An allergy is an adverse reaction to a substance that is harmless to most of the population. Symptoms from allergies are many and varied. A reaction can be so severe that it is life threatening or it can result in a minor rash, sinus problem or other minor symptom. Allergies can also be the cause of chronic health problems like colitis, eczema, migraine headaches or other, often mysterious health problems.

Most medical treatment of allergies is directed toward the symptoms. This is a good approach if the symptoms are life-threatening. If the symptoms are chronic, it is good to also find the underlying cause of the allergy. Even patients with severe reactions who take medication will do better if the underlying cause of their allergic symptoms is addressed.

In many people, biomechanical dysfunction can cause irritation to the connective tissues in this area. An example of this is upper cervical or temporo-mandibular joint (your jaw!) dysfunction causing hypersensitivity to your sinuses and facial skin.

This hypersensitivity can then be worsened by pollution and pollen thus producing the symptoms associated with hayfever. Thus, correcting these problems can help manage and treat allergies and sensitivities, particularly if you have developed these later in life.

It is a simple and easy process to assess someone to see if there may be a mechanical cause to these problems, so ask your Doctor of Chiropractic for advice. It is good to relieve symptoms — it is better to fix the underlying cause.