By Dr. Vince Sferra, Natural Medicine & Rehabilitation
What are seasonal allergies? What are the triggers? What are the possible treatment options?
Allergy seasons have many suffering from a stuffy, runny, or congested nose, itchy and watery eyes, scratchy throat, sneezing, sniffling, coughing, and overall fatigue. If you are looking for non-pharmacological treatment options to help relieve your allergies without feeling drowsy, dizzy, or having an impaired motor function, and dry mouth, it’s time to explore alternatives to conventional allergy medications.
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Seasonal allergies develop when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the environment. When the immune system overreacts, it, along with our nervous system, releases histamines and other chemicals causing these allergy symptoms. Spinal misalignments and spinal joint stiffness along with irritated nerves around the spine can reduce neurological function, impede the effectiveness of our immune system, and cause an increase in allergy symptoms. Chiropractic care reduces the stress on the spine and nervous system which can help the nerves and as a result, the immune system, function more effectively.
You may already know which triggers from the environment make your symptoms worse, but you may also have a genetic predisposition to experiencing allergy-like symptoms. Therefore, a neurological exam by a functional medicine doctor will help them investigate what triggers and causes your symptoms in order to develop an individual treatment plan specific to your needs.
Physical exercise can get your blood pumping and enable you to move allergens through the bloodstream quickly. Stagnant allergens can settle in the sinuses and cause inflammation. Physical therapy treatment can open those sinuses for better drainage which means less pressure in your face, fewer headaches, and the ability to breathe through your nose again. Learning exercises to strengthen your diaphragm muscles may also help you breathe better. Diaphragmatic breathing not only strengthens your diaphragm but is also a great stress-reduction technique.
Biofeedback therapy can be used to manage your rate and method of breathing and your body’s response to stress. Stress can wreak havoc on the immune system making your allergies even worse.
Learning ways to detox your body will also help to speed up the elimination of allergens through the kidneys and skin. The body has its own natural daily cleansing process to eliminate or filter out allergens and toxins through the use of the liver, lungs, kidneys, colon, intestines, and skin. Certain food can help reduce allergy symptoms, by reducing inflammation and boosting your immune system. Supplements and probiotics may need to be added to complement a healthy diet to further help support the immune system during allergy season. By having good nutrition and learning how to detox our homes for a healthy living environment thereby exposing ourselves to the least amount of environmental toxins, we will enable our body to do its detoxing job well!
Acupuncture is another non-pharmacological treatment option that addresses the underlying imbalances within the body causing allergic reactions. Acupuncture supports the nervous and immune systems, can help decrease inflammation, and increases blood flow to help detoxify and eliminate allergens in the body.
If you are seeking to alleviate seasonal allergy symptoms, there are many drug-free options to help you manage your symptoms.
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