acuherb clinic – American Institute of Acupuncture

The Treatment of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) with Traditional Chinese Medicine

yungcin — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 00:25:35 +0000

Overview of Healthy Ovarian Physiology

The ovaries are two organs on each side of the woman’s uterus which contain follicles, tiny fluid filled sacs (also called cysts), that hold the eggs. Each month approximately twenty eggs start to mature but usually only one egg fully matures; when the fully mature egg is ready, the follicle breaks open to release it. The fully mature egg then travels through the fallopian tube to the uterus for fertilization and implantation.

Overview of Women with PCOS
In women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the ovary doesn’t make all of the hormones it needs for any of the eggs to fully mature. Follicles may start to grow and build up fluid but no one follicle becomes large enough. Instead, some follicles may remain as sacs/cysts. Since no follicle becomes large enough and no egg matures or is released, ovulation does not occur.

The distinctive appearance of PCOS is a thick, shiny, white coating overlying many rows of cysts on the surface of the ovary. These ovarian changes give PCOS its name (“poly” = many, “cystic” = cysts). PCOS is believed to be the most common hormonal abnormality in women of reproductive age and affects approximately 1 in 10 women (an estimated 5 to 7 million women in the United States).

Have you been diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome?
Call Acuherb Clinic for your free 15 minute consultation.
281-461-6499

What are the Causes of PCOS?

The cause(s) of PCOS is unknown at this time; research suggests that many women with this condition may have decreased sensitivity to insulin. When cells are resistant to insulin it means that the effect of insulin on sugar, and other functions, is deficient. More insulin than normal is required to be produced to ensure that the body cells absorb enough sugar. This leads to high insulin levels in the blood stream which, among other effects, make the ovaries overproduce male hormones, called androgens, leading to hormonal imbalances that lead to symptoms of PCOS.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of PCOS?
PCOS is considered a syndrome because it has a number of unrelated symptoms. For this reason, PCOS often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

Symptoms include:

Irregular menstrual cycle (infrequent menstrual periods, no menstrual periods, and/or irregular bleeding)
Infrequent or no ovulation
Weight gain or obesity
Increased levels of male hormones, called androgens, which may lead to excessive hair growth on the face +/or body (especially the face, chest, abdomen, nipple area, or back)
History of diabetes, over-production of insulin, and inefficient use of insulin in the body
Acne, oily skin, or dandruff
Patches of thickened and dark brown or black skin on the neck, groin, underarms, or skin folds
Skin tags, or tiny excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area

How Does PCOS Contribute to Infertility?

In short, if you are not ovulating regularly every month, the chances of fertilizing the egg are reduced. Because the egg is not released, there is no egg ready for fertilization and implantation in the uterus. Because PCOS affects the quality of the follicle and the state of the endometrium, the result will be that menstrual cycles become more erratic and less predictable. Women with PCOS will often very long cycles and very heavy bleeding, amenorrhea (missed periods), or anovulation (no ovulation) with scanty bleeding. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs help to regulate the menstrual cycle and harmonize the hormonal cycles of the body.

How Do Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs Help PCOS?
Acupuncture and Chinese herbs provide a safe, effective, drug-free and natural whole body approach. This natural approach helps strengthen and (re)balance the hormonal systems of the body, encouraging conception and a healthy pregnancy.

Etiology of PCOS in Chinese Medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine, the treatment of PCOS is seen as an excess condition, a deficient condition, or clinically PCOS is seen as more of a combination of both an excess and deficient condition*.

Excess conditions:

Phlegm dampness
Liver qi stasis
Blood stasis

Deficient conditions:

Kidney yang deficiency
Kidney yin deficiency
Spleen qi deficiency

*It is important to note that most women will have both excess and deficient conditions as their root cause of PCOS.

Together with changes in diet and exercise, acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbs are empowering women with PCOS to lead healthier and more satisfying lives. For women trying to become pregnant, either naturally or through IUI/IVF treatments, treating PCOS will help with fertility and overall balance through harmonizing hormones and regulating the menstrual cycle. While there is still no cure for PCOS, the good news is that Chinese medicine offers many effective ways to treat polycystic ovary syndrome!

Acupuncture for Weight Loss

yungcin — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 04:09:04 +0000

How to Lose the Weight and Keep It Off with Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.

