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Acupuncture for the treatment of allergies (Allergic Rhinitis)
Every spring and fall my patients ask me, “does acupuncture help with allergies?” With major media publications, such as the New York Times, NPR, and CNN, discussing the positive effects of acupuncture for allergies, it is important to analyze clinical trials to find how effective acupuncture truly is for seasonal allergies.
There have been many studies about the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating allergic rhinitis. One recent randomized clinical trial on patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis showed that acupuncture was superior to sham acupuncture and rescue medication (1). In this study, 422 patients age 16-45 years old with allergies (IgE positivity to grass and birch pollen) were randomized into three groups to compare real acupuncture, sham acupuncture, and rescue medication. Patients, trial statisticians, outcome assessors, data entry personnel, and the funder were blinded to treatment assignment throughout the trial. The conclusion was that acupuncture was effective in treating allergies. However, further research needed to be performed, partially due to the fact that the study did not control for the number of needles used in the real versus sham acupuncture. As a side note, I also think it is important to point out that this study states all the professionals providing the acupuncture were conventionally trained medical doctors, who get far less training in acupuncture; the study required the medical professionals to have at least 140 hours of training, whereas licensed acupuncturists receive over 3000 hours.
Should you try acupuncture for allergic rhinitis?
I believe that acupuncture can be useful for those who seek an alternative to medications or have poor reactions to medications. Many trials have shown that acupuncture has no adverse effects and is very safe, so it cannot hurt them to try it. From personal experience, about 90% of my patients feel they get allergy relief from acupuncture treatments. They feel a reduction in symptoms such as itchy watery eyes, sneezing, dry cough, and they report taking less allergy medication.
How can Pema Chen Acupuncture help with reducing allergies?
If you are interested in getting allergy treatments at our Englewood, New Jersey location, please give us a call at 201-431-5066. We are conveniently located next to Route 4, and serve all of Bergen County NJ and beyond. If you would like to visit one of our other locations, please contact our Grand Central NY headquarters at 212-293-1722. We look forward to helping you reduce your allergy symptoms.
More References:
(1) Ortiz, M., Witt, C. M., Binting, S., Helmreich, C., Hummelsberger, J., Pfab, F., . . . Brinkhaus, B. (2014, April 6). A randomised multicentre trial of acupuncture in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis – trial intervention including physician and treatment characteristics. Retrieved October 07, 2016, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3983860/
Disclaimer: All Content provided on or through the Site is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, care, diagnosis or treatment, and is not designed to promote or endorse any medical practice, program or agenda. Please speak with your doctor before making any changes to your lifestyle.
Copyright © 2016 Pema Chen Acupuncture. , All rights reserved.
Every spring and fall my patients ask me, “does acupuncture help with allergies?” With major media publications, such as the New York Times, NPR, and CNN, discussing the positive effects of acupuncture for allergies, it is important to analyze clinical trials to find how effective acupuncture truly is for seasonal allergies.
There have been many studies about the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating allergic rhinitis. One recent randomized clinical trial on patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis showed that acupuncture was superior to sham acupuncture and rescue medication (1). In this study, 422 patients age 16-45 years old with allergies (IgE positivity to grass and birch pollen) were randomized into three groups to compare real acupuncture, sham acupuncture, and rescue medication. Patients, trial statisticians, outcome assessors, data entry personnel, and the funder were blinded to treatment assignment throughout the trial. The conclusion was that acupuncture was effective in treating allergies. However, further research needed to be performed, partially due to the fact that the study did not control for the number of needles used in the real versus sham acupuncture. As a side note, I also think it is important to point out that this study states all the professionals providing the acupuncture were conventionally trained medical doctors, who get far less training in acupuncture; the study required the medical professionals to have at least 140 hours of training, whereas licensed acupuncturists receive over 3000 hours.
Should you try acupuncture for allergic rhinitis?
I believe that acupuncture can be useful for those who seek an alternative to medications or have poor reactions to medications. Many trials have shown that acupuncture has no adverse effects and is very safe, so it cannot hurt them to try it. From personal experience, about 90% of my patients feel they get allergy relief from acupuncture treatments. They feel a reduction in symptoms such as itchy watery eyes, sneezing, dry cough, and they report taking less allergy medication.
How can Pema Chen Acupuncture help with reducing allergies?
If you are interested in getting allergy treatments at our Englewood, New Jersey location, please give us a call at 201-431-5066. We are conveniently located next to Route 4, and serve all of Bergen County NJ and beyond. If you would like to visit one of our other locations, please contact our Grand Central NY headquarters at 212-293-1722. We look forward to helping you reduce your allergy symptoms.
More References:
- NPR: Acupuncture May Help With Nasal Allergies, Doctors Say
- CNN: Acupuncture May be Antidote for Allergies
(1) Ortiz, M., Witt, C. M., Binting, S., Helmreich, C., Hummelsberger, J., Pfab, F., . . . Brinkhaus, B. (2014, April 6). A randomised multicentre trial of acupuncture in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis – trial intervention including physician and treatment characteristics. Retrieved October 07, 2016, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3983860/
Disclaimer: All Content provided on or through the Site is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, care, diagnosis or treatment, and is not designed to promote or endorse any medical practice, program or agenda. Please speak with your doctor before making any changes to your lifestyle.
Copyright © 2016 Pema Chen Acupuncture. , All rights reserved.
