According to the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), there are currently 15 million Americans living with food allergies. Roughly 1 in every 13 children (2 in every classroom) is affected by this potentially lethal disease, a number which has increased approximately 50% between 1997 and 2011, without any clear cause. According to the Centers for Disease Control, food allergy reactions result in more than 300,000 emergency department visits every year among children under the age of 18, costing the U.S. economy a whopping $25 billion annually.
The greatest problem with food allergies is that they are usually lifelong – no amount of prescription or over-the-counter drugs can permanently cure children’s sensitivity to peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, wheat, and other common food allergens. And yet, many parents interested in finding a less invasive approach to alleviating and managing allergy symptoms have turned to chiropractic care – and are seeing significant progress.
The Connection between Allergies and Chiropractic
According to chiropractic experts, managing subluxation (a partial dislocation of one or more bones in a joint, which results in a miscommunication between the spine and the nervous system) is an essential step in reducing allergic reactions. Subluxations are typically caused by three types of stressors: physical, psychological, and biochemical. The problem is, anything in our daily lives can become a system stressor – from the air we breathe to certain types of food we consume. When a child is exposed to a particular food source, his immune system is activated and starts creating immunoglobulin antibodies to the food. If the antibodies react adversely with the food, that’s when the child starts experiencing asthma, hives, facial swelling, and other allergy symptoms.
Chiropractors can help alleviate allergic responses by correcting stressors that cause subluxations, in turn allowing the body to start healing itself. This process is initiated by restoring the communication of the nervous system with the tissues in the body and correcting existing problems in the building of new tissue. By removing the interferences in the nerve flow to the affected tissues, doctors of chiropractic are able to help the body become once more a self-healing, self-regulating system that doesn’t need outside intervention to repair its problem areas.
Doctors of chiropractic who specialize in the treatment of allergies can help prevent allergic responses by encouraging pregnant patients to breastfeed exclusively and for as long as possible, in order to increase the infant’s resistance against food sensitivities. They will also encourage patients with young children to keep a food and drink journal where certain patterns can be revealed and toxic foods identified. It is often a combination of effective chiropractic treatment and healthy lifestyle choices that has a positive impact on the quality of life of children and can improve the whole-body function.
How Can Your Doctor Help You?
More than anything, chiropractic care provides natural and safe relief for allergic responses, which is essential when it comes to children. Rather than using quick-fix methods that can ultimately do more harm than good to their undeveloped body and brain, experienced chiropractors focus their attention on a multitude of interconnected health areas that can relieve or exacerbate symptoms. They will answer all the questions below:
What foods trigger the allergic response
What is the allergens’ physiological impact on the immune system
What are the physiological, emotional, and biochemical stressors
What non-invasive, natural, and effective treatments can be used to relieve adverse reactions in both children and adults
Contact your local chiropractor today to learn more about the safe and effective ways that you can keep your body healthy and your immune system working properly.
About the Author
Dr. Marc Browner is the Founder of iChiropractic and Wellness in Naples, Florida. A graduate of the University of Florida in 1991, he earned his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Life Chiropractic in 1995. In private practice since 1998, Dr. Browner is a member of the Florida Chiropractic Society, the Florida Chiropractic Association, and he attends continuing education seminars, classes, and workshops to remain abreast of the most current treatment methods and technological advances in the field.
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