The ancient medical practice of acupuncture is well known as a treatment for pain, but science is continually discovering new uses for this procedure in the treatment of numerous maladies including weight loss, stress, and even allergies.  If you suffer from allergies acupuncture may provide a solution. With the arrival of the warmer weather and beautiful flora of spring, many people begin to experience the negative effects of spring such the sneezing and itchy eyes associated with seasonal allergies. Acupuncture, the practice of insert tiny needles under the skin at specific points in order to target specific areas and relieve certain symptoms.

A 2013 study from the Annals of Internal Medicine found that participants who received acupuncture treatments along with antihistamines experienced statistically significant improvement in their allergy symptoms and were able to lessen their use of antihistamines compared to other participants in the study.

Dr. Remy Coeytaux of the Duke Clinical Research Institute and Dr. Jongbae of the Regional Center for Neurosensory Disorders and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill wrote an editorial that accompanied the study and stated that acupuncture’s benefits have started to emerge more and more over the years and high-quality clinical trials support rigorous research for clinical indications such as allergies.

In 2015, new guidelines from the Academy of Otolaryngology made it easier for patients and their doctors to choose procedures such as acupuncture for for the treatment of rhinitis (runny nose) and other allergy-related symptoms.

Dr. Sandra Lin of Johns Hopkins University states that there is indeed evidence that supports the use of acupuncture to treat perennial allergic rhinitis associated with seasonal allergies.  Acupuncture may provide relief without the drowsiness and other side effects of traditional pharmacological treatments.

Acupuncture does not just treat the runny nose associated with seasonal allergies.  It treats a number of allergy symptoms including sneezing and puffy eyes. A trained acupuncture practitioner carefully places tiny needles at targeted points in the body to relieve the symptoms the patient is seeking to treat.  

Thomas Burgoon, MD, is president of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture.   He states that many patients see improvement after just the first treatment.  Patients with ongoing or chronic allergies may need two sessions per week for up to six weeks.

Dr. Zhizhong Nan of Nan’s Acupuncture has over 21 years of experience in Traditional Chinese Medicine in both the United States and China.  If you are suffering from seasonal allergies acupuncture specialists at  Nan’s Acupuncture can help . Chinese medical theory states the symptoms and signs that indicate a diagnosis of allergies relate to the body’s organ systems malfunctioning. This malfunction may stem from a variety of causes, including stress, poor diet, foods that don’t agree with your body, constitutional weakness, pollutants and environmental toxins. Your acupuncturist will take a full medical history and develop a treatment plan that targets your specific allergy symptoms and complaints.  If you are not satisfied with your current regimen for dealing with your allergy issues, contact Nan’s Acupuncture and see the side effect-free benefits acupuncture may provide for you.

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