Acupuncture for Allergies
by Leslie Droege LAc, RN
by Leslie Droege LAc, RN
"Achoo!"
This is a familiar sound in South Central Texas much of the
year. But nothing approaches the
sheer misery caused by a ubiquitous shrubby tree known as "mountain cedar"
or Juniper Ashei. The obnoxiousness of cedar pollen makes it
the most dreaded of all for those of us in this part of the country. Not only do we sneeze, but our eyes
itch and burn, and noses run like a faucet from November to February. And the exhaustion that follows the
incessant sneezing makes for a miserable winter.
Allergy statistics show that countrywide, 8% of adults have hay fever and allergies,
while 10% of children do.
Meanwhile, 13% of adults experience sinusitis.(1) Those numbers sure seem a lot higher in
our neck of the woods, where many people have trouble with winter
allergies!
What's the best way to battle this formidable enemy,
mountain cedar? Most of us are
familiar with the use of antihistamines, decongestants and nasal steroids. Some people even opt for allergy shots
which desensitize your body to the allergen over time. Sometimes people need antibiotics if
they have a sinus infection that isn't going away, including severe headache
and a fever, or if the infection goes to the lungs as bronchitis.
There is another, more natural way to get ready for cedar season, and that is through
Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture and herbs. As an acupuncturist, I recommend seeing allergy sufferers about one month out from
the offending allergy season.
November is a good time to get ready for the peak of cedar season in
December and January. For people
with severe allergies, I may see them weekly during the height of the season in
late December and January. Together,
we will work on your immune system to get you ready for the onslaught. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM),
the immune system is seen like a suit of armor. If you have holes in your armor,
things get in and bother you with allergy symptoms. During the visits, we will also look at your digestion,
since a healthy digestive tract is a key factor in being able to tolerate
allergens in the environment. There
is a wonderful herbal formula known as "Jade Screen" which helps
strengthen the immune system. A
German study showed after two months of treatment that 71 percent of the patients who
received acupuncture reported improvement in their symptoms and used less antihistamines
than those in the other two groups that received "sham" acupuncture
or no acupuncture (2). 
If you do unfortunately get a sinus infection during cedar
season, the focus will change with your treatment. We will work on opening up your nasal passages, help
decrease mucous production, and strengthen the lungs so the infection doesn't
turn into bronchitis. Herbal formulas
are geared towards ridding your body of the infection. Based on thorough evaluation of your
signs and symptoms, your acupuncturist will know if you need to see a doctor if
your infection is too severe for herbs alone.
There are also numerous websites that give advice on getting
through cedar season such as staying inside on days when the pollen count is
very high (pollen.com is a good
place to check). Also bathing your
pets frequently, washing your hair just before bedtime if you've been outside
in the wind, getting a HEPA air filter for your house, and removing the male
cedar trees in your yard will all help.
In addition to acupuncture and herbs, another excellent
adjunct is the use of Cedar X®, a homeopathic immune systems to recognize cedar
but not overreact to it. Applied
to the skin, this is a great addition to helping yourself stay healthy in the
winter.
Winter can be a trying time for those of us who suffer from
allergy symptoms. Traditional
Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, and herbs can help make this time of year more
tolerable by reducing the uncomfortable signs and symptoms. All of us at the Integrative Healing
Institute wish you a healthy winter in South Texas. "Achoo!"
"Bless you..."
Resources
2: Benno
Brinkhaus et al, "Acupuncture in Patients With Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis:
A Randomized Trial," Annals of Internal Medicine,
doi:10.7326/0003-4819-158-4-201302190-00002
Leslie Droege, LAc, RN first became interested in Chinese Medicine after a trip to China during her 20 year Air Force career as a nurse. She has a BSN (Nursing) from the University of Kansas, MA from Webster University in St Louis, and a Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAcOM) from the Graduate School of Integrative Medicine at AOMA in Austin in 2008. She is currently working on the Applied Clinical Nutrition Certification from Parker University in Dallas.
