RESEARCH INTO ACUPUNCTURE AND SEASONAL ALLERGIC RHINITIS

There is ever-increasing clinical evidence of how effective acupuncture can be in the treatment of allergic rhintis. A 2015 Australian study involved 175 patients who received actual acupuncture treatment or sham acupuncture. The sham acupuncture involved superficial needling of non-acupuncture points without stimulation. All patients had been previously diagnosed with allergic rhinitis and had been confirmed allergic to rye grass pollen.

All patients received twelve treatment sessions over a four week period during a high pollen period.

Those receiving real acupuncture reported significantly better improvement in symptoms at the end of treatment than those receiving the sham acupuncture. Symptoms for the purpose of this study were regarded as sneezing and itchiness. Quality of life was seen as a secondary outcome, and again those receiving the acupuncture reported significantly higher for this. Improvements were maintained during a period of follow-up assessment.

The study concluded that a four week program of acupuncture treatment was a safe and effective option for the clinical management of seasonal allergic rhinitis in the Melbourne area providing symptom relief and quality of life improvement.

Acupuncture for seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized controlled trial. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunology. 2015 June 11. pii: S1081 – 1206(15)00342-7