Acupuncture for Allergies

Over-the-counter antihistamines, restricted diets and indoor air filtering systems — they all have their place in fighting off those allergic responses that cause watery eyes, runny noses, sinus pressure and rashes.

Yet many people suffering from food or seasonal allergies are finding that acupuncture turns off the complex chemical reactions to allergic irritants — at the source. Whether you use acupuncture in conjunction with other treatments or on its own, it may just be the missing link to your allergy relief.  

Current Research

A 2013 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that almost three-quarters of the participants who received 12 acupuncture treatments experienced significantly reduced allergy symptoms.

Even many people in a control group with randomly placed needles experienced some relief. This finding suggests that the mere stimulation from acupuncture needles can be of some help, although not as much as when the insertion sites are fine-tuned.

Histamine Suppression

Allergic reactions to pollen, foods, animals and other irritants are complex and system-wide. People with allergies have a lowered ability to fight the naturally-occurring histamine that your body releases as a response to these irritants. Allergy sufferers are thought to have a lowered ability to regulate histamine, partially from an insufficient amount of a particular kind of enzyme that breaks down histamine.

Acupuncturists work to stimulate these enzymes through careful injection of needles at strategic points along your body. Once your body is able to produce these enzymes more effectively, it can better regulate its response to histamine.

Pain Relief

Along with increasing antihistamine enzymes, acupuncture needles injected at strategic points on your body also stimulate endorphins, your body’s natural painkillers. Many patients report that these pain-suppressing natural chemicals significantly control the discomfort caused by allergy-related sinus pressure.

In addition, acupuncture works to stimulate blood flow. Increased circulation is another way in which swelling from histamine overload can be fought, especially with the headaches associated with allergies. For more information, Contact Us Today at Freehold, NJ Center.