Acupuncture for Seasonal Allergies

Can acupuncture help with allergies? 

Well, now, that is a great question!

The short answer is: Yes! Acupuncture can be helpful for allergies. 

However, there are many types of allergies. For example, many often ask: Can acupuncture help with food allergies? 

Want to know the answer? If you do, read more here: Acupuncture for Food Allergies. 

Why? 

Because today we are going to be exploring and discovering if acupuncture is effective for seasonal allergies. 

Let’s get started. . . 

 And again, What is the best natural cure for allergies?

What is Allergic Rhinitis?

Allergic Rhinitis is the scientific and medical term for seasonal allergies. It is also often called Hay Fever. It is a type of allergy that is triggered by pollen from plants. 

Symptoms may include: 

Many people often want to know. . . How can I get instant relief from allergies? Up next, let’s take a moment to discover what evidence there is to support acupuncture for seasonal allergy relief. 

Does it Work? 

Acupuncture does work for treating and providing relief for seasonal allergies. How do we know? 

There have been a few studies that have evaluated both the effectiveness of acupuncture for allergies and if acupuncture should be a treatment option that should be considered for those living with seasonal allergies. 

For example, a study in 2013 found that ‘Acupuncture is an effective intervention that results in improved quality of life in patients with seasonal allergies’

And then, two years later, in 2015, a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis examined the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment option for allergies. The review included and reviewed 13 studies with a total of 2365 participants, including 1126 as a treatment group and 1239 as a control group.  

The review found that participants in the control group who received acupuncture experienced, ‘significant reduction in nasal symptom scores [and] ultimately point to the efficacy of acupuncture treatment in improving quality of life in Allergic Rhinitis patients.’ The review concluded that the ‘meta-analysis suggests that that acupuncture could be a safe and valid treatment option for living with Allergic Rhinitis.’

How Many Sessions?

The most frequent question people ask is: how many sessions of acupuncture will I need for allergies? It is often suggested that a minimum of six treatments show improvement of allergy symptoms. You may need more or less a number of treatments based on your personal severity of seasonal allergies. Some people have also experienced improved symptoms with as little as one session. Talking to your acupuncturist about the frequency and number of sessions for your needs is always recommended as a best practice.

Cost

Acupuncture costs vary by area and practitioner. With an average cost of $75 per treatment, you may expect to pay up to $300 a month for weekly acupuncture treatments. Utilizing community acupuncture may lessen the cost and improve your ability to experience acupuncture on a regular basis.

Frequently asked questions

Does acupuncture work for allergies?

Yes, based research, acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment option for allergies and can help provide relief for seasonal allergy symptoms.

Does Medicare cover acupuncture for allergies?

No, Medicare doesn’t cover acupuncture for allergies. The only condition Medicare will cover acupuncture for is chronic low back pain.

How often should I get acupuncture for allergies?

It is advisable to discuss the frequency of your acupuncture treatments for neuropathy with a professional acupuncturist in your area.

Acupuncture Points for Allergies

Here are some of the points that have been found to be helpful through clinical studies for allergies: 

The acupuncture points selected by the acupuncturist that you see for allergies may differ, then the points listed on this list or the points select may be the same. 

Why? 

Acupuncture treatment is an individualized and customized treatment modality that takes into account may have different factors. 

Other Alternatives 

There are many complementary and alternative therapies that may help with seasonal allergies, including:

Getting Started

Before getting started with acupuncture for allergies, be sure to talk with your physician or medical professional about getting a proper medical diagnosis and what treatment recommendations are appropriate for your condition. 

Work with a professional acupuncturist in your area to determine how acupuncture may best help you and the frequency of treatment that’s right for you.

References

Adam, D., Grabenhenrich, L., Ortiz, M., Binting, S., Reinhold, T., & Brinkhaus, B. (2018). Impact of acupuncture on antihistamine use in patients suffering seasonal allergic Rhinitis: secondary analysis of results from a randomised controlled trial. Acupuncture in medicine: journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, 36(3), 139–145. https://doi.org/10.1136/acupmed-2017-011382   

Feng, S., Han, M., Fan, Y., Yang, G., Liao, Z., Liao, W., & Li, H. (2015). Acupuncture for the treatment of allergic Rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. American journal of rhinology & allergy, 29(1), 57–62. https://doi.org/10.2500/ajra.2015.29.4116

Mi, J., Chen, X., Lin, X., Guo, J., Chen, H., Wei, L., & Hong, H. (2018). Treatment of persistent allergic Rhinitis via acupuncture at the sphenopalatine acupoint: a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 19(1), 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-017-2339-z 

Reinhold, Thomas, Stephanie Roll, Stefan N. Willich, Miriam Ortiz, Claudia M. Witt, and Benno Brinkhaus. “Cost-effectiveness for acupuncture in seasonal allergic rhinitis: economic results of the ACUSAR trial.” Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 111, no. 1 (2013): 56-63. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2013.04.008

Seasonal Allergies at a Glance. (n.d.). Retrieved November 3, 2020, from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/seasonal-allergies-at-a-glance 

Seidman, M. D., Gurgel, R. K., Lin, S. Y., Schwartz, S. R., Baroody, F. M., Bonner, J. R., Dawson, D. E., Dykewicz, M. S., Hackell, J. M., Han, J. K., Ishman, S. L., Krouse, H. J., Malekzadeh, S., Mims, J. W., Omole, F. S., Reddy, W. D., Wallace, D. V., Walsh, S. A., Warren, B. E., Wilson, M. N., … Guideline Otolaryngology Development Group. AAO-HNSF (2015). Clinical practice guideline: Allergic Rhinitis. Otolaryngology–head and neck surgery: official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 152(1 Suppl), S1–S43. https://doi.org/10.1177/0194599814561600 

U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Acupuncture. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/acupuncture 

Zheng, X. L., Tian, Y. P., Luo, H. Y., Zhao, Y. D., Liu, X. Y., Jiang, Y., Ma, C. X., Wang, M. J., & Liu, M. (2018). Zhen ci yan jiu = Acupuncture research, 43(1), 35–38. https://doi.org/10.13702/j.1000-0607.170064