Do you suffer from allergies? Itchy eyes, hives, skin irritation, swelling, excessive mucus? You’re not alone. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to alleviate allergies naturally and effectively.

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What Causes Allergy Symptoms?

Allergy symptoms occur when your body believes a substance is foreign and therefore dangerous to the body. It could be pollen, or mold, or a food you’ve ingested. Whatever the irritant, your body decides to fight it by producing histamines.

As your body fights this perceived threat, it goes into a hypersensitive state. It becomes irritated and inflamed. Your body is under stress from this perceived attack, and as such, responds with the classic symptoms that have become known as allergy symptoms. If the body does not figure out how to calm itself down, allergies can be fatal. Take for example, an allergy to nuts or beestings that cause the throat to swell up and shut off air to the lungs.

Stress and allergies are interrelated. Allergies stress the body, and stress aggravates allergic reactions, creating a vicious cycle. Stress increases the body’s production of cortisol, a hormone that weakens your adrenals, which are in turn responsible for your body’s inflammatory response. For example, the heightened inflammatory response prompts your medulla oblongata (housed in your spine) to tell your nose to secrete excess mucous. When you take an allergy medication to suppress this response, the body undergoes further stress.

As a chiropractor and acupuncturist, I treat allergies through both modalities. As a holistic doctor, I also address lifestyle changes that can reduce allergic reactions.

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How Does Acupuncture Help Allergies?

Recent medical advancements have proven that acupuncture is an effective treatment option for allergies. Click here to read about a recent study published in Time magazine concluding that acupuncture provides relief for allergies. The study was conducted by Dr. Remy Coeytaux of the Duke Clinical Research Institute and Dr. Jongbae J. Park of the Regional Center for Neurosensory Disorders and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

There are seven acupuncture points that can be stimulated to prevent and treat seasonal allergies.

There are six points on the face that are most effective for treating itchy eyes, nasal drip and the other classic symptoms of seasonal allergies. These points are:

• Large Intestine 20 x 2 (just outside the nostrils)
• Stomach 2 x 2 (just below the eyes)
• Bladder 2 x 2 (on the eyebrows)

In addition to these six points, acupuncture on the Spleen 5 point (inside of the ankle) works wonders. This point affects something that is referred to as “dampness” in Asian medical terms. Dampness is related to the production of mucous and phlegm, which is why it is so effective in preventing and reducing allergy symptoms.

Your acupuncturist will evaluate your symptoms and determine which of these points will be most effective dependent on your type of allergic reaction you have presented with.

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How Does Chiropractic Help Allergies?

Your seasonal allergy symptoms may only present in your eyes, nose and throat, but the problem is a systemic issue, related to proper autoimmune system function. When your spine is misaligned, malfunctions of body systems are to be expected. Proper alignment empowers your body to function at the highest level of health possible, which is why many of our patients experience significant improvement in allergy symptoms after starting regular adjustments.

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Lifestyle Changes to Improve Allergies
In addition to regular chiropractic and acupuncture treatments, you will want to take the following precautions:

• Exercise regularly (a great way to manage stress and reduce the production of the stress hormone cortisol)
• Evaluate and alter your diet (record how your body responds as you eliminate possible allergens)
• Increase your consumption of allergy-fighting foods such as leafy greens and good fats
• Take supplements (we recommend A, C, E, zinc, selenium and adrenal support)
• Get adequate sleep so your body can heal itself

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Looking for a Huntersville Holistic Chiropractor?

Come into our office to discuss natural allergy treatments that can reduce or eliminate allergies. We take into consideration all factors that could be affecting your allergies, including environmental factors and lifestyle issues. I look forward to helping you find solutions and better health!