ALLERGIES

WHAT ARE THE USUAL SYMPTOMS OF ALLERGIES?

The patient usually should experience itching eyes, itchy nose, sneezing, nasal stuffiness, nasal congestion, runny nose and red eyes. Some can feel severe headaches. Some experience hearing losses, scratchy or sore throats, hoarseness and coughing. Less common symptoms include disturbance of balance, swelling of the face or throat tissues, skin irritation and even asthma.

Some allergies bring on these symptoms only in certain seasons of the year. It is because the allergens that stimulate the immune system only appear at a specific time of season. Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) is a main example of seasonal allergy. People suffering from this allergy usually experience the symptoms appearing in early spring when pollens begin to dissipate from grasses.


WHAT IS ALLERGIC RHINITIS? / WHAT IS HAY FEVER? ^top

Allergic rhinitis is a collection of symptoms that mainly appear in the nose and eyes, caused by allergens. Allergens cause over-sensitive immune responses and patients suffer allergic symptoms from them. These allergens could be airborne dust, dander, plant pollen or animal fur. When these symptoms are caused by pollen, the allergic rhinitis is commonly called hay fever.


WHAT ARE ALLERGIC RHINITIS SYMPTOMS? ^top

Symptoms usually consist of sneezing, runny nose, itching of the nose, mouth, eyes, throat, nasal congestion, sore throat and headaches. Since their airway is usually blocked allergic rhinitis patients often have headaches and feel like their heads and eyesight are dull and dim. Because of the itchiness they also have redness in the eyes.


HOW DOES TRADITIONAL EASTERN MEDICINE HELP TREAT ALLERGIES? ^top

Traditional Eastern medicine treatment can lessen a patient’s allergic rhinitis reactions. While conventional medicine treats the symptom by suppressing the symptoms temporally, Traditional Eastern medicine tries to eliminate the over-reaction of the body to the allergens themselves. By balancing the immune system’s Qi and the blood flow of the internal organs, it manipulates the body’s immune system to return to its normal susceptibility towards allergens. Even though it is impossible to entirely remove all allergic symptoms to the allergens, many patients have found that after treatment they do not need to take their daily antihistamines anymore.


WHAT KIND OF TREATMENT METHODS ARE USED? ^top

Allergy acupuncture therapies with allergy herbal medication are prescribed. Acupuncture manipulates the meridians to change the flow of Qi to help the immune system return to its normal sensitivity. Also herbal medications are prescribed to invigorate the weakened immune energy taxed by the chronic inflammation caused by allergic reactions.