2022 The American Journal of Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis, significantly improving symptoms without needing relief medication or causing side effects.
Acupuncture for Hay Fever (Allergic Rhinitis)
Allergic rhinitis, more commonly known as hay fever, is an allergic, inflammatory condition of the nasal mucous membranes in response to exposure to indoor and outdoor allergens such as pollen in springtime.
Hay fever symptoms vary in severity and can even persist all year round for some people. It is recommended to seek professional advice and treatment when hay fever affects your performance at work or school or starts interfering with your quality of life.
What is our clinical experience?
Based on feedback collected from over 1,084 initial appointments for Respiratory, Sinus, Allergy & Immunity, 84% of our surveyed patients reported improved quality of life after their first 4 appointments. See our detailed benchmarking statistics.
InitialConsults
1,084
AverageAppointments
4
ImprovedQuality of Life
84%
Refer Family &Friends
90%
Who have we treated with this condition?
The age groups and genders we see most frequently with this condition. Note: this chart only represents the people who seek treatment at Ping Ming Health clinics for this condition.
- Female (66%)
- Male (34%)
| Age | Female % | Male % |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0.08 |
| 7 | 0.08 | 0.16 |
| 8 | 0.16 | 0.32 |
| 9 | 0.24 | 0 |
| 10 | 0.24 | 0.32 |
| 11 | 0.08 | 0.08 |
| 12 | 0.16 | 0.16 |
| 13 | 0.32 | 0.4 |
| 14 | 0.32 | 0.97 |
| 15 | 0.08 | 0.4 |
| 16 | 0.4 | 0.48 |
| 17 | 0.16 | 0.4 |
| 18 | 0.16 | 0.24 |
| 19 | 0.24 | 0.4 |
| 20 | 0.24 | 0.24 |
| 21 | 0 | 0.16 |
| 22 | 0.16 | 0.72 |
| 23 | 0.48 | 0.24 |
| 24 | 0.24 | 0.16 |
| 25 | 0.64 | 0.16 |
| 26 | 0.81 | 0.64 |
| 27 | 0.56 | 0.24 |
| 28 | 0.48 | 0.16 |
| 29 | 0.64 | 0.08 |
| 30 | 0.64 | 0.32 |
| 31 | 0.97 | 0.32 |
| 32 | 0.72 | 0.32 |
| 33 | 0.89 | 0.16 |
| 34 | 0.48 | 0.24 |
| 35 | 0.97 | 0.81 |
| 36 | 1.21 | 0.4 |
| 37 | 1.53 | 0.32 |
| 38 | 1.93 | 0.89 |
| 39 | 1.69 | 0.56 |
| 40 | 1.85 | 0.81 |
| 41 | 1.53 | 0.48 |
| 42 | 1.77 | 0.97 |
| 43 | 1.93 | 0.97 |
| 44 | 2.17 | 0.32 |
| 45 | 1.85 | 1.05 |
| 46 | 1.69 | 0.72 |
| 47 | 2.01 | 0.56 |
| 48 | 0.81 | 0.89 |
| 49 | 1.05 | 0.81 |
| 50 | 1.45 | 0.56 |
| 51 | 0.89 | 0.97 |
| 52 | 1.21 | 0.16 |
| 53 | 1.45 | 0.97 |
| 54 | 1.61 | 0.24 |
| 55 | 1.53 | 0.97 |
| 56 | 1.21 | 0.24 |
| 57 | 1.29 | 0.64 |
| 58 | 0.56 | 0.48 |
| 59 | 0.64 | 0.24 |
| 60 | 0.97 | 0.08 |
| 61 | 0.81 | 0.32 |
| 62 | 0.81 | 0.24 |
| 63 | 1.37 | 0.32 |
| 64 | 0.97 | 0.16 |
| 65 | 0.4 | 0.16 |
| 66 | 1.37 | 0.56 |
| 67 | 0.64 | 0.4 |
| 68 | 0.97 | 0.48 |
| 69 | 1.05 | 0.56 |
| 70 | 1.05 | 0.32 |
| 71 | 1.21 | 0.56 |
| 72 | 0.64 | 0.4 |
| 73 | 0.72 | 0.4 |
| 74 | 0.97 | 0.64 |
| 75 | 0.4 | 0.24 |
| 76 | 0.4 | 0.32 |
| 77 | 0.97 | 0.4 |
| 78 | 0.97 | 0.24 |
| 79 | 0.48 | 0.16 |
| 80 | 0.24 | 0.08 |
| 81 | 0.24 | 0.08 |
| 82 | 0.16 | 0.24 |
| 83 | 0.24 | 0.48 |
| 84 | 0.56 | 0.32 |
| 85 | 0.16 | 0.16 |
| 86 | 0.32 | 0.08 |
| 87 | 0.08 | 0 |
| 88 | 0.08 | 0 |
| 89 | 0 | 0.08 |
| 90 | 0.08 | 0 |
| 91 | 0.24 | 0 |
| 92 | 0.16 | 0.08 |
| 94 | 0 | 0.24 |
| 96 | 0.08 | 0.08 |
How many sessions of treatment?
