Prepare for Your Seasonal Allergies with Acupuncture

For most allergy sufferers, the spring rebirth means bracing yourself for the upcoming weeks of bloom and facial discomfort. Getting prepared with boxes of tissues and the usual army of over the counter (OTC) antihistamine medications. Some people even avoid being outside altogether during this time of year to reduce nasal congestion, puffy eyes, sinus pressure, and sneezing. Allergies and rhinitis are influenced by many factors, including weather change, increase in pollen, animal dander, and diet. Some people continue taking OTCs like Allegra, Flonase, and Zyrtec for weeks and weeks even if they don’t dissolve the annoyance of their allergy symptoms. Acupuncture can be a helpful alternative for allergy prevention and relief, and here’s why: It regulates the immune system and can balance the activities of IgE and other immune antibodies. The release of IgE is the immune system’s response to an allergen that causes sneezing, itchiness, increased mucus, and other allergy symptoms. By calming this immune reaction, we feel less discomfort as our body fights the allergen. When our nasal passages get blocked with extra mucus, it creates irritation of the tissues it occupies. The irritated tissue then causes inflammation, fueling the irritation into a never ending cycle of discomfort until the allergen is no longer there. Acupuncture increases microcirculation, which can help reduce local inflammation and disperse swelling in the nasal cavity and face. Leading to less congestion, pressure, and mucus. Studies have shown that acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine treatments can be more effective long term for management of seasonal allergies compared to over the counter antihistamines. Every person has a unique formula that works for their body to reduce discomfort and dis-ease - acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine may be a part of that plan. Allergies can impact our quality of life during the spring, a time that we are all so eager to get out to enjoy the warmer weather and fresh air. It is SO important to get outside in the springtime, especially if you live in New England, because we’ve been hibernating for some long, cold winter months and need some serious vitamin D. If you are someone who has tried all the allergy medications and still deals with persistent allergy symptoms, you should think about giving acupuncture a try this season. Sources: https://journals.lww.com/mdjournal/Fulltext/2021/03260/Effectiveness_and_safety_of_ear_acupuncture_for.27.aspx https://www.annallergy.org/article/S1081-1206(15)00342-7/fulltext https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.2500/ajra.2015.29.4116