Hayfever

Hay Fever

It is that season again - the one that those who experience hay fever dread!

Hay fever is an allergic reaction triggered by pollen, a fine powder released by plants. 

When someone with hay fever inhales pollen, their immune system mistakenly identifies it as a threat and reacts by releasing chemicals like histamine, leading to the characteristic symptoms of: 

• Sneezing 

• Runny or blocked nose 

• Itchy, watery, or red eyes 

• Itchy throat, mouth, nose, or ears 

• Coughing 

• Fatigue.

Hay fever symptoms are usually worse during the pollen season, which varies depending on the type of pollen (tree, grass, or weeds) and the location. 

In Chinese Medicine hay fever is viewed as a reaction to external factors (like pollen) that weakens the body's "defensive qi" (a vital energy that protects against pathogens.

Acupuncture aims to restore the flow of Qi and blood, strengthen the body's defenses, and calm the nervous system's overreaction to allergens. 

Current Western treatment includes antihistamines and corticosteroids (both of which help with symptoms of local inflammation) but both have side-effects, from drowsiness to anaphylactic shock.

Studies suggest that acupuncture treatment (Research published in the American journal of Rhinology & Allergy (2013) by L.Z. Yang) is able to modulate hay fever through various immune functions and responses. That is, acupuncture has been shown it is able to lower immunoglobulin-e levels and thus reduce inflammation.  This is what antihistamines do, but without the side-effects.

If you are once again dreading the discomfort of hay fever, try a course of acupuncture treatment to relieve your symptoms.

Book an appointment and start enjoying every day of this glorious time of year.