Hay Fever

There are many different ways to treat allergies with Western and Eastern medicine. Some practitioners treat only the symptoms; some treat both the root cause as well as the symptoms. Treating the root cause is best; however, this approach requires the cooperation of the patient.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) understands allergies as a Qi, or internal vital energy, deficiency. This deficiency can be related to several organs, including the Kidney, Liver, Lung and Stomach. The degree to which one of these organs is deficient in Qi will manifest in symptoms related to different organs. For example, TCM understands that the eyes are the external gateway of the Liver. A person with a healthy Liver always has healthy eyes. If your hay fever condition affects mostly your eyes, resulting in itchy, red, or watery symptoms, most likely your Liver is not functioning properly.

If you're someone with more symptoms related to your nose—for instance, it is always running or stuffy, or you have a frequent cough, or tightness in the chest—then according to TCM, these symptoms are related to a Lung function disorder. Because hay fever is a seasonal condition that occurs mostly in the spring, sufferers do not connect its origins with the previous season of winter, but there is a relationship. According to classical Chinese medicine theory, if you exhaust most of your Qi during the winter, especially during the hectic holiday season, your body doesn't have enough Qi left to go through the yearly cyclical energy change when winter turns to spring. When spring arrives, the weakest organ will manifest the most prominent physical symptoms.

Because TCM is the only medical system with a specialty in prevention, a good TCM practitioner will help you focus on this important aspect related to Qi. From the prevention point of view, the best way to treat hay fever is to preserve Kidney Qi in the winter. This means lifestyle adjustments: going to bed earlier, not depleting your Qi by being excessively busy or shopping too much, eating the proper foods in moderation, and the like.

TCM Tips for Healing

Allergies like hay fever have been treated by TCM for centuries using the following modalities:

• Acupuncture restores and balances the function of the affected organs. Most patients need only two or three treatments to see major improvements. This means that they can remain symptom-free for the entire season without injections or drugs.
• Herbs: Chinese herbal formulas such as Jing Gui Shen Qi Wan or Liu Wei Di Huang Wan are used to help eliminate the symptoms of hay fever without side effects.
• Qigong practice (energy-building postures and movements) and meditation are very beneficial because they help your organs to function at their peak, thereby conserving energy.
• Diet is also very important. Add ginger or cinnamon to your diet whenever possible. Avoid cold and raw foods as much as you can throughout the year. Cold and raw foods have a cold essence that impairs the function of your Stomach, an organ that has an affinity for warm foods, according to TCM theory.

Making these changes can eventually help strengthen your Kidney Qi and address the root cause of your hay fever. Begin right away to find and work with a local acupuncturist who is knowledgeable to start your healing journey. By next spring you may find that amazing things have happened.