Health - Wellness
The Surprising Technique That May Soothe Your Allergies
By BETH BRADFORD
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, allergies rank sixth in chronic illness in the United States, affecting more than 50 million people yearly. While the best go-to allergy treatment is over-the-counter medications, a different method can relieve your symptoms without the unpleasant side effects of pills.
Acupuncture is a practice from traditional Chinese medicine that uses tiny needles to stimulate energy flow along different pathways of the body, and many believe this activates the central nervous system and sends signals to promote healing. Done by a professional, acupuncture can be a safe, effective treatment for many conditions.
Several studies have been done on acupuncture treating allergies, such as a 2014 study in the Journal of Allergy that compared acupuncture treatment with loratadine medication; scientists found that acupuncture can provide relief for longer than medication. Other studies found that acupuncture was an effective treatment for allergies if combined with more traditional therapies.