Does Acupuncture Work for the Treatment of Allergies?

Many of my patients have sought alternative forms of medical treatment for their allergy symptoms prior to coming to my office. One of the more common forms of alternative therapies used for the treatment of allergies is acupuncture. Patients seem to report mixed results from acupuncture -- some say that the therapy "helped quite a bit," but only for brief periods of time. Others say that the acupuncture really didn't help their symptoms much at all. What's going on here? Does acupuncture work for the treatment of allergies or not?

Someone forward you this email? No Sweat! Sign up here to get your own If you're having trouble viewing this email, click here Follow Us Does Acupuncture Work for the Treatment of Allergies? Many of my patients have sought alternative forms of medical treatment for their allergy symptoms prior to coming to my office. One of the more common forms of alternative therapies used for the treatment of allergies is acupuncture. Patients seem to report mixed results from acupuncture -- some say that the therapy "helped quite a bit," but only for brief periods of time. Others say that the acupuncture really didn't help their symptoms much at all. What's going on here? Does acupuncture work for the treatment of allergies or not? Daniel More, MD Allergies Expert Treatment of Allergies With Acupuncture Acupuncture is a part of traditional Chinese medicine that can be used for many chronic diseases, especially chronic pain. The process involves inserting needles into the skin at exact points on the body, which is supposed to restore the balance of "vital flows." Acupuncture has also been claimed to influence the various activities of cells in the body, particularly via the transport, breakdown and clearance of “bioactive mediators.” These actions, along with the claimed effect of inhibiting an over-active immune system, are thought to result in anti-inflammatory effects on the body. These anti-inflammatory effects are thought to decrease inflammatory diseases such as allergic rhinitis. READ NOW Ear Acupressure for Allergy Treatment Ear acupressure is a technique that takes advantage of major energy lines being connected to the ear, according to traditional Chinese medicine. This technique has been used to treat a number of different medical conditions, such as chronic pain, drug abuse, obesity, diabetes, insomnia, as well as allergic rhinitis. Ear acupressure involves placing metal pellets against different parts of the ear, which are squeezed against the ear by the patient. The skin is not broken, as with true acupuncture, which can cause more pain and higher risk of infection when used on the ear. READ NOW Alternative Therapies for Allergies and Asthma In recent years, complementary-alternative medicine (CAM) has become very popular, with approximately half of the population either currently using or having used CAM on at least one occasion. The most common forms of CAM include acupuncture, homeopathic remedies, herbal medicines and yoga. This increased use of CAM seems to be based on distrust of conventional and scientific-based medicine, bad experiences with physicians, and/or belief that CAM is safe, natural and without side effects. READ NOW Featured Articles • Does your child have any symptoms of diabetes? • Are You as Fit as You Think You Are? • What Does Your Diet Say About You? • Does Your Child Have Any Food Allergy Symptoms? • 1 in 10 Suffer From Endometriosis. Are You At Risk? Take This Quiz. • What Are Biosimilars? • What Kind of Parent Are You? • Could You Have BPD? Advertisement About Allergies  |  Follow Us You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Allergies newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10036 © 2015 About.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.