Experts predict this year’s pollen counts will be at an all-time high in the southern United States. Similar forecasts drape across many other regions of the country. The pollen count conversation always goes hand in hand with the topic of allergies. Approximately 40 percent of the world’s population suffers from at least one allergic condition and some countries report that allergies increased by as much as 50 percent over the past decade.

 The most frequently recommended solution for allergy sufferers involves the ingestion of a variety of medications. Pharmaceutical companies make hundreds of millions of dollars off of drugs which damage the human body in the process of trading one symptom for another. Allergy medications come with a significant number of side effects which include drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, moodiness (in some children), trouble urinating, blurred vision, and confusion. Doctor visits, medications, and sick days cost Americans more than $3 billion each year. People spend approximately $8 billion on allergy drugs around the world each year.

Allergies occur when the immune system encounters an irritant and mistakenly determines the substance to be harmful. The body initiates an attack mode and becomes overly aggressive in attacking the irritant with more ferocity than needed. The five most common allergens include: pollen, grass, dust, mold, and weeds.Inhaling or ingesting an irritant causes the body to produce specific antibodies which trigger the release of chemicals called histamines.  Exposure to each of these substances typically increases in the spring and fall. Histamines ravage the body in the form of an inflammatory response that incorrectly warns the immune system of danger. Cascades of miserable symptoms accompany the histamines in the forms of itching, sneezing, nausea, and congestion.

 The intimate relationship between the nervous system and immune system makes Chiropractic the healthiest alternative to drugs when combating allergies. Chiropractic adjustments improve communication between the brain and spinal cord to help regulate and coordinate the body’s reaction to allergens. Research shows over 90 percent of allergy sufferers experience vertebral misalignments in the middle part of their spine. 70 percent of those allergy sufferers achieved a reduction in their symptoms after receiving a series of painless spinal adjustments. 

 The spine’s relationship with the autonomic nervous system allows natural healing and long-term results to occur in Chiropractic clinics all across the globe. Adjustments do not specifically target certain allergy symptoms or conditions. Chiropractic care reduces interference in the nervous system and promotes an environment that allows the body to better cope with allergens. Nervous system interference factors into the explanation of why two people from the same family or environment experience the same allergens differently. Chiropractic care improves resiliency to allergens and other germs while promoting peak performance in the body’s immune system. 

 4 Tips to Reducing Allergies

• Keep the spine healthy through regular adjustments. Chiropractic reduces stress in the nervous system and improves immune balance.
• Reduce Inflammatory Foods - sugar, dairy, bad fat, refined carbohydrates, processed grains, and cow’s milk should be reduced and/or eliminated.
• Consume raw local honey. Raw local honey exposes the body to all forms of pollen and allows the body to build up immunity to the local pollen. Consume Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) and Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice. Add 1tsp of ACV into a glass of water with fresh squeezed lemon juice and drink.

The Internet Journal of Orthopedic Surgery - 2003“Relationship Between Vertebral Deformities and Allergic Diseases.”Y Takeda, S Arai