At least one out of every 5 Americans suffers from allergies. An allergy is a reaction of your immune system to something that does not bother most other people. People who have allergies often are sensitive to more than one thing. Substances that often cause reactions are
- Insect stings
- Pollen
- Dust mites
- Mold spores
- Food
- Pet dander
- Medicines
Allergies can cause a runny nose, sneezing, itching, rashes, swelling or asthma.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can alleviate the symptoms of allergies when they are active and more importantly, can correct the immune system imbalance that causes the allergic response in the first place. Acupuncture treatment affects allergies in four main ways:
- Stabilize the immune system to moderate its response to invading allergens.
- Decrease swelling and inflammation of local tissues to stop itching.
- Decrease secretions of mucus membranes to reduce nasal discharge and watery eyes.
- Strengthen your natural resistance to antigens.
Acupuncture points are selected based on your individual constellation of signs and symptoms. The focus of each treatment will be on relieving the troubling symptoms while simultaneously helping your body stop the allergic cascade. Chinese herbs can also be used to alleviate your allergy symptoms. A practitioner will compile an herbal formula based on your individual symptoms—this means that each patient receives different herbs for their varying complaints.
If you would like to pursue this form of treatment or information, please contact Xiaoyan.
