Are you tired of dealing with those itchy, watery eyes and runny nose? If you said “yes” then chances are good that you are dealing with allergies. Allergies affect an estimated 50 million Americans. No matter whether you are dealing with food allergies, seasonal allergies or allergies that flare-up anytime of the year, turning to an osteopath could provide you with the relief and maintenance you need to combat those pesky allergy symptoms.
Osteopathic Care and Allergies
When you turn to a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO), you are turning to someone who emphasizes the importance of preventive care. This means that the doctor will go through your medical history and personal history and look at the bigger picture when it comes to treating your condition.
For example, an osteopathic doctor won’t just give you a nasal spray to target nasal inflammation and congestion but rather will look at the environmental and lifestyle factors that could be causing your symptoms in the first place. An osteopath doesn’t provide quick fixes, only long-term wellness and relief.
Treating Allergies with Osteopathic Medicine
When someone is dealing with allergies this simply means that the body sees a harmless substance (e.g. pollen; mold; pet dander) as a danger, which causes the immune system to work overtime to produce histamines to fight the allergy. This usually results in any of these symptoms:
- Itchy, runny nose
- Nasal congestion
- Post-nasal drip
- Sneezing
- Watery, red, and itchy eyes
- Coughing
The best way to treat your allergies is to avoid your triggers as much as possible. So first, you need to know what you are allergic to. This is something an osteopath can help with. Through simple allergy testing (skin prick tests or a blood test), your doctor can determine what elements you are allergic to so that you an avoid them. Avoidance is the most effective step you can take; however, we also realize that sometimes this isn’t always possible. This is where regular osteopathic manual therapy (OMT) can help.
OMT uses a variety of hands-on approaches and therapies to reduce muscle tension, congestion, sinus problems, breathing issues, headaches, and inflammation associated with allergies. Regular OMT can also boost blood flow and circulation, help the lymphatic system drain properly and enhance your immune system. Routine OMT along with other complementary therapies such as massage therapy, naturopathic medicine, and chiropractic care can also help regular allergy sufferers find relief without being dependent on over-the-counter medications.
Don’t let allergies make you suffer. Find out today how an osteopath can get you feeling better quickly.