Allergic to Stress

Stress management image.

We often think that stress affects us only in a psychological or emotional sense, so much so that we overlook the physical effects of stress that can be both progressive and debilitating. But stress can trigger headaches, hair loss, irregular heartbeat, sleep troubles, neck and back pain, asthma and even allergies.

Many recent studies have confirmed what researchers have long believed, that psychological stresses can aggravate allergy symptoms. Gailen D. Marshall, MD, PhD, Director of the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, and his colleagues conducted a study that concluded that stress increased the occurrence of asthma and allergies in a group of subjects who were taking their medical school exams.

Your nervous system constantly filters data and decides how your body should react to stressors. In response, your body produces different hormones and neurotransmitters, such as adrenalin, that affect the immune system. When your body is constantly reacting to stress, it creates an imbalance in your body. If it persists, it can have detrimental effects that cause or aggravate certain conditions, including allergies.

This is why regular nervous system checkups are so important. When your spine is working correctly, your central nervous system and immune system operate the way they were designed, improving your ability to withstand stress.

Remember, it’s not the pollen. It’s not the pet dander. And it’s not “allergy season.” It’s about how your body responds to these potential allergens. Antihistamines dampen your body’s response. Chiropractic care increases your body’s ability to accommodate the stress.

Which approach makes more sense to you?

 Dr Don Asks some important questions of interest to Osceola residents - Chiropractor Osceola Dr Don Asks...

If you have a fever, are you sick or healthy?
Chiropractors love asking this question because it gets to the root of the chiropractic difference. Turns out fevers, vomiting, coughing and even sneezing are all healthy responses. It means your body is working correctly. Taking medications to suppress these natural processes can actually prolong your recovery.
Is a muscle spasm a cause or an effect?
With the knee-jerk use of muscle relaxers, you'd think it was a cause. But it's an effect. Chiropractors know that bones don't move unless muscles move them. And muscles don't contract unless commanded by the nervous system. That's why your nervous system is the focus of our Osceola chiropractic practice.