How Acupuncture Works for Natural Allergy Relief

We have a multi-faceted approach for handling allergies.  Most people start to see results in just a few treatments.  

Acupuncture 

Acupuncture instantly reduces inflammation.  Within minutes, you feel symptoms like congestion or headaches going away.  

For people who suffer from regular allergies, we use acupuncture points that help balance your immune system and adrenal response.  Sometimes we need to use points that balance your digestion or Liver function.  The points used are determined on a case-by-case basis, and may even change from day to day.  

Herbal Medicine & Nutrition 

Certain herbs (medicinal plants) open the sinuses, clear infections, and balance your immune system.  Natural solutions help you feel better without the side-effects of medications. 

We determine which herbs will work best for you after we do NRT (Nutrition Response Testing) before your first treatment.  This will also find any suspected or undiagnosed food sensitivities that may contribute to an allergic response.  

NAET 

NAET stands for Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique, a natural allergy treatment.  It's helped thousands of people around the world rid their bodies of allergic symptoms permanently.

How it works is we muscle test a vial of the suspected allergen.  If it makes your muscle weaker, then we treat you for that item.  The treatment is gentle palpation (pushing) around your back.  This gives your nervous system a chance to "reboot" and change its response to that item.  

NAET is a great, needleless treatment for kids and babies too.  

TYPES OF ALLERGIES and SENSITIVITIES 

Sinus Allergies 

Seasonal allergies can manifest as headaches, mold allergies, congestion, runny nose, sneezing, infections, shortness of breath, asthma, cough, ear pain, dizziness, throat drainage, or red, itchy, and watery eyes. 

Most chronic sinusitis is rooted in mold sensitivity and possibly a fungal infection of the sinus cavity.  This often goes undiagnosed for years.  In fact, frequent antibiotic use for sinus infections will make the underlying cause (fungal infection) worse. 

Surgeries that repair the deviated septum are often unsuccessful because they’re not addressing the root cause – mold and yeast.  We can diagnose this through our testing process.  With nutritional foods and herbs, we can rebalance your immune system. 

More natural tips for clearing congestion and sinus infections:  

Saline Rinse

Get a neti-pot or an over-the-counter sinus spray with a saline (salt water) solution to physically remove the congestion. 

Also: try COLLOIDAL SILVER*.  A few squirts in your nostrils (you can also use this on kids, pets, and eyes) during an infection every 4 hours or so will clear it up quick. 

*Never use colloidal silver long-term.  Only use it when necessary.  If the infection persists for more than 1 week, seek an alternative medicine doctor like an acupuncturist for further assistance.

Heat

A hot compress on your head several times a day helps ease sinus pressure pain.  Spicy foods like horseradish, salsa, and wasabi can loosen and expel the phlegm. 

In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), we say "never use ice!"  Our goal is to get your Qi and Blood circulating properly (and where you feel great).  Ice and cold causes contraction.  Heat frees up the contraction and allows free flow of Qi.  

Aromatherapy

Good, old-fashioned Vick’s vaporub is still in my medicine cabinet! 

You can try a few drops of eucalyptus or peppermint essential oil in a pot of hot water simmering on the stove-top, crock-pot, humidifier, or EO diffuser.  

Chinese Herbs

Some herbs are safe to take for almost anyone.  

Herbs like echinacea, eyebright, and elderberry keep the nasal mucosa and immune function healthy.  

Some herbs are better taken under the guidance of a licensed herbalist.  In cases of sinus infections or chronic sinusitis, we may need to use stronger herbs like oregano, berberine, or andrographis. 

Raw garlic, spanish black radish, and bile (!) help open the sinuses and expel latent pathogens.  

Nutrition

In general, the biggest foods that lead to phlegm production are wheat (gluten) and dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.).  To know if they're leading to your symptoms, go at least 21 days avoiding the suspected food item.  

More nutrition tips to reduce allergies:

• drink plenty of fresh water
• reduce or avoid added sugars
• drink only room temperature or warm drinks (cold temp foods and drinks lower your Qi)
• eat plenty of seasonal vegetables (ideally warm and cooked, not too much raw or cold food)

Skin Allergies 

Problems like eczema, hives, or dermatitis are often rooted in food sensitivities.  They could also be linked to environmental or chemical allergies, toxins, or pathogens. 

We use NRT (Nutritional Response Testing) to see which foods or chemicals may be causing the problem.  From there, we make diet recommendations and prescribe nutritional foods and herbs to help you heal.  

Food Allergies 

Food allergies or sensitivities can be diagnosed through a Nutritional Response Test (NRT).  We sometimes recommend you try a 21-day avoidance to narrow down specific sensitivities.  In many cases, we can reverse the sensitivity with NAET or through a period of avoidance. 

In some cases, as with Celiac disease or severe lactose intolerance, you may need to permanently avoid those foods.  But this is something we can offer guidance about in our clinic.

Chemical Allergies 

These can include reactions to smoke, perfume, formaldehyde (new car scent, for example), and pollution.  Chemical sensitivities get worse if your Liver is over-burdened and not able to detoxify good on its own.  

NAET can help reduce your sensitivity and reaction.  Nutritional foods and herbs can reduce your body’s toxicity load and thereby reduce your reactions to chemicals.    

Anaphylactic Reactions 

This is an allergy causing a severe, life-threatening reaction.  Many times the throat and eyes can swell shut.  Other symptoms include:  abdominal pain or cramping, difficult breathing,  cough, hives, anxiety, dizziness, heart palpitations, or diarrhea.  

Common anaphylactic substances include peanuts or other nuts, bee or insect stings, medications such as aspirin or sulfa drugs.  NAET can clear these allergens, but the process is more complex than other allergies and may require up to 20 treatments.