Using Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine to Alleviate Your Allergies
Let’s talk about the perfect “Catch-22”. We spend all winter trying to strengthen and support our immune system to stress about our immune response in the spring. Not sure what I mean? Seasonal allergies, of course!
Allergies are the result of your immune system’s response to a usually harmless substance such as dust, mold, or pollen. After exposure to an allergen, the immune system releases the chemical histamine into your system. The histamine travels through your blood and latches onto cells that have receptors specifically made to catch the histamine. Once caught, the cells swell causing inflammation. Many familiar allergy symptoms such as wheezing, itching, runny nose, and watery or itchy eyes are a result of inflammation.
Common allergy medications are called antihistamine drugs because they go into the body and get caught in the receptors that normally catch histamines. This leaves no space for the histamines to latch onto the cells. This stops the inflammation from occurring. The trick is to take the antihistamine drugs before exposure to the harmless substance and before histamines are released in the body because once the inflammation has set in, it’s much harder to calm down and control.
Allergy medications aren’t always the ideal solution for two reasons. First, we rarely know what we are allergic to and when we will be exposed to it. This makes it very difficult to take medicine preemptively. Second, there are all kinds of side effects of allergy medication such as drowsiness, dry mouth or eyes, dizziness or headache, change in blood pressure or heart rate, and more. So, how can we prevent allergic reactions or reduce inflammation once allergies have set in without the negative side effects? I’m sure you guessed the answer, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)!
TCM, which includes acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, herbal medicine, and electrical stimulation, is highly effective for treating inflammation. A recent study by the NIH concluded that acupuncture and moxibustion were safe and effective to treat allergic rhinitis and may have advantages over routine medication.
3 Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms of Acupuncture
Acupuncture affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
Elevated stress = elevated inflammation in the body. The HPA axis is vital to our stress response and it is how the brain connects with the immune system.
In response to stress, the HPA axis releases hormones called glucocorticoids which are involved in metabolic, cardiovascular, cognitive, and immunologic functions (aka extremely important!). These hormones act on all types of immune cells and are essential for immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory responses. Acupuncture regulates the HPA Axis and its response to stress which not only prevents allergy symptoms and inflammation but can decrease inflammation, decreasing allergy symptoms that are already occurring.
Acupuncture regulates the nervous system.
Acupuncture can activate the pathway that connects the nervous and immune systems. This is called the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway which is controlled by the vagus nerve and plays a critical role in inflammatory response.
Acupuncture also regulates how the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems communicate with each other and a healthy relationship between these nervous systems is crucial to the reaction of the body to allergens.
Acupuncture can act like an antihistamine.
As mentioned above, histamines are chemicals released in the body in response to an allergen. One one hand, acupuncture may not work as immediately as an over the counter antihistamine medication, but on the other hand acupuncture rarely has negative side effects and may help prevent future allergy symptoms.
There is even more science regarding acupuncture and its anti-inflammatory actions through regulation of cytokines, neuropeptides, and neurotrophins which are all incredibly important in allergic inflammation, but we will spare you more science talk and get to the good stuff!
Allergies in TCM
According to TCM, the body’s immunity is the function of what we call defensive Qi (energy). The main meridians that make and control defensive Qi include the lung, colon, stomach and spleen meridians. These meridians circulate closest to the skin. Our lungs and colon have direct links to the outside of the body through the air we breath and the waste we excrete. The lung meridian also controls the skin and the ability of our pores to open and close. The spleen and stomach turn the food and fluids we consume into power for the immune system. Even western medicine agrees that 70% of the immune system is located in the gut! Now you see why eating the right food is so important, right?
An allergy in TCM is considered a “wind” disease that penetrates from outside, bringing pathogens with it, which disrupts our defensive Qi flow. The resulting backup (fullness) or deficiency (emptiness) of defensive Qi leads to typical allergy symptoms. To clear allergy symptoms, we need to help our bodies expel the wind and pathogens and regulate our defensive Qi. Here are a few of the ways we can do that.
Acupuncture Relief for Allergies
Points on the above-mentioned meridians such as Large Intestine 4,11 or Lung 7 (LI4, LI11, or LU7) can help expel wind and regulate defensive Qi. Stomach 36 (ST36) is another of our favorite multipurpose points to strengthen digestion and boost the immune system. There are also many local points around the ears, sinuses, and eyes for allergy symptom relief.
Here is a video showing how to use local acupressure points for allergy relief.
Chinese Herbal Formulas for Allergies
When giving single herbs or combined herbs (formulas), each person’s individual constitution and symptoms should be taken into account. However, there are a few patent remedies that tend to do the trick for most everyone! We will only mention a few here, but there are formulas for everything from allergy prevention to asthma attacks, sinus infection, runny nose, sore throat, conjunctivitis, and that pesky postnasal drip.
Allergy Prevention
Yu Ping Feng San- This herbal formula protects the exterior from "wind invasions" (ie. colds, flus, viruses). This three-herb formula includes the adaptogen astragalus, and is taken preventatively to boost the immune system. Taken as an herbal tea or pill, it is great for those who need to keep their immune system strong, and for those who anticipate an allergy season coming up.
Allergy Symptom Alleviation with Traditional Chinese Medicine
Bi Yan Pian- This is a patent formula often used to treat sinusitis, rhinitis, and nasal allergies. The formula contains herbs that clear heat and reduce toxicity, so it is best for nasal allergies that present with inflammation, infection, yellow phlegm, and heat in the face.
Cang Er Zi San- This is another formula frequently prescribed for people who are suffering from allergy attacks. It works to open up the nasal passageways, expel congested mucus, decreases sneezing and helps to alleviate red itchy eyes.
Gua Sha- The name gua sha is broken in two words: gua—the tool to scrape the skin, and sha—the redness that appears from the scraping. Gua sha has been part of TCM for thousands of years. Tools like horn, stone, and jade have been used throughout history to scrape the skin. Gua sha increases the skin’s surface micro-circulation by 400 percent. It helps with pain, reduces oxidative stress in the body, decreases inflammation, and helps regulate allergic reaction. It is also used in facial rejuvenation treatments which can treat allergies and wrinkles all in one!
If you are interested in allergy prevention or relief, book an appointment with one of our doctors and we will help determine which of these methods, or various other unmentioned services and products we provide for allergies, are right for you.
