Acupuncture for Allergies: How to Treat Current Symptoms and Find the Root Cause
- Jackie Koenig, L.Ac.
- Mar 24
- 4 min read
Sneezing? Congested? Sinus Headaches? ...Tired of it all? Read on for our tips for relief from allergies.
Seasonal allergies can turn the most gorgeous day into a miserable one. Conventional pharmaceutical treatments like Flonase, Allegra, generic antihistamines, and allergy shots can offer temporary relief, but may have unpleasant side effects or lose their effectiveness over time.
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese herbs provide a time-tested approach that can effectively alleviate these symptoms while working on the internal imbalances that got you here in the first place. Read on to learn more!
What are common seasonal allergy symptoms?
You may experience symptoms like:
frequent sneezing
stuffy nose or completely clogged nasal passages
itchy and watery eyes or eye pressure
painful sinus headaches often near the temples
phlegmy, congested throat or persistent wet cough
associated poor sleep and fatigue
Rather than just suppressing symptoms like pharmaceuticals do, Chinese Medicine aims to strengthen the immune system, reduce inflammation and phlegm production, and improve the body’s natural defenses so that allergic reactions don't ruin your season!
How can acupuncture for allergies help?
Acupuncture needles are inserted into specific points on the body to:
reduce inflammation especially in the nasal passages and sinuses
relieve sinus pressure
boost the immune system
decrease phlegm and mucus production by supporting the digestive system
Many patients report immediate relief after sessions, especially for sinus congestion and headaches, while long-term treatment can help prevent recurring symptoms.
What is often the root cause of seasonal allergies?
Dietary changes are an essential place to start alleviating allergy symptoms.
In Chinese Medicine, we think of the gut as a "digestive fire". Like tending to a good fire, we should eat warm, cooked, easy-to-break-down food so that this "fire" can easily and efficiently assimilate the vitamins, minerals, and energy from our food.
If we aren't eating foods that work well with our body, we produce an excess of mucus build-up called "dampness". Damp symptoms include chronic congestion and allergy symptoms, weight gain, a lack of appetite or motivation, skin issues, bloating, feeling tired after meals, and achey joints.
Should I avoid certain foods if I have seasonal allergies?
Yes. Foods to avoid when you have allergy symptoms and congestion according to Chinese Medicine include:
processed greasy food
excessive sugar
dairy
excessive gluten
alcohol
the act of overeating
All of these food types are considered "damp-producing" and contribute to in the body, slowing down our digestive processing and ultimately weaken our digestive fire so that even when we eat well, we still have symptoms. You can learn more specifics on our post about dampness.
What foods can help dry dampness in the body?
Dietary changes are a great place to start alleviating these symptoms.
In general, foods that are bitter, aromatic, and low in fat help resolve dampness, like:
Garlic, radish, turnip
Zest of citrus peels like lemon, grapefruit, tangerine
Cranberry, pear
Corn, celery, button mushroom, vegetable sprouts
Job's Tears, lentils, basmati rice
Eel, tuna
Spices: horseradish, anise seed, parsley, mustard seed, thyme, tamarind
Tea: green tea, raspberry leaf tea, jasmine tea, peppermint tea, barley tea
Seeds in moderation: pumpkin, sunflower, walnut, almonds
What acupressure points can help my allergies and congestion?
Yintang - found in between the eyebrows, known as the "third eye"
Bi Tong - alongside the outer areas of your nostrils
Press or massage these acupressure points for several minutes at a time. They might feel tender at first, but this is common with inflammation in the area. Over time, the sinus pain may alleviate and you might even feel the mucus build-up "pop" or move!
Can Chinese Herbs help allergies and congestion?
Yes!
A famous formula for sinus congestion, ear congestion, and sinus headaches is called Bi Yan Pian. We have this in stock, in tincture form, handmade in small batches by Sarah, an acupuncturist and herbalist at Hidden Root Acupuncture.
Purchase in clinic or have it shipped. More info at Sarah's herbal website here!
Research shows: Acupuncture for Allergies works!
Check out this PubMed review that goes over multiple studies showing how acupuncture can help nasal congestion, watery eyes, itchy eyes, and more! It states, "the popularity of and the compliance to acupuncture remains consistently high in many patients with allergic rhinitis" ...because of its success!
Have more questions? If you're in the New Orleans, LA area and want to try out acupuncture for allergies, book a treatment at Hidden Root Acupuncture for more personalized recommendations!
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