Update on Apr 16, 2015: The American Academy of Otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat doctors) released updated clinical practice guidelines in February recommending acupuncture as a drugless therapy for allergic rhinitis (allergies). We are excited to see the medical community acknowledging the relief that many patients receive from the use of traditional therapies.
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The blooming of flowers in spring is a lovely time for most people, unless you happen to be a seasonal allergy sufferer. Then, the changing of the seasons is often marked with misery – compounded by congestion, sinus headaches, red & itchy eyes, post-nasal drip, cough, phlegm in the chest – all the typical symptoms of hay fever or respiratory allergies. If you are one of the unlucky few who has perennial allergies, or found out you had a food allergy the hard way (by eating, rather than through allergy testing), then constant self-control becomes your friend. But when self-control wears out, or springtime rolls around again, is your only option to suffer in silence? Luckily no.
While Western Medicine offers no cure for allergies, East Asian Medicine offers natural allergy remedies. Acupuncture is one option. It is best as an intervention therapy for allergic reactions that unfold over a period of days (like rashes & digestive problems from food allergies). Another option is herbal therapy for immediate symptom relief or very long-term treatment. The third option is dietary counseling and adjustment, which can often resolve allergies completely and permanently. These other two options will be treated in more detail later in the month.
Acupuncture offers natural help for allergies due to environmental conditions (seasonal or perennial), or as a means of working through a flare-up of food allergies (as with Celiac patients and gluten). Due to the nature of the treatment (coming in for an office visit), it is best used for food allergies and other chronic respiratory issues, but is still effective for both. Treatment is far less painful than allergy shots, far more relaxing, and does not have to go on forever. Typically treatment happens in clusters. Weekly visits are common during flare-ups or the hard periods of the year, such as the times when pollen count is high, or during holidays when foods with allergens are more easily available. This is often followed by monthly or seasonal check-ups during quiet periods to help keep the immune system in line.
If you’re tired of your allergies keeping you from enjoying your life to its fullest, take action and schedule your appointment today!
