, neck, and joint pain, it’s also surprisingly helpful in fighting allergies. Chiropractic care doesn’t directly affect the immune system but restores a healthy balance that improves its function.

A Chiropractor for Allergies Restores Internal Communication

Your spine is the freeway for neurotransmitters to send messages to the brain. A misalignment of the spine is a roadblock to effective communication and affects every system in your body, including the immune system. This leads to lower immunities and increased difficulty responding appropriately to allergens.

Chiropractors Reduce Stress

The immune system weakens during times of stress. If your adrenal system is overwhelmed by stress, your body has difficulty responding to allergens. Spinal adjustments strengthen the adrenal glands to reduce stress, and reduced stress improves your immune system’s ability to regulate itself.

Chiropractors Offer Other Therapies to Complement Treatments

A functional medicine chiropractor for allergies offers holistic wellness plans to restore the body’s balance and relieve symptoms naturally. This approach includes any combination of lifestyle coaching, acupuncture, nutritional support, massage therapy, supplements, and spinal adjustments.

Why Choose a Functional Medicine Chiropractor for Allergies?

Functional medicine is based on treating the patient, not just the disease. Functional medicine doctors uniquely approach health by understanding the body as a complex network of interconnected systems, each contributing to overall health and wellness.

When one system isn’t functioning correctly, the entire network is affected in seemingly unrelated ways. A gut imbalance, for instance, contributes to anxiety, depression, fatigue, and chronic pain. A misalignment in the spine reduces the body’s ability to fight stress and weakens the immune system.

A functional medicine chiropractor is a specialist that combines a whole-body approach to health with the known benefits of spinal manipulation. This makes seeing a chiropractor for allergies a critical part of your overall health and wellness plan.

Find Your Chiropractor for Allergies at The Highland Wellness Center 

The Highland Wellness Center features chiropractors for allergies, pain, stress relief, and more. Contact our office to get started with our friendly professionals so you can get back to your life. Schedule your appointment today.