While some people may be able to control their allergy symptoms with medications, others may develop a tolerance which means that they will be progressively desensitized to the drug's effects. Your doctor can help you manage symptoms by changing medications or by offering allergy shots. If you've developed a tolerance to medications, one treatment you may want to look into is acupuncture. Read on to learn more.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where very thin needles are placed in the skin at deliberate points on the body. While TCM is used to balance the flow of energy in the body, Western practitioners tend to view acupuncture as a treatment to stimulate connective tissue, reduce inflammation, and boost the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers.
How Does Acupuncture Help Allergies?
When a person has an allergy, the immune system tends to overreact to otherwise harmless substances, and the body is inundated with histamine, which is a chemical compound that causes inflammatory responses to an infection or injury. Unfortunately, this overreactive immune response can trigger symptoms like sneezing, itching, nausea, etc. More studies need to be conducted, but some researchers believe that acupuncture helps to regulate the body's cytokine profile. Cytokines are cell-signaling molecules that aid in immune responses, like the release of histamine.
What Do Studies Say?
One study found that acupuncture could lead to significant improvements in people with seasonal allergic rhinitis. After eight weeks of treatment, participants who were treated with acupuncture had improved quality-of-life measures compared to participants who only had sham/placebo acupuncture and medication.
Another study compared the safety and efficacy of acupuncture with other Western medicine treatments. This study found that acupuncture was a safe and effective treatment for moderate allergic rhinitis and had similar scores to other therapies and was able to improve people's symptoms of nasal discharge, eye itching, nasal obstruction, and sneezing.
How Do You Prepare for Acupuncture?
If you want to give acupuncture a try, you should reach out to your doctor first. Acupuncture could help people with allergies, but it's not an ideal treatment if you have certain contraindications, like a bleeding disorder or a pacemaker. If your doctor gives you the go-ahead, he or she can help you find a certified acupuncture practitioner.
When you go in for your first acupuncture appointment, you should let the therapist know your treatment goals and the list of your current medications/supplements that you are using. You should wear comfortable clothes and be well hydrated. While some people may see improvements in their allergy symptoms after one session, it may take multiple sessions over a few weeks to adjust the body's immune response. Reach out to a natural healthcare provider in your area for more information today.
If you are interested in acupuncture or would like to learn more, visit a clinic such as Acupuncture Medical Center.
Share22 February 2022
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