Acupuncture vs. Allergies, Headaches, Colds & Flu:
Needle Your Way to Faster Recovery & Spring Into Wellness
The days are getting longer, and we have even spotted the daffodils sprout up here and there! Winter will soon be behind us and we shall be well on the way to warmer days and pollen and dust filled air. That means that for some of us, allergies and hayfever are heading our way! You can needle your way to faster recovery & spring into good health.
Have you ever thought about treating these seasonal allergies and ailments in a holistic way rather than pharmaceuticals?
Acupuncture is an effective, safe & proven remedy for treating seasonal allergies, headaches, colds & flu. Monica Daswani is a highly experienced, qualified acupuncture therapist and member of the British Acupuncture Council. She provides acupuncture and massage therapies in North London.
Acupuncture Vs. Allergies: Can Ancient Needles Conquer Modern Misery?
As an Acupuncturist, I treat the whole person and their symptoms, so treatments are tailor-made for the individual. That means most people find acupuncture beneficial to help them in a variety of health challenges, especially seasonal allergies.
Acupuncture works by using needles to activate points on the body for different ailments. Needles are retained for up to 20 minutes, and placement can vary person to person. Your acupuncturist will ensure you are relaxed whilst the needles do their work and will often discuss dietary advice to support you in your wellness journey.
In my 20-years’ experience, the best results are achieved from a course of treatments, usually weekly or twice weekly for acute symptoms. I offer a 10% discount on a package of six (6) acupuncture sessions, as well as combined packages for acupuncture and massage. You can also book and pay as you go.
Beyond Pollen Pills: A Surprising Approach To Seasonal Allergies.
Do you suffer from hayfever, triggered by grass or tree pollen? Hayfever or allergic rhinitis is quite a debilitating condition affecting the nasal passages and in some cases the eyes, ears and skin. It can be quite a hindrance in day-to-day living, even unbearable for some.
Allergic rhinitis affects approximately 1.4 billion people across the globe, with around one in five (20%) affected in the UK. Many people resort to pharmaceuticals, tablets, or eye drops, to help alleviate the symptoms. Whilst these medications (including antihistamines, corticosteroids, mast cell stabilizers, anticholinergics, and antileukotrienes) can help, they also cause various side effects whilst only treating the current symptoms.
Acupuncture, alongside wellness practices and a healthy diet plays a big role in helping decrease the severity of hayfever as well as positively impacting your overall health and wellness.
How Acupuncture Can Help You Blossom During Allergy Season.
Are you looking for a more natural approach to managing allergies and sinus?
Now is the time to start supporting your body’s natural defenses to be best prepared for springtime.
Acupuncture has been shown, through various research studies, to enable the body’s natural healing modalities. Using Acupuncture has helped with the symptoms both short- and long-term relief and also helped with prevention and cure. Quoting from the research article Acupuncture Soothes Allergies & Sinus published in the Healtlh CMI in 2015
- It describes the trial and research published in the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy showed how Acupuncture group had a more effect in decreasing both the rhinitis symptoms and the need for antihistamine medication.
- Acupuncture modulates cytokines, which are immune system cell secretions, and another is the ability of acupuncture to induce anti-inflammatory actions. The researchers identified changes in IgE as a result of acupuncture treatment for the treatment of allergic rhinitis.
- Acupuncture has been found equally effective as loratadine (Claritin®, Alavert®) for the treatment of dust mite allergies. Researchers from the Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology at the University Hospital Dresden (Germany) concluded that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of allergy related rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis.
The researchers found that acupuncture relieves symptoms of rhinitis including nasal congestion, runny nose, post-nasal drip and sneezing.
Acupuncture needles were retained for 20 minutes each session. Patients received a total of twelve acupuncture treatments at a rate of twice weekly. Seirin® disposable needles were used: 0.3 X 0.30 mm for body acupuncture, 0.2 X 0.15 mm for auricular acupuncture. Patients taking the drug loratadine received 10mg doses every morning.
In related research, investigators documented a 96.5% success rate of acupuncture for the treatment of rhinitis. The researchers concluded that acupuncture is “safe and effective” for the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis. The research article, “Acupuncture Relief Of Nasal Allergies Confirmed” published in the HealthCMI confirmed how acupuncture can help in the relief of nasal allergies.
Headache Hero: Acupuncture For Lasting Headache Relief
Acupuncture is great for pain relief and is well known for it. It works.
Studies show Acupuncture releases endorphins and changes the pain processing in the brain and spinal cord. It reduces inflammation and stimulates the body’s own healing response.
As a qualified acupuncture therapist, I look at the cause, origin, location, and sensation of the pain. It is important to establish the root cause of the problem to give long-lasting and more permanent relief.
So, for long-term benefits try a course of acupuncture instead of popping pills. Acupuncture has a cumulative effect, so over a course of treatments you will benefit from fewer headaches and a compounding effect of overall increased health and wellness.
Last week, I saw a lady who I originally treated for headaches resulting from stress and upper back pain. She initially had a course of 6 weekly sessions, and then monthly treatments, before stopping as the headaches and back pain were gone. She came back for a top-up or maintenance treatment after a 4-month gap since her last acupuncture treatment.
If you suffer from headaches or migraines, give me a call or book an appointment to see how acupuncture can help you.
Stick It To Colds & Flu: How Acupuncture Can Help You Stay Warm & Healthy
What is remarkable as the weather changes seasons, many of us will be consumed with colds and flu. It is interesting to see how run down and tired we tend to get with a weakened immune system, allowing bugs to affect us.
As an Acupuncturist, my job is to help you to prevent illness or promote a faster recovery when ill. The aim of acupuncture as a holistic modality is to strengthen the body’s own defense system so it can better cope with whatever changes the body is going through.
Research has shown that acupuncture helps relieve symptoms of colds & flu by:
- Enhancing natural killer cell activities and modulating the number and ratio of immune cell types (Kawakita 2008)
- Reducing pain through the stimulation of nerves located in muscles and other tissues, which leads to release of endorphins and other neurohumoral factors (Pomeranz 1987)
- Reducing inflammation through the release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors (Kavoussi 2007, Zijlstra 2003)
- Increasing local microcirculation (Komori 2009), which aids dispersal of swelling.