This article is written by Dr. Jess Hambly, Chiropractor at Neurohealth Chiropractic Allambie (Northern Beaches, Manly)

Well it’s that time of year again. As the seasons change, the wind picks up and more pollen fills the air, we see more hayfever, stuffy noses, and itchy eyes coming through our clinic. But it’s not just the change of season that can cause an allergy, allergies occur in a variety of different ways. Sometimes we don’t even realise our symptoms can be attributed to an allergy.

Some signs you may have a sensitivity causing an allergy include:

  • Hayfever, which can be seasonal or all year round
  • Runny nose or other sinus problems
  • Itchy eyes or ears
  • Feeling tired or sleepy 1-2 hours after meals
  • General fatigue and difficulty concentrating
  • Skin irritations
  • Asthma
  • Upper neck pain and/or headaches

At our clinic, we are able to use the allergy point, a specific meridian point on your body, to diagnose and treat your allergies. This point is related to the chemical histamine, which is a chemical that our body uses to create an inflammatory reaction, and may be reacting with certain foods, animal hair or other chemicals you may have ingested to create an allergic reaction. There are many common foods like cow’s milk and wheat, that often trigger an allergic response in our body, but because these symptoms can be subtle they are often missed- even though constant exposure to these can be weakening your immune system.

When addressing allergies, it is also important to make sure your gut, digestive system and immune system are all functioning like they should be. If there is an imbalance, or these systems are too toxic, then your body can become quite reactive, leaving you more susceptible to allergies and allergic type symptoms. Like every aspect of your health, allergies have a structural, biochemical and sometimes even an emotional component. After addressing all these factors mentioned above, it is also important to check to see if perhaps your allergies are triggered by a strong emotional experience, which may have affected the physiology of your body.

By having your allergies addressed, we can help to calm down the symptoms related to that allergy. (It is important to note we are not talking about serious anaphylactic allergies here. If you suffer anaphylaxis, it is important to avoid that offending substance at all times!). Our body always gives us signs when it is out of balance, the change of season may just be the tip of the iceberg. So, what is your body telling you this Spring?