Weight loss comes under the topic of “Weight Control”, because we are concerned with the loss and MAINTENANCE of loss of weight. This is a multi-faceted problem, and a good program involves diet, exercise and stress reduction techniques. Chinese acupressure and digestive aid exercises are also useful tools in the battle with weight loss.

Acupuncture is an ADJUNCT therapy. It is not a panacea or a wonder cure in the treatment of weight control. But, acupuncture is effective in making it easier to lose and maintain that loss if the patient is willing to change their lifestyle. The exact mechanism by which acupuncture works is unknown but we know that acupuncture needles inserted into specific points on the body and in the ear release endorphins which have a calming and relaxing effect that makes it easier to deal with stress, frustration and anxiety that can trigger overeating and bingeing on fattening foods. Also endorphins affect the digestive and hormonal systems so acupuncture can help rebalance the organ systems that are running too fast- or in this case too slow i.e., the metabolism and the will power.

The Acupuncture Treatment

In order for the acupuncturist to choose the correct points for you, you must first come in for a consultation to discuss your particular pattern of overeating, and let the practitioner know in your intake form if there are any real digestive difficulties. Then the acupuncturist would check your pulse to discern the general state of your energy and measure the health of your stomach energy in particular, and then they would look at your tongue to check for cracks, peeling or puffiness on the stomach area, or a suspicious yellow or thick white coating that might indicate troublesome heat or coldness in the stomach and would provide some clues as to why the person was gaining weight.

The Acupuncture Points

Then, armed with this information, the acupuncturist would devise a treatment protocol using a combination of ear and body points. Although the Chinese developed the system of auricular (ear) acupuncture a long time ago, as one of the various Microsystems of the body containing all the points relating to the major organs and body parts, a Frenchman by the name of Nogier, discovered many more acupuncture points on the ear that pertain to Western medicine such as points called “Adrenal”, “Pituitary”, “FSH”, “Ovary”, “Thyroid”, etc.

Many of the points from both ear acupuncture systems that are important for weight loss treatments are:

MouthÂ – for the impulsive eater who may also smoke a lot and talk a lot
StomachÂ – for the person who eats even after they’re full or who’s constantly nibbling
HungryÂ – for general appetite control
LungÂ – for food addicts, and people who love chocolate, sweets
ShenmenÂ – a calming point, for the psychology overlay for anxiety, anger, frustration, insecurity
EndocrineÂ – for water retention that’s responsible for some of the weight gain
Adrenal and OvaryÂ – if weight gain is due to menopause or P.M.S.
SpleenÂ – for sugar imbalances and hormonal disturbances
KidneyÂ – for water retention, and nervous system and hormonal imbalances
ThyroidÂ – for slow metabolism

The practitioner chooses two or more of these points for each treatment depending upon the patient’s problem and personality profile regarding overeating.

Next, body points would be selected.

During the first few treatments, most likely the “Four Gate” points (LI 4, Liver3) would be used to circulate the energy throughout the body and calm the nervous system. Ren 12, the front collecting point of the stomach energy would be chosen for many treatments, as would Stomach 36, three inches distal to the eye of the knee that tonifies the energy and helps circulate oxygen and blood of the whole body and of the stomach in particular. Then, based on the diagnosis, the practitioner may add Stomach, 40, the master point for mucous, or Kidney 7 or 10 for edema or water retention.

The acupuncturist may use electro stimulation on some of these acupuncture points to increase the endorphin release and stimulate the metabolism. The needles would be kept in place for around thirty to forty-five minutes depending on how much support was needed for the patient, and after the needles are removed, ear tacs with adhesive on them are often placed in the same spots on the ear to continue the stimulation between treatments. The way it works is this: when the patient feels an urge to eat, s/he applies mild pressure to the point or rubs it back and forth for about 20 seconds. This type of acupressure stimulates the point, causes a mild endorphin release, relaxes the patient and helps them to regain their willpower or resolve about resisting the temptation to eat. The patient removes the tacs at home after three days and throws them away or takes them out sooner if there is any irritation or discomfort. It is a good idea to also remove oneself from the location, person or food that triggers the resistance to the diet or contributes to the breakdown of willpower. For example, one might want to stay away from the kitchen and refrigerator between meals.

