Surviving the Allergy Season with Chinese Medicine

Spring is the season of new beginnings, flowering buds and blooming trees. But if you're one of the millions who suffer from seasonal allergies, spring is a period that brings with it a myriad of unwanted problems: headaches, eye irritation, nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, breathing difficulties... to name a few. And whilst there are several over-the-counter medications available today, most only ever offer short term relief and often come with unnecessary side effects.

Because of this, many allergy suffers often consider alternative treatments such as Chinese medicine. In comparison to other alternative treatments, Chinese medicine has a long history of use in treating allergies and effectively utilizes many approaches, many of which can be incorporated into our daily routine.

Regular acupuncture treatments Receiving regular acupuncture treatments is a great place to start. Not only has acupuncture been shown to strengthen the immune system and reduce associated stress and anxiety, but it’s a powerful tool in offering symptomatic relief by reducing inflammation in the upper respiratory tract. 

In a recent study, a group of German researchers demonstrated acupuncture to be more effective that antihistamine medication, where patients who received acupuncture over a period of eight weeks required less medication and had fewer seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms than in control groups.

Take back control of your diet The importance of diet in Eastern medicine cannot not be stressed enough. It is the foundation of  health in many ways. Going organic, cutting out dairy and processed foods, and following an anti-inflammatory diet is a great place to start. However, no two organisms are alike, so to get the best out of your food it's always best to speak to your acupuncturist, Chinese medicine practitioner or functional medicine practitioner for a more tailored approach.

Cupping For those who don't like the idea of needles, cupping is a great alternative. It's great for relieving respiratory congestion, and on a whole, great for providing symptomatic relief. Ask your practitioner about the different cupping techniques used to see what you would be most comfortable trying.

Herbs Herbal medicine is considered by many as the powerhouse of Chinese medicine. There are many herbal medicines that provide symptomatic relief and also boost the immune system. Available preparations may include over the counter products, as well as tailor made prescriptions. Some Chinese herbs may also be incorporated into cooking.

Herbs are always prescribed in accordance to an individuals signs and symptoms so as tempting as can be, self-prescribing Chinese herbs (including over the counter preparations) is a big no no- always consult with a qualified herbalist.