Acupuncture for Allergies - Treatment Protocols

General Approaches

Acupuncture For Allergies - Treatment Protocols

Acupuncture treatment protocols are generally directed towards the deeper root of a persons set of health issues, not at each individual issue. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, treatment is generally directed towards the individuals diagnostic pattern(s) and their primary issue is only a part of the information required to approach the correct patterns to treat (see "treating the cause vs. the symptoms" for an introduction to this process.).

In designing an acupuncture protocol for allergies, one might find one or a combination of the following patterns: lung wind invasion - wind cold, lung wind invasion - wind heat among many other possibilities and possible combinations.

Below you will find some of the more common tcm diagnoses and acupuncture treatment protocols for allergies and related issues. There are many ways to approach the treatment of this condition within TCM. Our presentation describes foundational approaches that would need to be further tailored in most cases to be effective for a given individual.

  • Etiology & Pathology:
    • Wind-Cold effecting the LU
    • Wind-Heat effecting the LU
    • When the patient is not in an acute stage you should treat the Root KD, LU & GV Deficiencies
    • General Speaking, according to Giovanni Maciocia, a persons "allergic" reaction(s) to certain substances correlates with a weakening of the body's Defensive Qi (Wei Qi) system in the body due to LU & KD deficiences.
  • Differentiation:
    • Wind-Cold effecting the LU
      • Signs & Symptoms:
        • Similar to general Wind-cold as it presents with the common cold, however, there are more signs of an underlying KD a/or LU Deficiency.
        • Patient may have: sneezing, runny/stuffy nose (white discharge), slight headache, no thirst, pale complexion.
      • Treatment Protocol:
        • Expel Wind-Cold
        • Restore the Descending and Dispersing Function of the LU Qi
      • Treatment Points:
        • Main Points:
          • UB 12 - Main point for Wind Disorders.
          • GB 20 - Expel Wind.
          • GV 23 - Expel Wind from the Nose.
          • UB 13 - LU Back Shu.
          • LU 7 - Restore the Descending and Dispersing Function of the LU Qi.
        • Local Points:
          • Use various local points for the sinus issues:
            LI 20 a/or Yintang - good local points for sinus issues.
    • Wind-Heat effecting the LU
      • Signs & Symptoms:
        • Similar to general Wind-heat as it presents with the common cold, however, there are more signs of an underlying KD a/or LU Deficiency.
        • Patient may have: Fever and Chills w/Fever predominating, slight sweating, runny nose w/yellow discharge, headaches, body aches, cough, itchy red eyes (heat), sratchy throat (wind).
      • Treatment Protocol:
        • Expel Wind-Heat
        • Restore the Descending and Dispersing Function of the LU Qi.
      • Treatment Points:
        • Main Points:
        • Local Points:
    • Root Deficiencies of LU, KD & GV
      • When the patient is not experiencing an acute phase you should try to tonify the KD & LU Deficiencies and Strengthen the GV.
      • Points to Tonify the Kidneys:
      • Points to Tonify the Lungs:
      • Points to Strengthen the Governing Vessel:

The information on our site is drawn from our own lecture notes and clinical experience. The following lecture notes were consulted within this section:

  • St. John, Meredith: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes
  • Valaskatgis, Peter: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes

All Content 1999-2024
Chad J. Dupuis / Yin Yang House
Our Policies and Privacy Guidelines
Our Affiliated Clinics