It’s important to keep your body’s immune system optimized at all times to fight off viruses and bacteria. However, there may be times when your immune system becomes compromised allowing viruses that cause colds and flu to flourish.
Viruses that result in the common cold infect the cells of the nose, sinuses, throat and airways. The infection caused by the virus develops over a period of 1-5 days in your body and cold symptoms may last for 1-2 weeks. Viruses that cause the flu infect your lungs and airways. The symptoms of the flu are more severe than with the common cold. There are periods of time throughout the year when colds and the flu are more prevalent. This is known as Cold and Flu Season and it runs from October through May.
More than $1 billion is spent annually on over-the-counter (OTC) treatments for colds and flu, but these treatments only ease the symptoms of a cold or the flu. They do not attack the viruses causing the cold or flu and they bring with them undesirable side effects like insomnia, dry mouth, constipation and drowsiness.
If you are currently battling a cold or the flu or you wish to prevent colds or flu, it is extremely important to keep your immune system healthy and functioning at peak levels.
At Natural Living, we take a unique approach to ease colds and flu, which does not involve prescribing drugs and antibiotics. Rather, our unique chiropractic care involves restoring and bolstering the health of the body’s immune system to fight and prevent the viruses that lead to the common cold and the flu. Various studies have shown an increase in immune elements 45-200%, in just hours after an adjustment, lasting up to 3 days. Acupuncture strenghten's the response, and helps to eliminate symptoms of disease.
Cold Symptoms
Cold symptoms usually start with a sore throat or a runny nose. Nasal congestion follows, along with a cough. Occasionally, you will run a fever with a cold. Many times, cold symptoms can be confused with allergic reactions. If the symptoms of a cold develop quickly and then begin to subside in about a week, it most likely is a cold. If the cold symptoms do not go away, then it could be an allergy or sinus related problem.
Flu Symptoms
Flu symptoms include a sore throat, headache, muscle aches, congestion, soreness, fever and cough. Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea may also be experienced with the flu. All these symptoms may lead to extreme exhaustion, fatigue and weakness.
Why Chiropractic?
Chiropractic health care focuses on the health of the body’s central nervous system. Doctors of chiropractic are trained to identify and treat problems with the nerves of the human body. When your central nervous system is healthy, all systems of the human body are working properly, including the immune system which is critical to preventing and fighting viruses that cause colds and the flu.
There has been numerous research studies conducted that show the positive effects chiropractic care has on a person’s immune system. One of the most notable studies was performed by Dr. Ronald Pero, chief of cancer prevention research at New York Preventative Medicine Institute and a professor at New York University. In his 3-year study, Dr. Pero found that people who had received regular chiropractic care had a 200% greater immune system competence compared to people who did not receive chiropractic care.