Hayfever

In this blog, I share my personal experience with hay fever and how acupuncture and Chinese herbs have helped me. In Chinese medicine, hay fever is seen as a sign of reduced immunity. By treating in time and strengthening the body, complaints can decrease or even disappear.

This is a blog with a personal touch. After all, from the age of twelve to about twenty, I had an awful lot of hay fever. In that period, besides school, I was almost always outside: skating, playing basketball, cycling. Exercise was my outlet.

At some point, it got so intense that I had to weigh my time outside against the complaints I knew would come later, that same night or the day after. From sneezing ten to twenty times in a row, eyes that became so red and thick that I could barely see, and that intense itching.

I always said to myself: it's annoying, but not really serious. At the same time, it clearly affected my functioning and quality of life. This means that hay fever is definitely something to take seriously, especially because so many people suffer from it to a greater or lesser extent.

It ended well for me in the end. At the time, I was treated with acupuncture and Chinese herbs. As early as the next spring, my symptoms decreased so much that it became easy to handle. In the years that followed, they disappeared almost completely. That experience partly piqued my interest in learning acupuncture myself.

What is hay fever?

Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, is usually seen as an inflammatory reaction of the nasal mucosa. The immune system reacts excessively to stimuli such as pollen. Dust, animal hair or fungi can also trigger similar reactions.

The symptoms are often similar to those of a cold, but contrary to the name, there is usually no fever.

Hay fever from Chinese medicine

In Chinese medicine, hay fever is often seen as an expression of a weakened immune system. When the body is not strong enough, it reacts more quickly and violently to environmental stimuli.

Especially when someone does not make it through the winter period properly, for example due to cold, fatigue or prolonged stress, complaints can manifest themselves in the spring. That is why it is ideal to start treatment well before the hay fever season. This way, you can work preventively on the cause and you may be able to prevent or reduce complaints.

Even when the season has already started, acupuncture and herbs can often alleviate the symptoms well.

What is considered in the treatment?

For targeted treatment, it is important to properly identify the pattern behind the complaints. In addition, it is valuable to pay attention to signals such as:

— Is there thin, transparent phlegm or thick and yellowish phlegm?
— Do you sneeze a lot, even after heat such as a shower?
— Do you have itchy or red eyes?
— Are there any other allergic reactions?
— Do you have a bloated stomach or digestive problems?
— Do you experience skin complaints or shortness of breath?
— Do you feel hot or cold quickly?
— Are you sensitive to drafts or wind?
— Do you often have a cold?

This information helps to accurately tailor the treatment to your situation.

From this perspective, hay fever in Chinese medicine looks like a cold: the body is insufficiently resilient and reacts as if it is being attacked, regardless of whether the stimulus is a virus, bacteria or pollen.

What does the treatment look like?

In an acute phase, it is important to provide rapid relief. Symptom management therefore plays a role. At the same time, we are looking at how the resistance can be strengthened in the longer term.

Depending on the wishes and situation, the treatment consists of acupuncture, Chinese herbs or a combination of both. Acupuncture helps relieve the body and bring it back into balance. Herbs support this process and often prolong the effect of the treatment.

What can you do yourself?

Good immunity is essential for hay fever. Try to get into the spring as fit as possible. In addition, it can help to limit dairy and cold foods. Easily digested, hot meals are often better tolerated.

Hot water is a simple and healthy substitute for milk or soft drinks and can support digestion and immunity.

If you want to know what we can do for you in case of hay fever, feel free to contact us. We'd love to help you