The average number of appointments that patients attend for this condition. Some conditions respond quickly while others may require ongoing treatment.
Which types of treatments?
The types of treatments that are most frequently provided for this condition. Some treatments may be used in combination at the same time.
What does the research say?
The following insights are obtained from systematic reviews and analysis of clinical trials investigating the efficacy of Chinese medicine and acupuncture for hay fever (allergic rhinitis).
2021 Medicine
The use of Yu Ping Feng San for pediatric allergic rhinitis appears relatively safe compared to Western medical therapy yet its routine use remains unsupported.
2021 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Gui Zhi Decoction and associated formulas significantly improve the effectiveness of allergic rhinitis treatments when used alone or combined with Western medicine.
2021 Translational Pediatrics
Allergic rhinitis in children, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is interrelated with the functionality of lungs, spleen, and kidney and can be treated with combined Western and Chinese herbal medicines.
2020 Current Allergy and Asthma Reports
Traditional Chinese Medicine, specifically acupuncture, demonstrates promising effects in managing allergic diseases like allergic rhinitis and asthma.
2020 Chinese Medicine
Our findings revealed that all acupuncture methods are effective and safe for allergic rhinitis. Acupuncture plus conventional medicine are potentially the most effective treatment strategies for allergic rhinitis.
2018 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research
Chinese herbal medicine tends to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from allergic rhinitis.
2018 Acupuncture in Medicine
Acupuncture appeared to significantly reduce the number of days of antihistamine use while improving rhinitis-specific quality of life and seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms
2017 BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Yu Ping Feng San, a Chinese herbal medicine, combined with pharmacotherapy could be effective for treating allergic rhinitis in adults.
2015 Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Clinicians may offer acupuncture, or refer to a clinician who can offer acupuncture, for patients with allergic rhinitis who are interested in nonpharmacologic therapy.
2015 American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy
Our meta-analysis suggests that that acupuncture could be a safe and valid treatment option for allergic rhinitis patients.
2015 Current Opinion in Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery
There are high-quality randomized controlled trials that demonstrate efficacy and effectiveness for acupuncture in the treatment of both seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis.
2015 Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Four weeks of acupuncture treatment is a safe and effective option for clinical management of seasonal allergic rhinitis in the Melbourne area for patients' symptom relief and quality of life improvement.
2012 Allergy
Acupuncture was found to be a more effective and safe treatment for allergic rhinitis than sham acupuncture or no treatment.
Seek personalised healthcare and advice
Although well-conducted clinical research can help members of the public to make better-informed decisions about their healthcare, we cannot claim that any particular treatment may be effective for any individual person.
When you consult with our Chinese medicine practitioners, you’ll receive personalised advice and treatment based on your symptoms and Chinese medicine diagnosis.
Research papers
Browse our collection of scientific clinical research on acupuncture for hay fever (allergic rhinitis).
It includes recent and reputable papers published by peer-reviewed journals within the last 10 years.
2022, Jan
Effect of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
The American Journal of Chinese Medicine
There was a significant improvement in FPS (nasal and non-nasal symptoms) between the two types of acupuncture treatments. No significant differences were shown in relief medication scores (RMS) between the real acupuncture treatment group and the sham acupuncture treatment group. No side effects were observed for both groups. The results indicate that acupuncture is an effective and safe alternative treatment for the management of Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis (SAR).
Xue CC, English R, Zhang JJ, Da Costa C, Li CG Full Article
2021, Apr 02
Yu ping feng san for pediatric allergic rhinitis
Medicine
Our data showed that the use of Yu ping feng san (YPFS) for pediatric allergic rhinitis (PAR) is relatively safe compared to Western medical therapy, but a conclusion could not be drawn because only 5 studies were analyzed.
Liao Y, Zhong J, Liu S, Dai M, Liu Y, Li X, Yang Y, Zhang D, Lai D, Lu T, Zhang Q, Zhao Y Full Article
2021, Jan 13
Efficacy and Safety of Guizhi Decoction AssociatedFormulas for Allergic Rhinitis: A Systematic Review
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Results of systematic reviews show that Guizhi Decoction and associated formulas alone, plus Western medicine or plus acupoint-based therapies, were significantly better compared with using Western medicine alone in terms of efficacy. However, more RCTs of high quality, and large sample size, with appropriate blinding methods or nonblinded pragmatic trials of Guizhi Decoction and associated formulas for AR are needed for more support.
