What Do Allergies, Migraines, and Asthma Have in Common?

Hint: it’s all about inflammation Did you know that genes you may have inherited from your parents can cause your immune system to overreact to common allergens, leading to increased inflammation in the body? This can increase your chances of developing one or more allergic conditions known as the atopic triad – namely, asthma, eczema, and seasonal allergies. About 40% of the population suffers from at least one type of atopic disease. People who suffer from one or more of these diseases can experience adverse effects on sleep length and quality, loss of productivity, and reduced quality of life. Why Does Inflammation Occur? Inflammation is our body’s natural response to protect itself against harm. However, sometimes our immune system gets it wrong and treats seemingly harmless intruders – such as the allergens that cause asthma, eczema and seasonal allergies – as harmful, producing chronic inflammation. Inflammation may also play a major role in the onset of migraine headaches, which affects about 1 out of every 6 Americans and 1 out of every 5 women. Inflammation isn’t all bad – it can act as a protective immune response to support tissue healing. In the case of infection, it allows the immune system to respond more rapidly and effectively to a pathogen it has encountered before. What is the best way to treat inflammatory responses in our bodies? Often, asthma, migraines and allergy conditions can be treated with pharmaceutical options, however, these can have side effects and dependency issues, making them less desirable. Another exciting alternative, that will become more accessible soon, is the use of bioelectronic devices that decrease inflammation. Bioelectronics harness the body’s electrical systems to reduce inflammatory symptoms by delivering carefully determined small levels of electrical current and frequency to stimulate the nervous system. Bioelectronics offers an alternative to pharmaceuticals in alleviating inflammation-related symptoms with fewer side effects and less risk of developing dependency. A growing number of companies have developed implantable and noninvasive devices that stimulate nerves to treat chronic conditions that are linked to inflammation such as: