Allergies, Acupuncture, & My Own Recovery

Today, I am excited to feature a guest post by Marilyn Yohe, an acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist. If you read my post from last week - Sound Bites from a Miscarriage Journey - you know that I had quite a bit to recover from a couple of years ago, both physically and emotionally. Marilyn helped me so much during this time with acupuncture and Chinese medicine. I really believe that these treatments helped me to gain strength and conceive a healthy pregnancy after my miscarriage. I continued regular treatments throughout my first trimester as an effort to help the pregnancy "stick" and in my opinion, it was certainly a success!
Marilyn will be guest posting about acupuncture, Chinese medicine, and natural tips for health once a month going forward. I hope you enjoy it!
Get Ahead of Your Allergies!
Anyone who has seasonal allergies knows: if spring is coming, so is pollen season.
If you're looking for an alternative this year to the usual round of antihistamines, inhalers, and other drug therapies, Chinese medicine is a very effective way to get allergy relief. And right now -- before allergy season really kicks in -- is the best time to get started.
Chinese medicine, like Western medicine, sees allergies as an imbalance in the immune system. Western medicine describes this as an over-reaction to a minor irritant. Chinese medicine sees it as a weakness of the Wei Qi (pronounced "way chee") -- the protective layer at the surface of the body that keeps out foreign substances. If this layer is weak, irritants can get in too deep, triggering a full-blown immune response.
Acupuncture and herbal treatment of allergies works on three levels: first, strengthening this external layer directly; second, nourishing the deeper energy in the body that fuels this protective mechanism; and third, calming the inflammatory response and relieving the immediate symptoms.
Most of my allergy patients have been delighted with the results they get from a combination of acupuncture and herbs. They report much less severe allergy symptoms, increased ability to be outdoors and enjoy spring, and they enjoy being free of their medications and side effects.
A number of scientific studies confirm that acupuncture helps allergy sufferers. One 2008 study looked at more than 5,000 patients and concluded that acupuncture provides "clinically relevant and persistent benefits", even months after treatment has concluded. (American Journal of Epidemiology. November, 2008).
If you would like to learn about other natural ways to take care of yourself during allergy season, please read Self-Care for Allergies on Marilyn's blog.
Marilyn Yohe, Lic.Ac., MAOM, is a licensed and national board certified acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist. She is a graduate of the New England School of Acupuncture in Watertown, MA, where she earned a Master’s degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine. Marilyn has additional training in the Dr. Tan Balance Method; Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture for neurolgical and pain conditions; and in treating infertility and working with pregnant and breastfeeding women. She has interned at several Boston-area clinics, including Pathways to Wellness/AIDS Care Project and the Dimock Community Health Center.Marilyn practices acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine at Cambridge Health Associates in Cambridge, MA. In addition to her private practice, Marilyn teaches on the faculty of the New England School of Acupuncture. Marilyn also volunteers for the Veterans’ Community Acupuncture Project, where she is working to set up and staff a free weekly acupuncture clinic for veterans.
Have you tried acupuncture? What has it helped you with? Please let me know in the Comments section below!