Allergies happen when an individual’s immune system becomes intolerant to a substance the body comes in contact with. The substance is called an allergen and it can be airborne or can be something the body contacts through touching the skin. Many people treat allergies with a variety of allergy medication. Others, however, have turned to acupuncture to manage their allergy symptoms.

Acupuncture as a centuries’ old practice of inserting small, sterile needles into the skin at specific acu-points on the body. There are more than two thousand acupuncture points, some of which affect the way that the immune system responds to allergens.

Acupuncture for Pollen Allergies

There was one study, published out of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine in 2013 that indicated acupuncture may be helpful for those suffering from pollen allergies. A total of 422 German participants enrolled in the study, each of whom suffered from pollen allergies. The people ranged in age from 16 years of age to 45 years of age. Continue reading →

Hypertension is a common problem among adults living in developed countries. Up to half of all people suffer from an elevation in their blood pressure, some of whom have blood pressure increases as a result of stress.

According to Western medical principles, high blood pressure is treated through the use of a low salt diet and medications that control the hypertension. These medications are not without their side effects, making it a particularly attractive option to use some form of alternative therapy to manage the disease.

Can acupuncture be of benefit to those individuals who have mild or moderate hypertension?

According to a small study, published by cardiologists at the University of California Irvine, acupuncture may be effective; however, more research is necessary to see if this holds out in a larger population. Continue reading →