Acupuncture
Allergy sufferers everywhere know the symptoms well. You might start out with a mild, throbbing headache, wake up one morning with itchy, red eyes, or maybe your throat gets itchy after eating food. These can all be signs and symptoms that you have allergies to something, but many people shrug it off with some over-the-counter medication to cover up and hide the symptoms. It might seem obvious where your allergy stems from. It might be seasonal, or it might come on when you come into contact with mold spores or your favorite dairy-filled cheesecake. Naturopathic doctors look past these as the only source of your allergies though. Instead, they want to look at your body holistically: what might have weakened your immune or adrenal systems? What is wrong with the way your digestion functions?
Common Symptoms of Allergies
Depending on your allergy, you might have mild to severe (even life-threatening) symptoms. Some of these symptoms include:
Mild
- Itchy, red eyes
- A Sore throat
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Itchy throat
- A Runny nose
Severe
- Wheezing
- Hives
- Anaphylaxis
- Death
Additionally, while you might think you only suffer from seasonal allergies, often time these are tied to certain food allergies that weaken your immune system and make your seasonal allergies significantly worse. Properly identifying different things you are allergic to can help reduce your symptoms at the start.
Naturopathic Remedies For Allergies
There are a few ways that a naturopathic doctor can help reduce your allergies. These are:
- Supplements and Vitamins
- Herbal Medicine
- Diet and Nutrition
- Acupuncture
Supplements And Vitamins. There are many supplements and vitamins that your naturopathic doctor can recommend that are safe to consume while allowing you to continue on without interrupting your day-to-day activities. Some of these are probiotics for your gut help, bioflavonoids—a natural antihistamine—used to combat allergies, and different vitamins like A, C, E, and zinc.
Herbal Medicine. When using high-quality herbal medication, many of your allergy symptoms can be treated. Yarrow tea can help reduce congestion, red clover can help build up a resistance to allergies, milk thistle can help to reduce inflammation and support your liver. On the other hand, many use dong quai for its antihistamine properties.
Diet and Nutrition. Many naturopathic doctors will examine your diet in detail to ensure you are getting the proper nutrients and eliminating the bad food. For example, foods like dark, leafy greens, carrots, beets, onions, ginger, garlic, and nettles can help support your immune system. On the other hand, alcohol, red meat, wheat, and sugar can lower your immune system and leave you more susceptible to allergies.
Acupuncture. Many people have also seen relief in many of their allergy symptoms through the use of trained acupuncturists. Though you can see an improvement in your symptoms after one treatment, acupuncture is often ongoing and can be multiple session a week depending on the severity of your allergies.
Who To Reach Out To
Finding relief for your allergies can mean the difference between staying in bed all day and getting up and going to work or enjoying your favorite activities. Conventional medication is not always the best solutions for your allergies, and a naturopathic doctor can help you determine the best course of treatment.
Resources:
Wikipedia, Naturopathic Medicine for Allergies