Karuna Acupuncture Helps Us Beat Allergy Season

With the flowers finally in bloom and magnolia trees leaving carpets of petals all over the sidewalk, allergy season is in full swing. We love having the greenery in Ditmas Park that’s so hard to find in other areas of Brooklyn, but this environment can be particularly hard on the sinuses. Luckily for us, Licensed Acupuncturist and Registered Nurse Melanie Severo, who has over 20 years of experience in Eastern and Western healing modalities and whose practice Karuna Acupuncture is down the block on Beverley, agreed to help clear our heads.

“The beauty of acupuncture is its holistic nature and the way it treats every person according to their specific needs. Two people with allergies would rarely be treated with the exact same point prescription,” Melanie says. “The points that I choose depend largely on my overall assessment of the patient’s needs on the day he or she is treated; this can also vary widely from treatment to treatment, even if the patient comes in with similar complaints each time.”

Melanie treated a neighbor, whose specific issues included hives and itchiness as a result of allergies, as well as anxiety and occasional insomnia. We asked her to explain the benefits of acupuncture, as well as her point selection process for this particular patient.

Although the complete point selection varies depending on patient and visit, Melanie offered some insight as to common points she uses to treat allergies:

• Large Intestine 20– this point is on the face, around the bottom part of the nose: it clears congestion, reduces sneezing and runny nose, and treats swelling and itching of the face.
• Bitong– This point is also located on the face above Large Intestine 20; it also treats runny nose and nasal congestion. Often times, I will connect the two points by threading the needle under the skin.
• Liver 3– this point is located on the top of the foot, but the Liver (in Chinese medicine) is connected to the eyes, so it can help with red and itchy eyes. The Liver meridian travels all the way to the top of the head, so this point can also be useful in treating headaches.
• Large Intestine 4– this point is located on the back of the hand between the thumb and forefinger, and it is regulates the faces, eyes, and nose. For this reason, it is also good for nasal congestion and redness of the eyes.

As well as points more specific to our particular neighbor’s condition:

• Ear points: points on the ear can be very effective because they are so close to the brain. The ear is mapped out like an upside down human body, and there are specific areas for different organs and conditions. For this patient, I used the allergy point, the point to balance the autonomic nervous system, and the point that is commonly used for helping people to relax (Shen Men).
• I also used a point in the center of her forehead called Taiyang to help her relax.
• Spleen 10– this point is used to help cool heat in the blood. The hives that this patient experiences are a result of heat building in the blood (according to Chinese theory), so Spleen 10 is perfect for this.
• Gall Bladder 31– this point is great for skin diseases that occur suddenly and are very itchy–perfect for her hives.
• Heart 7– This is the source point for the Heart, and had multiple purposes for this patient. It addressed the heat and the itchiness that are associated with her hives, and also addressed the insomnia that she sometimes experiences.

This year is supposed to be an especially-excruciating one for allergy sufferers, but our neighbor says her allergies are not a problem after the treatment (although she admits to taking other allergy medicine as well). She says she has had no trouble sleeping, and has been generally much calmer.

Acupuncture is a compelling alternative to allergy pills and similar treatments, Melanie says, because it acts as a sort of reset button for your body, working with what you’ve already got instead of using foreign substances as a crutch.

If you’re interested in learning more about treatment for allergies or other ailments, visit the Karuna Acupuncture website or call 718-219-6053.

Top photo via Karuna Acupuncture