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According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, an allergy (also called hypersensitivity) is a reaction of your immune system to something that does not bother most other people. People who have allergies often are sensitive to more than one thing. Substances that often cause reactions are: pollen, dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, food, insect stings, and medicines.
Current study and research suggest that both genes and the environment have something to do with it. Normally, your immune system serves to protect the body by fighting germs and harmful foreign objects. It is your body's defense system. In most allergic reactions, however, the immune system is responding to a false alarm or overreacting to a minor alarm.
The most common allergies include the following:
- Seasonal allergic rhinitis (also called "hay fever") or year-round allergic rhinitis
- Allergic sinusitis
- Eczema or atopic dermatitis
- Contact dermatitis
- Urticaria or hives
- Food allergy
Allergies can cause a runny nose, sneezing, itching, rashes, swelling or asthma. Symptoms vary. Many allergies can make you feel bad but most of them are not life-threatening. In some cases, however, it is dangerous to ignore allergy symptoms. Severe and untreated hay fever may lead to asthma, sinusitis, and other serious conditions. Allergic dermatitis or eczema can develop into secondary infections if they are not treated properly. Some allergic reactions to food can cause serious illness.
Acupuncture can be used alone or in conjunction with conventional medical treatment to help with allergies. Acupuncture can help by regulating the autonomic nervous system, hormone, and neuropeptide release to help control metabolism and aid in regulating the immune system.
References:
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) - National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)
- NIH Consensus Study on Acupuncture, Alt. Tx.: 4:1:22. Jan. '98.
- Kawakita K, Shinbara H, Imai K, Fukuda F, Yano T, Kuriyama K. How Do Acupuncture and Moxibustion Act? - Focusing on the progress in Japanese acupuncture research - .J Pharmacol Sci. 2006;100(5):443-59.
- Oxford University Press - Oxford Journals Group
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