The Treatment Plan

The number of acupuncture treatments necessary depends on the patient’s goals for losing weight, the speed at which they want to lose, and their commitment to keeping the weight off. If the overeating is severe, a treatment every day for the first five days is appropriate and can then taper off the second week to every other day and the third week to every three days. For the average patient who wants to lose between five to ten pounds, one treatment every three days or twice a week until they reach their goal is appropriate, and then a booster treatment once every two weeks is optimal. After a few booster treatments, the patient and practitioner will mutually decide when to terminate frequent treatments and then can aim to meet approximately four times a year at the change of seasons when energy levels are unstable and tonification and harmonizing of one’s system is appropriate for everyone.

Nutritional Counseling and Lifestyle Changes

As was mentioned earlier, a good weight loss program includes nutritional counseling and exercise as well as a commitment to make permanent lifestyle changes. The acupuncturist can help with nutritional counseling and can discuss a diet regimen that the patient can live with and maintain for the long term. A diet that is high in fiber and low in fat, with moderate amounts of low-density carbohydrates and low-fat protein is usually the best choice to adopt. With this type of a diet program, the patient can avoid the pit-falls of yo-yo dieting or the tendency to lose weight and then regain it.

Other important tools that can aid in weight loss are stress reduction techniques and a moderate exercise regimen. The acupuncturist can suggest various stress reduction methods that may include breathing exercises, Tai Chi, yoga, meditation or biofeedback. And since the goal of a weight program is not only weight loss but the maintenance of that loss, an exercise program that the patient likes is the best one to choose. The patient could try starting a program that includes brisk walking three times a week for forty minutes. After a few weeks when stamina is increased, they could try walking five times a week. After that more aerobic exercise can be added such as the treadmill, stair climber or aerobics classes, cycling or whatever from of rigorous exercise the person enjoys and can maintain for the long term. It is a good idea to use free weights beginning with three pound weights and practicing just two to three sets of arm curls three times a week. Moderate weight training builds lean body mass and helps to reduce body fat as well as strengthen and build bone mass and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Chinese Herbal Medicine and Supplements

Next a good individualized nutritional supplement program is important because everyone has a different metabolism and different needs for nutrients. It will include vitamins, minerals, herbs antioxidants, phytochemicals and nutraceuticals. These will support the diet program and balance the blood sugar to help give the body the strength, energy and defense it needs to maintain the healthy life style that s/he has begun.

Many diet and appetite suppression products are available on the market and surprisingly there is a very effective and safe ancient Chinese herbaL formula for digestion that comes in a pleasant tasting chewable wafer form calledÂ BAO HE WAN. The ingredients are:

Shan Zha (Fructus Crataegi) –promotes digestion of meat and fats; dissolves food accumulation
Shen Qu (Medicated Leaven) — digests alcohol, rice and vinegar and dissolves food accumulation
Lai Fu Zi (Semen Raphani) — digests starch (wheat and breads)
Ban Xia (Pinellia), Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel), and Fu Ling (Poria Cocos), — resolve dampness and food accumulations
Lian Qiao (Fructus Forsythiae) — clears stomach heat that may result from accumulated food that dries up the digestive liquids

When this famous herbal formula is drunk as a tea, other herbs may be added if there is gas or abdominal distension such as cardamon or magnolia bark. Or if constipation is a problem a gentle laxative like Semen Pruni or Huo Ma Ren may be used. However an important concept of Chinese medicine is to diagnose properly and treat the patient with the correct herbs so as not to consume body fluids or disturb electrolyte balance. Food accumulation may be due to stomach deficiency so the practitioner may add other herbs such as Codonopsis to tonify the stomach energy so the food could descend properly through the digestive tract.

Breathing and Abdominal Excercises

While the patient is undergoing the behavior modification program and is successfully losing weight, it is a good idea to incorporate a set of deep breathing and abdominal exercises that utilize the acupuncture meridians or energy lines on the body to stimulate relaxation and digestion. If we practice deep abdominal breathing while lying down for a few minutes in the morning before we arise, we will not only take in more oxygen but will stimulate the stomach, spleen, kidney ,and reproductive energy lines that are all located on the center of the torso . Digestion will be improved and all those organs will function more effectively. We will also start the day with more energy and clarity.

Another method of stimulating these same organs in the stomach region is the abdominal finger pressure massage that follows the direction of the large intestines. This massage may also be performed in bed in the morning and evening and will gently stimulate all the points on the central torso and will not only encourage proper digestion but will foster homeostasis or the harmonious balancing of the hormone and endocrine systems of the body.

