What can Chiropractic do for Allergies?

Ok, you know chiropractic can help back pain, neck pain, or joint pain. How can it work for allergies? Let’s look at what allergies are and why we have them.

There are many substances that we can be allergic to, including:

• Medications
• Foods
• Insects (stings or by-products)
• Latex
• Molds
• Pet dander
• Plants (think poison ivy)
• Pollens
• Dust mites
• Toxic substances
• Household chemicals
• Certain metals (nickel, silver, tin)

There are many possible reactions to a particular substance:

• Sneezing, itchy, runny, or blocked nose (allergic rhinitis)
• Wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath
• Cough
• Itchy, red, or watering eyes (conjunctivitis)
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Dehydration
• Raised, itchy, or red rash (hives)
• Swollen lips, tongue, eyes, or face.
• Pain
• Anaphylaxis – a severe reaction that can be fatal

Allergies affect us because our immune system ‘sees’ the allergen as something out of the ordinary that must be contained or removed from our body. Pollen allergies go with sneezing, food allergies lead to stomach upset or diarrhea.

Each person can react differently, and the reaction can be more or less severe. Reactions can increase depending on the season of the year. Spring brings lots of pollens into the air that have been dormant all fall and winter. The number of exposures can bring increasing symptoms. You can be stung by a hornet one day and have a small red spot and a bit of pain. Then the next time you are stung by that same species, your throat closes up, you experience swelling and shortness of breath, and feel sick. As we age, we can start reacting to things we were fine with ‘back in the day’.

Why is each person different? Biodiversity. Meaning each person, with their unique body, immune system, and internal chemistry can react in very different ways. Think of a family where one child has a peanut allergy that causes anaphylaxis and forces the parents to carry an Epi-pen. That same family’s other children can be fine with peanuts.

What does chiropractic do? You know adjusting your spine works to keep you feeling great, removes restrictions, and allows healing to occur. What other effects does chiropractic have? Misalignments of the spine block the necessary and proper passage of two-way information through the nervous system (to and from) the brain. When the information can’t get to the controller (the brain), all sorts of systems function improperly, including your immune system.

Chiropractic adjustments allow your nervous system to pass those information signals as it should. Your immune system reaps the benefit and becomes stronger and able to distinguish between substances that are actually harmful or those it should ignore as harmless. Your nervous system controls all other systems of your body, digestion, breathing, heartbeat, internal temperature, etc. Most of the nervous system communicates with the brain through the spinal cord, so adjusting the spine with chiropractic adjustments helps your nervous system function optimally.

When your immune system functions properly, you can limit your overreaction to allergens, reducing or possibly eliminating the symptoms.

That’s what chiropractic can do for allergies.

Dr. Armour
Armour Chiropractic

Please note, for those with allergies causing anaphylactic reactions, please do not infer chiropractic can cure you. DO NOT test your reaction by consuming or otherwise coming into contact with your particular allergen.

Some additional info for those science types out there:

-Allergies are not poisons, though some allergies can kill you. Poisons affect us because they interfere with body functions essential for life. Neurotoxic poisons shut down or destroy our nervous system. Myotoxic poisons affect our muscles and can lead to weakness or paralysis.

-In 1963, two British immunologists, Robert Coombs and Philip Gell classified four different types of hypersensitivity allergic reactions:

Immediate (type I)

• Onset: A few seconds to minutes
• Anaphylactic reactions: The most severe form of allergic reaction - a medical emergency that can lead to sudden, life-threatening respiratory failure. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, swelling, low blood pressure, bluish skin, and shock
• IgE antibodies are produced by the immune system in response to allergens such as pollen, animal dander, insect bites, dust mites, or certain foods

Cytotoxic (type II)

• Onset: Minutes to hours
• IgG and IgM antibodies damage cells by activating the complement system of the immune system such as in:
  • Autoimmune hemolytic anemia
  • Immune thrombocytopenia
  • Autoimmune neutropenia
  • Goodpasture syndrome
  • Graves’ disease
  • Myasthenia gravis

Immune complex-mediated (type III)

• Onset: Several hours
• IgM and IgG antibodies react with allergens to form immunocomplexes (antigen-antibody complexes) such as in:
  • Lupus
  • Serum sickness
  • Arthus reaction

Delayed hypersensitivity (type IV)

• Onset: Hours to days later
• Often in long-term infectious diseases such as:
  • Tuberculosis
  • Fungal infections