Acupuncture for allergies
Are you one of the millions of Americans who suffers from seasonal allergies? Are you looking for a safe, natural alternative that can reduce or replace medication use, while also improving your overall wellness? If you answered yes to these questions, then acupuncture would be a great option to try! Keep reading to learn some of the evidence-backed ways that acupuncture helps to treat seasonal allergy symptoms.
Natural Alternative to Allergy Medication
Seasonal allergies are estimated to affect 10-30% of the U.S. population, with an even higher prevalence in children. Instead of being able to fully enjoy nature and the warm weather that spring and summer brings, those with seasonal allergies typically have to stock up on antihistamines, decongestants, anti-inflammatories, nasal sprays, and eye drops in order to tolerate being outside.
Even then, as with most pharmaceutical treatments, the price of symptom relief is often a variety of negative side effects that can be equally difficult to deal with. Many allergy sufferers are then forced to decide which is the lesser evil: eye, nose, and throat irritation, plus sinus pain and congestion, or drowsiness, dizziness, poor mood, and a host of other symptoms.
Thankfully, there is growing evidence that supports acupuncture as an alternative treatment for seasonal allergies that is effective, drug-free, and benefits many other aspects of physical and mental health at the same time!
How Does Acupuncture Address Allergies?
During an allergic reaction, the immune system strongly reacts to an otherwise harmless substance. This causes inflammation, swelling, and increased sensitivity in the areas that the allergen comes in contact with. In the case of seasonal allergies, the allergen is most often airborne pollen from trees and grasses, which gets inhaled and lands in the eyes. When this happens, the eyes and upper respiratory tract become irritated, swollen, and “runny” as the immune system attacks the pollen and tries to flush it out.
Acupuncture helps to treat seasonal allergy symptoms by prompting the body to decrease its immune response naturally. Scientific studies have suggested that this occurs through a combination of biological processes that target these symptoms. One of the main processes is reducing various signals and compounds that lead to inflammation and swelling. This helps to lessen congestion and discomfort in affected areas. Another important process is blocking the activity of histamines, which leads to a significant reduction in itching, sneezing, and excessive nose-running.
Acupuncture Advantages Over Allergy Medication
Acupuncture is able to induce the desired effects of synthetic anti-inflammatories and antihistamines, but with none of the negative side effects that are common with these drugs. In fact, negative side effects from acupuncture are generally very rare. Instead, acupuncture offers many unique benefits that a single medication can’t replicate.
For example, this study found that participants who received 4 weeks of acupuncture treatments not only experienced instant symptom relief, improved quality of life, and a significantly decreased need for medication – they also reported that these effects continued on and grew stronger for 4 weeks after treatment had ended. This led the researchers to suggest that compared to medication, acupuncture has the advantages of better longevity and improving quality of life in more ways than just relieving symptoms.
As if that wasn’t convincing enough: outside of treating seasonal allergies, acupuncture also prompts increased circulation, improved healing of damaged tissues, better sleep, and the release of mood-boosting and pain-relieving endorphins.
For more detailed information on the uses and benefits of acupuncture, click here.