When treating allergies with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there is a two part approach. The first part is when an allergen is present and acute symptoms are occurring. At this time we focus on calming and eliminating the symptoms. The second phase is after the symptoms subside, we address the constitutional imbalances that have made you vulnerable to allergens.
According to TCM, people with chronic allergies often show a deficiency of our protective energy knowns as"wei qi." Wei qi can be thought of as our immune system. Those with weak wei qi tend to catch colds easily, and their allergy symptoms may be especially acute in spring or fall, which are windy seasons.
The goal of an acupuncturist is to develop a treatment plan that will alleviate the patient's acute symptoms while addressing the underlying immune system imbalance at the root of the allergy. Treatments often include lifestyle and dietary recommendations. There are also excellent Chinese herbal formulas that help to treat allergy symptoms and strengthen immunity.