Treating allergies and asthma with acupuncture

It's January in Arizona, and a new round of plants must be beginning to bloom! I know this, because I've seen more patients in my practice recently with their allergies and sinuses acting up again. Many people don't even realize it, but histamine not only adds to inflammation and congestion, it can also lead to symptoms of fatigue, depression and difficulty concentrating.

One of my favorite ways to use acupuncture, is for helping patients suffering from allergies, asthma and sinusitis. When a patient comes in needing relief from their allergy symptoms I get excited, because acupuncture works so well and so quickly!

With the cost of asthma and allergy medications on the rise, patients are often looking for alternative treatments. Acupuncture and natural supplementation helps them reduce and often stop completely, their dependence on these expensive medications and puts more money back in their pockets!

It's treatments like these that get me excited, as patients are not only improving their health and feeling better, but they're profiting from the experience as well!

Saying No to NSAIDS and Yes to Acupuncture

Prescription NSAIDS such as Vioxx and Celebrex, used to treat the pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis, have recently been shown to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes in the patients who use them. Unfortunately, many patients suffering from osteoarthritis also suffer from heart disease making the prescribing of NSAIDS less than ideal.

Fortunately, acupuncture provides a much safer and effective alternative. A 26 week study published in Dec 2004 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that acupuncture was more effective than sham acupuncture or group education at decreasing pain and improving mobility. Mobility was shown to improve within the first 8 weeks and improvement in pain was found at the end of the 26 week study. In all, patients each received 23 acupuncture treatments over the 26 week period.

If you're interested in learning more about acupuncture for treatment of osteoarthritis and other musculo-skeletal conditions, email wellness@lifesculpting.biz.


Berman BM, Lao L, Langenberg P, et al. Effectiveness of acupuncture as adjunctive therapy in osteoarthritis of the knee. Ann Intern Med 2004;141:901-910.