Hay fever is one of the most common allergies in the UK. It affects around 13 million people. So are you one of them? If you are, then you have my sympathies!
So what are symptoms?
They can include:
- a blocked or runny nose
- sneezing and coughing
- itchy throat
- headache
- itchy, red or watery eyes
So what causes hay fever, and what can you do to alleviate these awful symptoms?
Hay fever is caused by plant pollens which stimulate an allergic reaction in the upper respiratory tract. These pollens can be from grass, weeds and trees,but the around 90% of cases are related to grass.
Conventional medicines are mainly for relieving the symptoms rather than getting to the root of the allergy. Most of us are familiar with antihistamines and steroids. Such medicines help to prevent an allergic reaction, and also reduce any swelling and inflammation.
So is there an alternative? The answer is YES!
In traditional Chinese medicine theories, hay fever is thought to be closely related to Qi deficiency in the lung, spleen and kidney. Because of the deficiency, the body is susceptible to environmental pathological factors such as wind and cold, which cause a running and blocking of the nose, itchy eyes and nose, and swollen and irritated sinuses.
So what treatment is available?
Chinese medical practitioners use either herbs or acupuncture to treat the condition.
The commonly used herbs include:
- Fangfeng
- chaihu
- Jingjie
- shengma
- xinyi
- cangerzi
- yuxingcao
To treat the root reason for hay fever, it is necessary to tonify the Qi. For this, commonly used herbs include:
- renshen
- huangqi
- baizhu
- gancao
Here at West Wimbledon Physiotherapy Clinic we are pleased to offer both treatments.
Rosemary is an advanced member of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapy, and practices both western & Chinese acupuncture. She also holds a diploma in Acupuncture from Coventry University. Rosemary is also the news editor for the AACP journal.
She is currently studying traditional Chinese herbal medicine.
To find out more, visit these websites:
- www.atcm.co.uk
- www.jcm.co.uk
- www.uacm.co.uk
So if you feel that exploring an alternative route is right for you, then please contact the clinic on 020 8542 2400 to make an appointment.
