Acupuncture for allergic rhinitis
Are you familiar with Allergic rhinitis? Or you are suffering from allergy symptoms? This article may bring you something new!
Allergic rhinitis is one of the most common health conditions worldwide. Allergic rhinitis affects as many as 30% of children and adults. In the United States, allergic rhinitis affects approximately 60 million people.
Symptoms such as Sneezing, Congestion or Headache, Coughing, Runny Nose or Eyes, Itchy Eyes or Nose, Rash, and/or Fatigue/Irritability may indicate that you are suffering from seasonal allergies.
Thousand years ago, oriental medical doctors use acupuncture in patients with allergic asthma and chronic bronchitis in China. And in 1979, the World Health Organization listed allergic rninitis as one of the diseases treatable by acupuncture. And the National institutes of Health has accepted the validity of acupuncture treatment and recommends acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment in comprehensive management programs for indications including asthma.
A recent review paper titled ‘Acupuncture and allergic rhinitis’ highlighted that [1]:
1) The efficacy and effectiveness for acupuncture in the treatment of both seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis has been demonstrated by high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs). 2) Smaller head-to-head trials have been published comparing acupuncture with antihistamines, all of which favor acupuncture.
In summary, for those who are suffering from allergy symptoms, acupuncture treatment may be worth considering.
[1] Taw, M. B.; Reddy, W. D.; Omole, F. S.; Seidman, M. D., Acupuncture and allergic rhinitis. Current opinion in otolaryngology & head and neck surgery 2015, 23, 216-20.