Allergies are in full bloom these days. I actually started seeing the itchy, watery, sneezy, goopy stuff in the office starting in January, but it’s in high season with the budding and flowering of our trees and bushes. The good news is acupuncture and chinese herbs are a great way to beat the allergy blues while concurrently building your immune system to better fight the allergy problems for next season. I can say that my patients who started last year to treat allergies are doing significantly better during this allergy season as a result of previous treatment. One patient told me it’s the first time she has not developed bronchitis and a severe environmental allergy attack in years.
I used to have allergies. After taking some allergy medication and almost going off the road in a hallucination type of reaction with my scalp feeling like it was crawling, I decided to get off the prescription drugs. Luckily it was about the same time I started studying acupuncture and Chinese medicine. That was twelve (12) years ago and I have not had one bout of sinusitis or an allergy attack since. (I also have not been to the chiropractor in the same amount of time for a back adjustment). It’s amazing how the benefits extend to the whole body with acupuncture!!
Even though we recently had some good rain to wash some of the pollen out of the air, I am continuing to get calls from people who are at their wits end with allergies. All of these new patients have tried everything Western medicine could offer and finally decided to give acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapy a try.
Treating acupuncture in Chinese medicine generally involves the Spleen, which manages the distribution of fluids-think congestion, runny nose, dampness as well as the stomach and Large intestine channels (as they traverse the face, nose and sinus areas). Interesting those channels that affect the digestion have a lot to do with allergies that affect the face, nose, sinus and lungs. It makes sense that a strong, healthy core makes for a healthier body.
I get great satisfaction treating patients who have had long standing issues with allergies. The response can be fast, like right on the table. Congestion, post nasal drip, runny nose quite often is relieved within minutes of an acupunture treatment. Truthfully, it takes more than one treatment to resolve a long standing problem, but in the interim of treatment, symptoms go away while we gently strenthen the lungs and spleen and make you stronger for the next season of allergies. The good news is that patients often will become less dependent on prescription medications for managing their allergy symptoms. My patients are always amazed and pleased about that. Why wouldn’t you want to be more drug free?
