Are seasonal allergies getting you down?

You're not just imagining it: pollen counts from trees and grass have been extremely high in Colorado this year, thanks to high winds and mostly dry weather. More than 67 million Americans suffer from allergies, 81 percent of whom say they are allergic to pollen. If you're one of them, you've likely been feeling uncomfortable symptoms such as sinus congestion, sneezing, runny noses, itchy eyes, headaches and sore throats. The National Weather Service has said that pollen from cottonwood, cedar and juniper trees reached historic levels this season. As spring turns to summer, grass pollen is taking over as the No. 1 cause of seasonal allergies, also known as allergic rhinitis. While the recent precipitation has brought a brief reprieve for many of us, we may be looking for relief again soon as summer kicks off.

Many people turn to over-the-counter antihistamines, such as Zyrtec and Claritin, but other modalities like acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are gaining popularity for improving symptoms and treating the root causes of this common immune system overreaction.

If you are prone to seasonal allergies, also known as hay fever, your body responds to pollen by triggering an inflammatory response in your nasal mucosa, producing allergic (IgE) antibodies and other immune cells (eosinophils, T cells, mast cells and basophils) to attack the invading substance. This immune system reaction includes releasing chemicals called histamine, which causes symptoms of allergic rhinitis: inflammation and swelling of the lining of your nose and of the protective tissue of your eyes (conjunctiva).

Systemic circulation of these inflammatory cells also triggers a response throughout the body, which can cause inflammation in the upper and lower respiratory systems. A 2011 peer-reviewed publication by the Asia Pacific Allergy Journal explains how this process links allergic rhinitis to other conditions like asthma, rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis, serous otitis media (clogged ears), and sleep disorders.

Our clinic has treated many patients lately for allergic rhinitis and other causes of sinus congestion, as well as asthma and other complications like those listed above. Overall, most experience relief (myself included!) and there's scientific evidence to explain the reasons why. Acupuncture has been shown to reduce IgE levels and the expression, sensitivity and activation of immune receptors that cause symptoms such as runny nose, itchy eyes and sneezing. Multiple studies have also shown that acupuncture can reduce inflammatory neuropeptides triggered by nerves within the nasal mucosa. Some of these studies can be found in the archives of the medical journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

The effectiveness of acupuncture for allergic rhinitis was reported with moderate to high quality evidence in The Acupuncture Evidence Project, coauthored in 2017 by Dr. John McDonald, Ph.D, and Dr. Stephen Janz. This publication included two systematic reviews, two high quality randomized controlled trials, and a clinical practice guideline on allergic rhinitis, as well as two cost-effectiveness studies.

One randomized trial conducted in 2013 assessed how well acupuncture worked compared to and in conjunction with antihistamines. Out of 422 test subjects, the group that received acupuncture and antihistamines felt more relief from symptoms than both the control group that received antihistamines alone, and the group that received "sham" acupuncture and antihistamines. Those in the "sham" acupuncture group—who had shallow needling done at non-acupuncture points—reported greater improvement than the control group, but those who received true acupuncture treatments for sinusitis fared the best by several metrics. This suggests that the process of inserting a needle can stimulate an immune response; this is also evidence that there is merit to the theory and practice of receiving acupuncture from a well-trained professional.

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has also been used for thousands of years to treat sinusitis and other allergic conditions, with different combinations used to treat different conditions. Studies also show that certain plants and natural compounds can ease symptoms and help your immune system respond more appropriately to common, ubiquitous substances like pollen.

A 2017 meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials found that CHM significantly improved quality of life compared with placebo in patients with allergic rhinitis. Seven of those studies concluded that nasal symptoms such as runny nose and sneezing were reduced by using CHM compared with a control. In 2021, another team of researchers reviewed 17 studies that compared CHM to antihistamines and concluded that CHM may improve overall nasal symptoms, individual symptoms (rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, sneezing and nasal itching), quality of life, and recurrence rate, compared to the antihistamines loratadine and chlorpheniramine.

If you love being outdoors but are struggling with allergies, acupuncture and herbal medicine may help you enjoy summer even more—with less discomfort from tree and grass pollen. Evergreen Medical Acupuncture uses a modern approach to acupuncture to treat acute and chronic allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. Our clinic also carries several herbal formulas for various stages and symptoms of this condition, as well as science-backed supplements that can help support a healthy immune system and reduce inflammation system-wide.