Pressure Points

Last but not least, three pressure points on the body may be stimulated daily for two minutes each that will promote the general health as well as aid digestion, elimination and relaxation. These points are: Large Intestines 4 (HEGU); Pericardium 6 (Neiguan); and Stomach 36 (Zusanli). The points should be pressed with strong continuous pressure for approximately two minutes each and may be said to comprise a self-healing treatment.

While no guarantee may be given for acupuncture treatments for weight loss, the self-motivated patient who will take the time to practice most of the things outlined here will most likely be pleased with the results that she finds within a reasonable amount of time.

Thyroid Treatment With TCM and Acupuncture

acuherb — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:45:32 +0000

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The health of your thyroid gland truly makes or breaks your daily energy level, the ability to sustain a healthy weight for your frame, overall metabolic function, and can even affect your emotional life (if thyroid function is low, depression can result; if thyroid function is high, anxiety can result).

Your thyroid is a remarkable gland, located at the front of the throat by the larangeal prominence. If it functions properly, the perfect amount of thyroid hormone is secreted to meet your daily energy needs, but if it is low you will likely feel fatigued, unable to keep up with life’s demands, have sleeping difficulties, gain weight easily and feel cold much of the time. Â Millions of Americans have thyroid conditions from genetic predisposition, years of stress, and compounded by the toll of pollution in our air, food, and water.

Here is one very helpful thyroid solution: Acupuncture specifically for hormone balancing and thyroid care! Â If you suspect that your thyroid function is low, consider Acupuncture and custom Chinese herbal formulas to boost your energy, regulate sleep patterns, and restore hormonal balance.

From Thyroid Care to Thyroid Cure: The Benefits of Including Acupuncture

If we utilize both Western and Eastern methods of healing there exist many options for treating and even curing hormone imbalances.Â

Â I had first-hand observation from years of Texas medical practice that this ancient modality had surprising ability to correct hormonal imbalances. I and other MDs had seen patients benefit greatly from this older approach to hormone health; often this was the best method for certain recalcitrant and debilitating versions of thyroid imbalance.

Fatigue, exhaustion, infertility, weight gain, depression, digestive problems, hair loss, arthritis, feeling chilled no matter the temperature all may be symptoms of a low thyroid condition, one of the most misdiagnosed medical disorders in America. Â The lethargy, lack of stamina, and emotional distress of low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) is often mistaken for clinical depression and wrongly treated with seratonin reuptake inhibiting medications like Prozac and Paxil. Misdiagnosed or undiagnosed hypothyroidism may affect one in nine adult women in the U.S. and for the post-menopause subset that statistic gets as high as one in four.

It is important to become informed of the wide spectrum of hormone-related conditions that can affect one’s health, energy, and quality of life. Â Low thyroid function is one aspect, but adrenal function, reproductive hormones, the pituitary and hypothalamus, and so on, each play a critical role in proper metabolic rate and homeostasis. Â It is of critical importance to be accurately tested for hormone function if you display the previously described signs and symptoms and/or if your health care provider suspects sub-optimal hormone levels. Â For quality, affordably priced laboratory tests you can order without a doctor’s prescription, please visit the health advocacy organization Canary Club atÂ www.CanaryClub.orgÂ online.

But once cognizant of an existing hormone imbalance via lab test results or compelling symptom-related evidence, how can your health care providers fully remedy your condition? There are options but also many limitations available within the Western medical model, including hormone replacement prescriptions (if you are low in thyroid/adrenal or estrogen/progesterone/testosterone) or hormone suppression prescriptions (if any of the above are too high).

For hypothyroid patients specifically, some do not respond well to the standard (slow-acting T4) Synthroid prescription and instead might benefit from the addition to Synthroid of Cytomel (fast-acting T3). Â Sometimes what works even better is a different thyroid prescription completely like Armor or Naturthroid (both non-synthetic).

These medicines greatly assist, but among autoimmune patients (who comprise the majority of thyroid sufferers in either the category of Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism or Grave’s hyperthyroidism) there are still many who despite determining which thyroid replacement is best and at what dosage, they still do not feel 100%. Â These patients benefit some from their medical prescriptions but are still hovering around only 60% or 70% or 80% of their normal self, and suffer continued symptoms such as fatigue, emotional distress, insomnia, mental fuzziness, etc. Â There are several possible causes for this, in the Western medical viewpoint. Â Autoimmunity is likely the most severe example of imbalance within the human body that one could find: An organism at war with itself, the immune system cells attacking the body’s own tissue.

