Why it is important to start before the symptoms first appear?
We are slowly approaching the hay fever season. For some this is just a slight inconvenience that lasts a few days to weeks and for others it is a horrible experience that makes 1-4 months of the year unbearable.
How can acupuncture help and when should we start treatment?
One of the most common uses of acupuncture in the west is for seasonal rhinitis (hay fever) and this is because it is one of the only modalities that not only treats the symptoms but also addresses the underlying problem. In other words, acupuncture not only reduces the symptoms when they arise but also helps regulate the bodies response to allergens allowing the body to not react as strongly in the future. While medication can reduce the symptoms at the moment of the attack and allergen immunotherapy, also known as desensitization or hypo-sensitization, can work over long periods of time, Acupuncture has both these results as well as helping the body maintain its natural function.
What is happening to the body during an allergy attack?
The external environment is full of different pathogens. When the body encounters these pathogens, it has a response to protect itself. This is the normal immunity system that we call on to help us fight off colds and flus for example. The allergic reaction happens when the body interprets an external element as a pathogen and kicks in to protecting mode. When this happens for something that is a real pathogen this is a good thing. When we are talking about allergies it is more a case of mistaken identity. The body believes that the element in the environment, for example some pollen, is something it needs to protect itself from. It goes into protection mode and starts by closing off the areas where the element can enter the body – namely the nose, throat and eyes and sometimes the whole breathing apparatus (the lungs).
The western approach to treating this reaction is to use medication that over-rides the bodies defence mechanism and allows the external elements to enter the body. This can help at the moment and reduce the symptoms, yet it does not help the body to identify what is a real danger and what is not.
The approach of acupuncture to hay fever is quite different. Instead of shutting down the immunity system we work with it to help it better react to the external world. Acupuncture brings the body into the present moment and allows it to recognise that there is no threat now. By placing the needles in particular places on the body, the body itself starts to better understand itself and the environment around it.
So why should we start earlier and continue after the symptoms are gone?
Hay fever is a cyclical problem that can have different triggers throughout the year. By triggers we mean environmental elements that the body believes to be pathogens. The body is constantly trying to determine if the external influence is dangerous or not. This is happening through out the whole year. By starting acupuncture before the hay fever arrives, we are helping the body situate itself in the present moment. This increases its ability to correctly identify what is dangerous and what isn’t. Once the allergens arrive, the placement of the needles reminds the body that it is not under attack and then it can reduce its reaction to the allergen. We then continue after the allergen has left to complete the yearly cycle. This allows the body to integrate all the different cyclical factors throughout the year and situate the allergens as just another environmental factor that the body will encounter throughout the year.
What does a treatment plan for hay fever look like?
3-4 treatments before the allergy season starts for the individual.
Weekly or bi-weekly treatments during the allergy season (until the symptoms have calmed down)
Treatment every 4-6 weeks after the allergy season throughout the year with normally one condensed period of treatments exactly 6 months after the onset of hay fever symptoms.
You do not need to suffer from allergies and hay fever. With acupuncture we have the tools to reduce symptoms and treat the underlying cause. If you or someone you know suffers from seasonal hay fever get in touch now and breath easy.
