Much of the population suffers from allergies, which is also commonly accompanied by asthma, and is at the forefront of health concerns. For those who are affected, they are very familiar with the uncomfortable symptoms allergies cause.
Chinese medicine and other holistic modalities have been extremely effective in treating allergies and asthma for thousands of years. The goal is to treat and correct the root imbalance that is upsetting the body so it can heal itself. If your allergies are chronic, your body often becomes hypersensitive to some environmental elements. Acupuncture helps by stimulating the immune system to strengthen your defenses as well as helping to regulate your body’s reactions and decrease its hyperactivity. So instead of simply suppressing your body’s reaction with antihistamines and steroids my goal is to correct the root problem and medications over time.
In my comprehensive treatment plans I combine acupuncture, herbs, nutrition and lifestyle counseling as well as NAET. NAET, Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique, is a diagnostic and treatment technique based on the principles of Chinese Medicine. It is a quick, painless, non-invasive, method for the diagnosis and permanent elimination of allergies and their symptoms.
NAET uses the principles of kinesiology and acupressure/acupuncture to permanently change the body’s response to allergens. The diagnostic method used is Muscle Response Testing (MRT). It can be carried out directly or through an intermediary. When used directly, the practitioner finds a strong muscle in the patient, usually an arm. The item to be tested is held in one hand, while the other arm is extended. Applying pressure tests the strength of the arm. When the patient is sensitive to the item, the arm will become weak.
If the patient is elderly, ill or a child a surrogate is used as an intermediary between the practitioner and the patient. The intermediary holds the suspected allergen while touching the patient and the practitioner then tests the intermediary. This is also used when it would be unwise for the patient to come into contact with the item e.g. where the allergy is very severe and anaphylactic shock may result. This method of testing is proven to be over 95% accurate.
Once the sensitivities have been identified acupressure or acupuncture is used to correct the body’s response to the items. The item is then avoided for a period of 25 hours. Occasionally, in the case of severe allergies, an item may have to be treated more than once, or in combination with other substances, before it clears.
On a simplified level NAET re-educates the body to accept the allergen as a ‘good thing’, not a threat and to respond to it in an appropriate manner.