Of course in such cases it may be difficult to fully optimize the thyroid being replaced as there exists a cellular resistance to the hormone, for instance because the autoimmune response has targeted the thyroid hormone receptors, or perhaps because synthetic chemical pollutants in our air, food, and water interfere with endocrine function. It is also possible an iodine deficiency may be at fault, although this is more common in underdeveloped countries.

So how can thyroid hormone (whether produced internally by the endocrine system or replaced by prescription medication) be adequately metabolized, taken up by the body’s cells to perform its many functions on both a microscopic and macroscopic level? Â The answer is: The entire human system must be in balance for successful utilization of thyroid hormone. Â The key here is an integrative approach to balance and optimal wellness, for which ancient Chinese healing practices are world-renowned.

As an Â OMD, Acupuncturist and Herbalist, I have always been impressed by how TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) cultivates a holistic perspective in developing diagnostic impressions and treatment protocols for each patient. Â The keystone of our medicine is awakening the body’s natural intelligence to heal itself.

Our goal, when we needle specific points or prescribe herbal formulas individually modified to the patient’s pattern of dis-ease, is restoring balance to the system of meridians that crisscross and encircle the body in a similar fashion to the lymph or nervous system in Western medicine. Â TCM seeks to restore health within the body by benefiting, with needles, herbs, nutrition, massage, lifestyle changes and so on, the fundamental balance of Yin and Yang within the body. Â Yin and Yang are the two aspects in Chinese medical philosophy representing the Â many balances within the body such as internal/external, cold/hot, deficiency/excess, acidic/alkaline, sympathetic/parasympathetic, and so on.

Let me give you Â an example, a forty five Â year-old menopausal woman who has just discovered she has thyroid dysfunction as well. Â Because estrogen production wanes during the menopausal years, and the endocrine system is a delicate balance of many different glands all producing and utilizing various hormones depending on hormone production in the other glands, not only is she experiencing hot flashes and night-sweats from the estrogen decrease but she also has chilliness and fatigue from the hypothyroidism. Â She feels excessively hot then deficient and cold, the mind races while the physical body becomes exhausted.

The Western practitioner might put her on estrogen replacement that helps the hot flashes (but it can increase her weight and breast cancer risk) as well as thyroid hormone which helps the fatigue (but it can increase adrenal irritability and insomnia).

The Eastern practitioner seeks the root cause within the pattern of imbalance, which she determines to be a deficiency of both Kidney Yin and Kidney Yang (a common diagnosis for menopausal women as both the Qi and Blood may wane too suddenly during the transition). Â She needles points to clear heat (Large Intestine 11, Liver 2), strengthen the Liver and Kidney Yin (Spleen 6) and invigorate the Kidney Yang (Kidney 3, Kidney 7)Â (Fire Kidney Fire on also very important but this technique need under Doctor’s help, for the Â Yang very weak case may need several time stimuli the fetal Yang Â on Kidney gate). Â She prescribes a granulated herbal formula like Golden Book Tea, otherwise known as Jing Gui Shen Qi Wan, and modifies it with long gu to anchor the Yang and dang gui to build Blood. Â After a couple weeks of daily herbal tea and weekly acupuncture, the patient reports having no more hot flashes, less chilliness, and much more restful sleep leading to overall more energy and well-being throughout the day.

How does Acupuncture accomplish what Western medicine cannot alone? Â By rebalancing the internal homeostasis of the body. Â Tongue and pulse diagnosis plus symptom cluster are the pillars of objective data gathering. Utilizing carefully chosen trigger points and tonifying or sedating herbs, one nourishes the vital fluids and balances Yin and Yang while removing stagnation within the meridians.

Every patient is unique, so an individualized approach is essential to accuracy yet the overarching pattern can be determined based on objective tongue and pulse signs, and the subjective symptom cluster.

Patients best benefit from an integrated Eastern and Western medical approach to health. Â The strong point of Western medicine is intervention in life-threatening illness, whereas the strong point of Eastern medicine is increased quality of life. Â Therefore it is most optimal to have available both Eastern and Western medicine options for more complete care. Â This blending of the East and West has been the standard of hospital care in China for several Â decades.

