Signs You Need Chiropractic Treatment
February 17, 2016
Better Treatment for Childhood Allergies
March 10, 2017
The Asthma Epidemic
As one of the most common and costly diseases, America is in the midst of an Asthma epidemic. According to the National Health Interview Survey in 2012 about 40 million people suffer from lifetime asthma and 26 million people suffer from current asthma.
Asthma is as costly as it is common. Between the years 2002 and 2007, this chronic disease cost the US about $3,300 per person with asthma in medical expenses, missed school and work days, and early deaths.
No matter how you look at it, asthma is a disease that requires the attention of physicians, even if it means trying new and innovative treatments.
Traditional Treatments
Asthma is a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. Symptoms include recurring periods of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. While asthma cannot be cured, physicians have used traditional treatments such as inhalers, steroids, or other long-term prescription drugs. Preventative treatments like staying away from certain activities like sports, avoiding areas of pollution, eating well, and living in a clean home also contribute to managing symptoms.
A New Way to Control Asthma
There are many factors contributing to the spike in Americans with asthma such as an increase of pollution and toxins in the air, second-hand tobacco smoke, and climate change, but one surprising factor that experts have found is poor posture and spinal misalignment.
In the age of technology, we are constantly unaware of our posture: hunching over laptops and desks, playing video games, hovering over iPads and iPhones. This has left our spines misaligned and in many cases with painful back problems. Those with asthma are particularly in trouble as misalignment of the spine suffocates the nerves that assist the lungs during inflammation.
Chiropractic care for asthma has proven to be a new way to control asthma symptoms. With proper posture your lungs are able to expand to their full capacity and allow more air inside. This treatment involves aligning your spine back to its natural state and releasing the nerves necessary to help the lungs and airway.
