Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the lungs. It often involves narrowing of the airways which makes breathing difficult. It is also common for asthma sufferers to have other symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. People with asthma often use inhalers to help relieve their symptoms. It is common for them to use prescription drugs to help as well. Prescription drugs often have adverse side effects. Chiropractic has been found to be an effective solution for many asthma sufferers.
There are several possible causes for the onset of asthma symptoms. Weather has been commonly associated with asthma such as when there are extremes in temperature, either hot or cold. Allergies can also trigger asthma symptoms such as from pollens. Certain foods have also been found to trigger allergies that lead to asthma attacks. However, this is not as common. Some cities are known to have more asthma sufferers than others. This is probably because of the weather patterns and environment being more prone to trigger asthma symptoms. Certain infections have also been associated with asthma. People that perform strenuous exercise can be more prone to asthma. Some asthma sufferers must avoid certain sports and activities. Asthma sufferers must be careful of dust accumulation in the home as this can also trigger symptoms.
Chiropractic has been found to be effective in helping people that suffer from asthma. The science behind this has to do with the relationship between chiropractic adjustments and the autonomic nervous system. This part of the nervous system is made up of nerves that control visceral functions in the body for example digestion, breathing and heart rate. Chiropractic adjustments help to remove nerve irritation including stress on the autonomic nerves.
These nerves are often irritated from misaligned spinal bones. There are nerves that exit out of the spine to control other systems in the body including the autonomic nervous system. This nerve irritation will result in loss of function in whatever the nerves are controlling, for example the lungs or respiratory system. Chiropractors are specially educated to locate and correct these problems in the spine.
Many report excellent improvement with their asthma symptoms following chiropractic care. They report being able to breathe much better and have reduced asthma symptoms. Some people respond very quickly to chiropractic treatment while others show gradual improvement. Chiropractors perform a thorough exam to rule out other causes. They will often refer the patient to another physician if problems are out of their scope of practice. Chiropractors don’t treat asthma but many report great improvement of asthma symptoms with chiropractic care. Continue reading »