If you have not tried Acupuncture and other methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine as a critical aspect of your complete hormone care, consider it today. Acuherb Clinic’s practice is focused on bringing better care to the specializations of: Thyroid, Adrenal, Stress & Anxiety. You deserve the best of both worlds when it comes to your health. Â We are delighted to assist you in cultivating a more energetic, balanced, and graceful lifestyle! Â For appointments in American Institute of Acupuncture, Acuherb Clinic.

DRUG interaction withÂ Levothyroxine

LevothyroxineÂ sodium may interact with numerous other medications, including over-the-counter medications. Some of the medicines that may potentially lead to levothyroxine interactions include:

AntacidsÂ or gas-relieving medications

AntidepressantÂ medications
CalciumÂ supplements
CholestyramineÂ (PrevaliteÂ ,QuestranÂ , QuestranÂ Light)
Colestipol(Colestid)
Diabetes medications
Digoxin(Digitek,Lanoxin)
Estrogens, such ashormone replacement therapy(HRT) andbirth control pills, patches, or rings
Iron (including iron found in multivitamins)
Orlistat(Alli,Xenical)
Raloxifene(Evista)
Rifampin (Rifadin)
SomeÂ seizureÂ medications, such as:

CarbamazepineÂ (Carbatrol,Â Epitol,Â Equetro,Â Tegretol)
Phenobarbital (Luminal)
Phenytoin(Dilantin,Â Phenytek)

Sucralfate(Carafate)
Theophylline(Uniphyl, Theocron, TheoCap, Theo-24, Elixophyllin)
Warfarin(Coumadin,Jantoven).

Acupuncture Treatment For Allergies in Acuherb Clinic

acuherb — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 14:59:24 +0000

What Every Person Suffering From Allergies
Ought To Know-About Acupuncture.

There’s a Natural, Safe, Effective, and Drug FreeAlternative”

by Dr. Kenneth Wang

If seeing your first robin or watching the crocus beginning to surface makes you cringe, you are likely one of the millions of people that suffer from spring allergies in Davis every year. Before you run to the pharmacy for the nearest decongestant, consider acupuncture for the treatment of allergy symptoms that can include runny nose, congestion and watery eyes.

Are western medicine treatments the best we have available to us for the treatment of allergies?

The answer is a resounding NO! Treating allergies with acupuncture has become more widely acceptable because acupuncture has had no known side effects.

Why not try acupuncture instead of remaining dependent on potentially harmful prescription medications?

Western medicine admits that treatment with medication only manages symptoms;there is not a cure for allergies with traditional medication. Antihistamines, bronchodilators, decongestants and steroids can all be prescribed to treat allergy symptoms, depending on the severity of symptoms.

Antihistamines including Zyrtec, Claritin, and Benadryl all can cause drowsiness and once the medication is stopped, symptoms resurface quickly if the allergen is still present. Antihistamines have been used for years to treat allergies and are generally the first medications prescribed for allergy sufferers.

Decongestants such as Sudafed, Afrin, or Claritin D can be used for a few days, but continual use can actually make symptoms worse. The side effects from decongestant use can include high blood pressure,insomnia or irritability. Combination medications that include both a decongestant and antihistamine are the most effective at treating chronic, seasonal allergies.

Bronchodilators are inhaled medications used to control asthma symptoms and remove mucous from the lungs. If overused, bronchodilators are potent drugs that can cause high blood pressure and rapid heart beats. Bronchodilators work by relaxing the muscle bands that constrict airflow, rapidly opening the airways and allowing breathing to improve.

Steroids (Flonase, Flovent, Nasonex) are also used for the treatment of severe allergies and side effects can include weight gain, high blood pressure, fluid retention,muscle weakness and diabetes. It may take one to two weeks of daily usage for steroids to become effective in the treatment of allergy symptoms.

Acupuncture relieves nasal congestion, watery eyes,itchy nose, and chronic nasal membrane inflammation by opening up energy channels and allowing the body’s own immune system to heal itself.

There is potential for allergies to be cured by the use of acupuncture. The only way to learn how acupuncture will alleviate your allergies is to try a few sessions with a certified Davis Acupuncturist and see how you feel. The goal of any allergy sufferer should be to take as little prescription medication as possible and still be free of allergy symptoms.