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Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has thousands years history. It has unique basic theories and diagnostic methods. It is a very effective therapy in treating many chronic diseases and some acute diseases. If you are interested in TCM, welcome to pop in to this TCM forum, let's discuss on any topic about Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture. You are welcome to visit my clinic at Hanover square London. W1S 1BN

Friday 30 April 2010

Hay fever arrives with spring

Dr Tiejun Tang


Weather is getting warmer. Trees and grasses turned to green. Flowers come into blossom. Nature tells us spring is coming. However, not every people can enjoy such a beautiful weather. They always have same symptoms every year at this season, which is frequent sneezing, stuff and running nose, itch and watery eyes. This means you probably have got hay fever.

Hay fever refers to allergic reaction of the nasal mucosa due to excessive sensitivity of the certain part of body to the allergen. It might occurs all year round but mostly happen in spring because the pollen is the commonly allergen. It affects 2 in 10 people in population of the United Kingdom.
Western medicine use antihistamine tablets and nasal spray to treat this disease. It can ease most of the symptoms but may not be so good at relieving nasal congestion. It also makes patient feels sleepy after taking antihistamine tablets.
Chinese medicine believes hay fever is due to the deficiency of Defensive Qi and Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat invades the lung. Acupuncture and Chinese herb medicine can help a lot to cure hay fever from the root.
Acupuncture points selection is varied from case to case. But basic points are Yingxiang (LI20), Hegu (LI4), Yintang(EX-HN3), Baihui(DU20), Shangxing (DU23). In most of the case the nasal obstruction can be released immediately after the needle had been inserted to the certain points.
A total of 61 patients diagnosed with hay fever were randomly allocated to either the acupuncture or the sham acupuncture group, after a 4 weeks treatment the total nasal symptom score (TNSS) was significantly lower than in the control group [1]The efficacy of acupuncture in allergic rhinitis and other allergic diseases, such as asthma or allergic eczema, appears to be due to the cytokine profile regulation of Th1/Th2 cells and particularly in the expression of IL-10, IL-2 and IFN-γ. [2]

Bi Min Gan Wan is kind of herb pill which has a function of expel Wind and ease the nose blockage. Di Tong Biyan Shui is a spray which is made of Chinese herbs. It can be selected to treat hay fever. These herbs didn’t have any side effect like antihistamine and steroid.

Chinese herbs Yupingfeng San (Jade Screen powder) can build up the immune function of patient[3]. It can prevent the hay fever occurred. Prevention is a clever choice for people whom have history of hay fever. Treating your disease before it happen, you can keep hay fever away and enjoy a lovely spring.

Reference 
  1. Jiaoping Mi. Treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis via acupuncture at the sphenopalatine acupoint: a randomized controlled trial.  Trials. 2018; 19: 28. Published online 2018 Jan 11. doi:  10.1186/s13063-017-2339-z
  2. Bettina Hauswald, et al.  Acupuncture in allergic rhinitis A Mini-Review.  Allergo J Int. 2014; 23(4): 115–119.
  3. Jian Gao . Antiinflammatory and Immunoregulatory Effects of Total Glucosides of Yupingfeng Powder.  Chin Med J (Engl) . 2009; 122(14):1636-41.


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