Can Acupuncture Relieve Seasonal Allergies?
This time of year means war when dealing with seasonal allergies. The one week of spring in New York City is great (insert sarcastic grin here). Everyone is out, nobody seems to have a job and everyone is wearing inappropriate clothing because we just got let out of the tundra and that’s how we roll. Allergens are in full effect and with the good times come pollen and a lot of sneezing, congestion and itchy eyes. Acupuncture can give some relief.
My oldest son struggles with seasonal allergies. When he was younger and we were at birthday parties, he would blow his nose and I knew every mother was looking at us like we brought Ebola to the partay. I would immediately feel compelled to justify his large amount of mucus, even without anyone asking. I would scream “NOAH HAS BAD ALLERGIES, IT’S NOT CONTAGIOUS!” Some of my favorite mothers would roll their eyes and give me the thumbs up.
You might be asking, “Gabriel what can you do about this?”
What makes us allergy prone?
As I have mentioned in previous blogs, wei qi is our defensive qi. When our lung qi is strong we can fight off pathogens and viruses. Things that affect our lung qi and make us prone to allergies are:
eating poorly
a poor emotional state
disease or illness
insomnia
over-indulgence
smoking and drinking
Acupuncture and herbs are great at strengthening your immune system to halt the overproduction of external pathogens. By stimulating certain points, acupuncture strengthens your immunity while reducing the body’s sensitivity to allergens. Over time, getting regular acupuncture can lead to a large reduction in allergy symptoms.
Stress can also make allergies worse. When you’re anxious, your body is more vulnerable to environmental triggers such as pollen, mold and dust. By decreasing stress the body has the ability to fight pathogens and reduce the severity of the foreign allergens.
Acupuncture is also amazing at opening up the nasal pathways. It greatly reduces inflammation in your nasal pathways, boosts circulation and decreases congestion.
Herbs and allergies
I like to take a two-step approach when treating allergies. A month or two before spring kicks in, I like to strengthen the lungs with a formula called Bu Fei Tang. Then, when we get in to allergy season, I stick with two formulas:
Pe Min Kan wan which alleviates a runny nose, sneezing and itchy eyes; or
Bi Yan Pian which I use if mucus is thick and yellow from heat in the lungs
Things you can do at home to help control allergies
Do a thorough spring cleaning
Clear out all dust and any mold in your house.
After outdoor activities, take a shower and wash your body and hair to remove allergens and pollen
Keep windows closed
Wash your hands and don’t touch your face
If your allergies are really bad, spend more time inside when you see the pollen blowing around
Spring and summer are fantastic times to enjoy the outdoors. Make sure to be consistent with acupuncture and herbs so you can be outside, have fun and be with everyone else who doesn’t have a job.