Do you suffer with hay fever?  Acupuncturist Odette shares her tips to manage your symptoms, plus a special offer!Â
As the cold and dark days of Winter leave, Spring finally arrives. The sun is shining and the trees blossoming and we want to spend time outdoors and shake the stillness of winter. Â However, it is also the time of the year were many people struggle with seasonal allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever and suffer symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, congestion and red and itchy eyes.
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Western medicine deals with the individual symptoms by prescribing antihistamines or other drugs that may be effective in reducing the allergic response but will have unpleasant side effects, such as drowsiness and will not treat the root of the problem.
Traditional Chinese Medicine can offer an alternative by treating the whole person and rectifying its individual underlying imbalances, which may be the real cause of the problem.
According to Chinese Medicine, seasonal allergies are a manifestation of Wind (airborne pathogens) invading the upper body through the nose. This invasion occurs because the patient is believed to have an underlying weakness in what we call the Defensive or Wei Qi (equivalent to the function of the Immune System) often combined with Spleen, Kidney or Lung deficiencies.
Acupuncture is one of the most effective disciplines of Chinese Medicine not only to manage the acute symptoms of hay fever, but also to correct any underlying imbalances, by strengthening the body’s Defensive Qi and its affected organs. As a result the body regains it natural state of health and deals with any external pathogens on its own without the need for any drugs.
Chinese Medicine Tips for Managing Hay Fever
To be able to enjoy outdoors on a sunny day this Spring, here are some Chinese Medicine tips that will help reduce Hay fever symptoms:
- Get Acupuncture treatments right before hay fever season or as soon as you start having some symptoms.
- Drink cooling herbal teas:
- Chrysanthemum tea
- Chamomile tea (can also be used as an eye compress to reduce inflammation and itchiness)
- Peppermint tea
- Eat Local Honey:
It is believed that eating locally produced honey its and effective way to strengthen the immune system against the local allergens.
- Avoid foods which increase the formation of mucus such as:
- Milk products
- Refined sugars
- Refined carbs
- Processed foods
Special Offer
Take advantage of our great offer and pamper yourself with a free 15 minute cupping massage with any Acupuncture treatment booked with Odette.
Don’t miss out! Offer ends on 30th June 2015.