|Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs in Richmond, VA
Wang, Xiaoyan, L. Ac., MD (China)
Phone: (804) 301-1784
Email: email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.org
|Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.|
| Hay Fever
Hay fever is the name given to pollen allergy. Other terms for hay fever include "seasonal allergic rhinitis" or "pollinosis." If you have hay fever, you are not alone. An estimated 26.1 million Americans have hay fever symptoms each year. 14.6 million Americans have asthma, which can often accompany hay fever.
Anyone can develop an allergy to a common substance, but those who do usually have inherited the tendency as a family trait. The sensitivity is developed after exposure to the substance. Hay fever is a good example of this process.
During the seasons when plants are pollinating, everyone in the surrounding area is exposed. People with allergic tendency may develop sensitivity to any one or more of the pollens, although certain pollens are more likely to cause an allergic reaction than others. Pollens that are light enough to be wind-borne are what cause the problem for most hay-fever sufferers. Heavier pollens that are carried from plant to plant by bees and by other insects can also be allergens, but they cause trouble only when a person comes into direct contact with the plant. Airborne pollens can penetrate anywhere, indoors and out, and are most numerous at the height of the pollinating season for the particular plant.
The effect of hay fever can vary greatly: some people may only be mildly afflicted, whereas others may suffer greatly. Common symptoms include:
• itching nose, mouth, eyes, throat, skin, or any area exposed to the allergen.
• runny nose (and occasionally nosebleeds)
• impaired smell (and thus sensitivity to flavors)
• stuffy nose (nasal congestion)
• watering eyes
• sore throat
• cross-reactivity allergy to some fruits
Acupuncture is a very old medical art. It is often associated with pain control but in the hands of a well-trained practitioner it has much broader application. Acupuncture stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the body that influence the body’s own internal regulating system. The improved energy and biochemical balance produced by acupuncture results in stimulating the body’s natural healing abilities. It can help to strengthen the body’s resistance and can regulate the body’s antigen-antibody’s reactions. This is important in helping to relieve hay fever and other allergic reactions such as asthma.
Phone: (804) 301-1784