It’s that lovely time of year again when flowers are blooming, temperatures are rising and seemingly everyone around you is sniffling, sneezing and wiping itchy eyes. Behold, springtime allergy season in Portland, Oregon!
Seasonal allergies to pollen and other contaminants are a common complaint in the Pacific Northwest. Fortunately, proper wellness habits and acupuncture treatment can significantly reduce seasonal allergies, eliminating the need for dependence on pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter (OTC) medications.
Many people take over-the- counter (OTC) medications for allergy symptom relief, yet those drugs can cause just as many unpleasant side effects as suffering through allergy season without help. If that sounds like you, you should consider acupuncture.
OTC Allergy Medication Issues
The most common complaints I hear from friends and clients about western allergy medications is that they “dry out” the body and leave them in a mental fog. The dry body phenomenon is useful in stopping a runny nose, but can result in painfully dry skin, eyes, and cottonmouth. The mental fog can be a productivity killer, as well as keep lethargic people indoors when they’d rather be outside.
Other common side effects include anxiety, constipation, difficulty urinating, dizziness, blurred vision, increased heart rate and more. Seasonal Pacific Northwest sufferer Alyssa Shelton recently said, “I gave up on OTC allergy meds in college because the dryness they caused was so much worse than my initial congestion. I felt like I could never drink enough water and my skin was so dry that it physically hurt. I’d rather just deal with my allergy symptoms than mess around with those pills again.”
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs for Allergies in Portland
For those of you unfamiliar with acupuncture, it is the ancient Chinese healing art of placing very fine needles at key points of energy flow in the body. Acupuncture clears energy blockages and stimulates the body to release chemicals that relieve irritation and inflammation. In Five Element acupuncture, every treatment is customized to meet the individual client’s needs.
Optimally, acupuncture treatment should begin several months prior to the allergy season. While treatment during the season can reduce symptoms, treatment prior to the season will help prevent symptoms from developing and balances the immune response. With regular acupuncture treatment and good wellness habits, allergies diminish year by year.
Chinese herbs provide a natural alternative for relieving allergy symptoms and are free of side effects. They are helpful for weaning people off of OTC medication and pharmaceuticals, and can be used along with acupuncture.
One of our clients reported, “I originally came to Liz Zenger seeking relief from seasonal allergies. After eight treatments, my allergies were reduced by about 90%. I had previously seen an acupuncturist who practiced Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). While I experienced temporary relief, the results did not last. With Five Element acupuncture, I have experienced ongoing cessation of my allergies. Liz is always professional, organized and pleasant.”
