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How Acupuncture Works for Allergies

Do you suffer from allergies? Many people find relief with acupuncture. Acupuncture is a safe, natural treatment for allergies that has been used in the Eastern hemisphere for centuries. It's an excellent solution if you don't want to rely on medication or other treatments like shots and pills. Studies show that this ancient Chinese healing technique can help reduce allergy symptoms by up to 50%. Why not learn more about what acupuncture can do for you? Check out some FAQs in this educational article!

1. What are allergies and how do they happen?

Allergies are an immune system response that happens when your body reacts to something like pollen or dust. Your body makes antibodies against the harmful substance, and creates histamine to fight it. Histamine causes swelling and itching in the face, nose, throat, sinuses, lungs and eyes. In many cases, allergies can cause a histamine reaction all over your body.

For most people with allergies, symptoms come and go in different seasons or when they are exposed to certain triggers. Some people get seasonal allergies, such as hay fever or allergic rhinitis. Other people have year-round allergies that last for years. Some things that can cause allergy symptoms are:

  • pollen in the air

  • mold spores in damp places

  • dust mites in furniture and mattresses

  • pet dander in your pet's fur

  • chemical sprays and fumes at home or work, like perfume, paint, carpet cleaner, deodorant and bleach.

2. How can acupuncture help?

The World Health Organization recognizes that acupuncture is an effective practice for treating allergies. There are several ways acupuncture can help with allergies:

  • Acupuncture stimulates the nervous system, which helps to rid your body of toxins and any leftover histamine. When you reduce the amount of histamine in your body, symptoms often go away or decrease.

  • Acupuncture can help you relax. If you're feeling more relaxed, your body won't have any unnecessary stress to deal with. Stress triggers allergies because it releases more histamine.

  • Acupuncture reduces pain and discomfort associated with allergies. Acupuncturists place the needles into certain parts of the body that have more nerve endings, called acupuncture points. When the needles are stimulated, they release endorphins in your brain that block pain from any area of the body.

  • Acupuncture helps you get a better night's sleep. If you have allergies and you're not sleeping well, it can take a major toll on your health and energy levels. In combination with other natural treatments, acupuncture can help you sleep easier.

3. Why is acupuncture a good idea for people who suffer from seasonal allergies?

If you have seasonal allergies and would like to try acupuncture, here's why it could be helpful:

Many people think of acupuncture as a way to eliminate pain. Seasonal allergy symptoms cause discomfort in the body that can last for weeks or months at a time. Some common symptoms of pollen allergy are:

  • watery eyes and nasal discharge

  • itchy, red, irritated eyes

  • a thick, greenish discharge that builds up in the back of the throat and drips down to the chest at night

  • wheezing caused by inflamed breathing passages

  • sneezing fits to clear out mucus from your nose and sinuses

If you have seasonal allergies, acupuncture has been shown to reduce these symptoms by up to 50%!

How often you get acupuncture treatments for allergies depends on your individual needs and your acupuncturist's recommendations. If you have severe seasonal allergies, we advise that you get an acupuncture treatment 2-3 times a week until your symptoms subside.

4. Acupuncture treatment plan for allergy relief:

Acupuncture is an effective way to treat allergies in the comfort of your own home. However, there are some factors that can affect how quickly you see results.

The most important factor in how well acupuncture works is whether or not you follow the recommendations of your acupuncturist. To get the best treatment possible, we advise that you commit to at least four acupuncture treatments over the next 10 days.

The second factor is your lifestyle choices. If you smoke, drink alcohol or do drugs, acupuncture is not advised because these activities affect your immune system and cause histamine release that can make allergies worse. You should also avoid any allergens that are triggering your symptoms while you're in treatment.

For example, if you're allergic to mold spores and they're in your home, you shouldn't stay there during your acupuncture treatments because your risk of having an allergic reaction increases. If this is not possible,  take extra precautions to avoid contact with spores, such as wearing a mask.

If you have allergies and would like to treat them naturally without the use of medications, you may want to consider acupuncture. This ancient Chinese medicine is effective in treating allergies by triggering the nervous system and releasing endorphins that block histamines in the body.

5. The benefits of acupuncture in treating your allergies:

Acupuncture has been proven to be an effective treatment for allergies because it works at the source of the problem. When you have allergies, your immune system reacts to certain triggers in the environment that aren't harmful to other people.

The most common triggers are chemicals found in nature, such as pollen from flowers or grasses, dust mites and animal dander.

Acupuncture helps block your body's natural response to these triggers by increasing neurotransmitters, which are chemicals in the brain that send messages to cells in all parts of your body . Acupuncture also increases endorphins, which are pain-relieving hormones released by the central nervous system.

When you go to a doctor for allergy treatment, there are three methods that can be used:

Allergy shots or immunotherapy, over-the-counter medications and prescription medications. All have their benefits and drawbacks.

Although allergy shots may benefit some people more than others, they're not always effective. On the other hand, over-the-counter medications like antihistamines can be effective, but they're often accompanied by side effects like fatigue and weight gain.

Many people suffer from allergies over the course of their lives. Others experience allergy symptoms only in the spring or fall when pollen counts are high in their area. Regardless of your circumstances, you deserve an all-natural way to treat allergies.

Allergies that are treated with acupuncture have been shown to be more effective than allergy shots, plus they can reduce uncomfortable symptoms by up to 50%!

6. Questions to ask when considering an appointment with an acupuncturist:

Can you diagnose allergies using this method?

How many acupuncture treatments do I need to get rid of my symptoms? Is there a guarantee that the treatment will work for me?

If you're considering acupuncture as a way to treat your allergies, it's important that you schedule an appointment with a certified acupuncturist and ask these questions.

People who suffer from allergies often know their triggers and avoid them whenever they can, but this isn't always possible due to things like pollen or irritants in the air that you can't see or smell. When allergens are unavoidable, acupuncture is a safe way to combat symptoms by blocking histamines in your body.

Medications only treat the symptoms of your allergies and most have side effects that affect other aspects of your health. Acupuncture provides a safe alternative because it treats allergies from the source, but more importantly, it works.

When you're considering acupuncture as a treatment option, be sure to do your research before booking an appointment with a certified acupuncturist.

Are you located in the South Florida area and struggling with allergies? AcuMantras, your community acupuncture, can help!

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