It is not uncommon for a patient to ask if chiropractic care can help with allergies. Before answering this question, it is important to look at what allergies are and what people can be allergic to. Allergies occur when the immune system has a hypersensitivity to a specific substance. When the body encounters this substance, the immune system overreacts and the severity can vary from mild to life threatening. A mild response may be a rash or a runny nose while a severe response could be a shutdown of an airway that makes it difficult to breath and is life threatening.
What Types of Allergies Exist?
Allergies can be broken down into categories of what substance the body is reacting to. Seasonal allergies are typically due to dust, pollen or other substances in the air. Spring and fall are typically the worst seasons for seasonal allergies. Symptoms include things such as a runny nose, itchy eyes, a “tickle” in the throat and sneezing. Food allergies occur in response to a specific food. Nuts, dairy, eggs, shellfish and gluten are some common foods that may cause an allergic response. A mild food allergy may result in digestion distress, inflammation with body aches, or a skin rash. Severe reactions can cause a medical emergency called anaphylaxis, shutting off the airway making it difficult to breath. Other types of allergies include those to medication, latex or to a specific type of animal dander.
Can Chiropractic Care Help Allergies?
In order to improve allergies, the body’s immune response needs to be balanced to not over respond to the offending substance. In my years of practice as a chiropractor in Sioux Falls, we have found that some, but not all, patients will have improvement with seasonal allergy symptoms from chiropractic adjustments. Other things that may help with seasonal allergies are supplements that help the immune system such as zinc or Vitamin C. Unfortunately, when it comes to food allergies, I haven’t found my patients have shown great improvements from chiropractic care. For these allergies it is important to identify what irritates the body and try to avoid those substances.
What to Expect When Starting Chiropractic Care for Allergies
If you struggle with seasonal allergies or other symptoms and are interested in exploring chiropractic care as an option, we will welcome the opportunity to meet with you and evaluate your case. A typical new patient appointment at our office typically takes 30-60 minutes. During the first visit we will review your health history, symptoms, and then perform a chiropractic examination. In some cases, we may take x-rays of the spine. If we think that chiropractic care may be able to help, we typically perform the first adjustment during your first appointment. Afterward then give you any recommendations we may have about lifestyle changes to help support your chiropractic care. We are accepting new patients so please contact our office to schedule with one of our Sioux Falls chiropractors.