Allergies can be really annoying during different seasons of the year. Some people experience them in the Winter with sniffles, and most people experience them in the Spring as that is when hay fever season is. In Spring everything is blooming, pollen is everywhere, and everything is turning green again. Summer also brings a whole different set of causes for allergies. This is usually when people suffer from itchy, watery eyes, rashes, sniffles, red puffy eyes, headaches, wheezing, fatigue, stuffed up nose, and sometimes a cough. Symptoms differ for each allergy sufferer. It can be extremely frustrating for an individual and can interrupt their social and work life.
Usually it is the weed pollen, grass, and wind-blown trees that make an individual suffer from allergies. This might make a person dislike the outdoors at this time, which can lead to isolation within the home. Many people cannot enjoy the outdoors in Summer and Spring because they feel so uncomfortable. Over the counter medications such as antihistamines, may provide hours of relief, but then the next day the allergies return. Of course no one wants to take antihistamines every day for a whole season. Antihistamines can cause dryness, insomnia, dizziness, intestinal problems, fatigue, anxiety, and nervousness. Chinese medicine and acupuncture is known to provide relief from all of these allergic symptoms.
Acupuncture, along with Chinese herbs and medicines, improve and balance the immune system, heal the sinus tissues, and fight off infections. In Chinese medicine, it is believed that allergies come from the kidney and lungs ‘Qi’ system (energy flow). Allergies can begin in the early stages of childhood because the immune system may not be as strong as a healthy adult. If there is a deficiency in the kidney or lungs, or a decrease of ‘Qi” flow as an individual gets older, then allergies might begin.
Acupuncture can target the areas where the allergies may stem from. Acupuncture is a procedure, and therapy where an acupuncturist inserts a tiny thin needle into certain acupressure points that are designed to open and increase the energy flow (Qi) throughout the body. Once the body has a thorough energy flow, the body will become balanced both hormonally, physically and mentally. With allergies, the acupuncturist will treat the root of the problem, as well as where the problem manifests itself within the body.
On the first visit, the acupuncturist will ask a series of questions about lifestyle, work, stresses, emotional issues, and about any previous health concerns and conditions. The client will have a consultation and the acupuncturist will create an acupuncture therapy designed especially for their unique symptoms. The acupuncturist might recommend diet changes, lifestyle changes, and even some herbal remedies to go along with the sessions. For the sessions to be truly beneficial, it is good for the client to attend two sessions a week for at least three weeks. The acupuncturist will most likely ask the client to come in once a month after that to maintain the balance within the body.