Yang S, Fu Q, Deng H, Wu J, Zhang Q, Wang L, Yao X Full Article
2021, Dec
Current status of Chinese herbal medicine to treat allergic rhinitis in children: from the perspective of Western medicine—a narrative review
Translational Pediatrics
The study concludes that Chinese herbal medicines have potential in the treatment of AR, and combining them with Western medicines could lead to enhanced treatment outcomes.
Liang J, Gu Q Full Article
2020, Sept 02
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Allergic Diseases
Current Allergy and Asthma Reports
It is recommended that acupuncture be integrated into the therapy of allergic rhinitis and asthma, and that CHM be used as an adjunct in the treatment of allergic diseases on an individual basis.
Chan HHL, Ng T Full Article
2020, Oct 12
Acupuncture methods for allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and bayesian meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Chinese Medicine International Society for Chinese Medicine
This work identifies acupuncture as one of several effective therapies for AR. MA + CM/Mox may effectively improve AR symptoms and quality of life as demonstrated in pairwise and Bayesian network meta-analyses. Meanwhile, Mox was regarded as the most effective therapy that changes the IgE content from recently evidences. However, insufficient clinical evidence is presently available to guide on the selection of the acupoints, duration of treatment among others. Meanwhile, the overall quality of these included RCTs were mainly ranked as moderate. Therefore, lots of high-quality RCTs are required to validate the above-presented findings.
Yin, Z., Geng, G., Xu, G. et al. Full Article
2018, Jan
Chinese Herbal Medicine to Treat Allergic Rhinitis: Evidence From a Meta-Analysis
Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research
This study suggests that CHM appears to improve the quality of life of AR patients. However, these findings, as well as the findings for the effect of CHM on sneezing, total nasal symptoms, and the symptom of itchy nose, need to be substantiated in larger cohorts of AR patients by further well-designed studies.
Zhang X, Lan F, Zhang Y, Zhang L Full Article
2018, Jun
Impact of acupuncture on antihistamine use in patients suffering seasonal allergic rhinitis: secondary analysis of results from a randomised controlled trial
Acupuncture in Medicine British Medical Acupuncture Society
Acupuncture appeared to significantly reduce the number of days of antihistamine use while improving quality of life and seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms; it can therefore be considered a valuable, additional treatment option for patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.
Adam D, Grabenhenrich L, Ortiz M, Binting S, Reinhold T, Brinkhaus B Full Article
2017, Nov 06
Potential effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine Yu ping feng san for adult allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Oral Chinese herbal medicine formula Yu ping feng san (YPFS) seems to have add-on effects to pharmacotherapy for the treatment of adult allergic rhinitis (AR), when it was administered for at least three weeks.
Luo Q, Zhang CS, Yang L, Zhang AL, Guo X, Xue CC, Lu C Full Article
2015, Feb 2
Clinical Practice Guideline: Allergic Rhinitis
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation
Clinicians may offer acupuncture, or refer to a clinician who can offer acupuncture, for patients with allergic rhinitis who are interested in nonpharmacologic therapy.
Seidman MD et al. Full Article
2015, Jan
Acupuncture for the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy
Our meta-analysis suggests that that acupuncture could be a safe and valid treatment option for allergic rhinitis patients
Feng S, Han M, Fan Y, Yang G, Liao Z, Liao W, Li H Full Article
2015, Jun
Acupuncture and allergic rhinitis
Current Opinion in Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery
The systemic review of high-quality RCTs demonstrate efficacy and effectiveness for acupuncture in the treatment of both seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis. demonstrates efficacy and effectiveness for acupuncture in the treatment of allergic rhinitis, as well as improvement of quality of life and quality-adjusted life-years.
Malcolm B. Tawa, William D. Reddyb, Folashade S. Omolec, and Michael D. Seidmand Full Article
2015, Oct 11
Acupuncture for seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized controlled trial
Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Four weeks of acupuncture treatment is a safe and effective option for clinical management of seasonal allergic rhinitis in the Melbourne area for patients' symptom relief and quality of life improvement.
Xue CC, Zhang AL, Zhang CS, DaCosta C, Story DF, Thien FC Full Article
2012, Dec 18
A multicenter, randomized, controlled trial testing the effects of acupuncture on allergic rhinitis
Allergy
Active acupuncture showed a significantly greater effect on symptoms of allergic rhinitis than either sham acupuncture or no active treatment. The symptoms of allergic rhinitis decreased significantly after treatment in the both acupuncture and sham acupuncture groups. Acupuncture appears to be an effective and safe treatment for allergic rhinitis.
Choi SM, Park JE, Li SS, Jung H, Zi M, Kim TH, Jung S, Kim A, Shin M, Sul JU, Hong Z, Jiping Z, Lee S, Liyun H, Kang K, Baoyan L Full Article
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