Crack Your Back, Fix Your Nose?

Alternative medicine has become extremely popular in recent years. In fact, people now spend more money on all forms of alternative medicine than on traditional medicine. More people are seeking non-traditional forms of treatment for everything from cancer to diabetes and high blood pressure to hemorrhoids. And the field of allergies and asthma is no different.

Recently, some chiropractors have been claiming to treat allergies and asthma through spinal manipulation. While some people swear by the relief that they've received, studies fail to show any true benefit. Sure, there's something to the healing power of touch, but when you compare "real" spinal manipulation to "fake" forms (a massage, essentially), there's no difference in the benefits people receive.

Before you go and spend a large sum of money on a form of allergy or asthma treatment that doesn't work, read these articles:

• What is the Placebo Effect?
• Alternative Treatments for Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma
• Unproven Tests in the Diagnosis of Allergies