Allergic Rhinitis (Hayfever): Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine
Allergic Rhinitis
Definition:–
‘allos’; altered
‘ergion’; reactivity
‘rhin’; nose
‘itis’; inflammation
In allergic rhinitis the altered reactivity is to what may be considered innocuous substances like:
1 Human skin cells (the major constituent of house dust), house dust mite plus other dust produced by insect bodies such as flies, midges, blood worms etc.
2 Mould spores are a major problem found inside and outside throughout the year (in a country like UK or NZ). Allergic fungal sinusitis where fungi are to be found in the mucus of the sinus cavities. In 1996, researchers at the Mayo clinic USA found that 96% patients with chronic sinusitis were reacting to the presence of fungi.
3 Presence of animals, proteins from the saliva of cats and dogs found in their fur, but reactivity to any animal (even snakes).
4 Pollens, especially hay fever season, grass, tree pollens, moss, weeds, and some pollen all year.
5 Chemical allergies found at work (occupational allergies) at home (chemical cleaning products etc.)
6 Foods and drinks i.e. high in histamines that produce allergic reactions affecting especially the nose such as red wines, blue cheeses etc.
7 Air pollution, chemical pollutants affect the immune system directly producing allergic reactions. Nitrogen dioxide, i.e. motor traffic exhaust, gas fires and cookers, kerosene stoves. Sulphur dioxide, especially motor traffic exhaust, mechanical cleaning agents i.e. de-rusting agent. Formaldehyde fumes i.e. from chip board, MDF fire board, household furniture, plastic resin wall, floor tiles etc. Air fresheners, aerosols, tobacco smoke etc.
Pharmaceutical treatments: symptomatic treatments:
1 Cromoglycates (mast-cell blockers) to prevent allergic action before it starts.
2 Antihistamines to block allergic reaction to prevent inflammation.
3 Steroids to reduce inflammation and suppress normal immunity.
Solution Treatment
1 Immunotherapy: a series of small injections with increasing concentrations of the allergen to desensitise the patient
2 Or taken as an oral liquid or capsule form.
3 Homeopathy – similar substance in ultra dilute form.
Conventional TCM treatment of allergic rhinitis
Maybe because in TCM, wei qi (understood as the immune system) can only be wei qi xu i.e. immune deficiency, therefore allergies i.e. allergic rhinitis is seen as wei qi and lung qi deficiency which cannot protect itself from the incoming pathogens (external wind). Therefore treatment is comprised of:
1 Expel external pathogenic factor (wind heat/cold)
2 Reinforce wei qi and lung qi
Example of formula:
Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang
Yu Ping Feng San
Cang Er Zi Wan
Huang Qi 9 Bai Zhu 9 Chai Hu 9 Gan Cao 9
Ren Shen 9 Fang Feng 9 Chen Pi 9
Dang Gui 9 Sheng Ma 9 Bo He 9
Xin Yi Hua 9 Cang Er Zi 9 Bai Zhi 15
1 Disperse external wind to stop itching and sneezing: Du 23, Co 20
2 Reinforce wei qi: Co 4, St 36
3 Reinforce lung and spleen qi: Lu 9, Bl 13, Sp 3, Bl 20
Modern Chinese Herbal Medical treatment of allergic rhinitis:
Chai Hu 9 Ren Shen 9 Xin Yi Hua 12
Huang Qin 12 Da Zao 12 Cang Er Zi 9
Ban Xia 9 Gan Cao 6 Bo He 6
+ Bai Qian, Qian Hu = phlegm excess
+ Lu Lu Tong, Mu Dan Pi = Xue Yu
+ Fang Feng, Qin Jiao = Wind Damp
+ Wu Wei Zi, Wu Mei = Excess watery discharge
+ Ling Zhi + increase Da Zao = Lung qi xu
Chai Hu and Huang Qin harmonise Shao Yang
Chai Hu clears external pathogen
Huang Qin drains internal heat toxin
Ban Xia clears accumulation of phlegm
Ren Shen (with Chai Hu as envoy) distributes and replenishes Yuan Qi to the San Jiao
Ren Shen, Da Zao and Gan Cao protects Tai yin (lungs and spleen) from further penetration of pathogenic influence (i.e. allergic rhinitis becoming atopic asthma).
SJ5 and GB41 (Yang Wei Mai) to harmonise Shao Yang
SJ5 dispels wind heat and mobilises wei qi and harmonises shao yang
GB41 harmonises shao yang, transforms damp heat and regulates liver qi, clears eyes; redness and sore itchy eyes.
Co 4 clears wind heat and phlegm damp
St 36 regulates and tonifies spleen and lung qi and wei qi
Co 4 + St 36 harmonise wei qi and ying qi
Co 20 clears nose and dispels external wind
Modern research formula for allergic rhinitis
Chai Hu 9 Cang Er Zi 12 Mu Dan Pi 6
Huang Qin 9 E Bu Shi Cao 9 Wu Mei 9
Bai Qian 9 Ku Shen 12 Wu Wei Zi 6
Ren Shen 6 Fang Feng 9
Gan Cao 6
Modern Chinese research formula based on traditional treatment principles i.e. harmonise shao yang, clear heat, disperse wind, astringe fluids, reinforce qi,
but also this formula is based on specific pharmacological actions of the herbs e.g.
Chai Hu: inhibits the effects of histamine on capillary permeability and other antibody formation. Anti viral and interferon inducement = chronic vial infections. NB one theory of allergies or autoimmune conditions is that past viral infections may lead to incorporation of foreign genetic material into certain cell lines, and thus produces foreign markers on those cells. This chronic viral infection is thus half exterior (external invasion) and half interior (incorporation into body cells) and may be seen as latent heat at the shao yang level. Further incoming foreign material (usually proteins) in the form of moulds, house mite, pollens etc. will trigger a reaction where the body tries to expel the (original) viral attack (producing ‘common cold’ like symptoms).
Huang Qin: inhibits mast cells release of enzymes (allergic reactions). Its flavonoids have a marked anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effect i.e. allergic rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis. Huang Qin also destroys the rhinovirus i.e. the common cold or flu virus that infects the nose and like Chai Hu may remove the original cause (viral infection) and together they harmonise shao yang.
Bai Qian is an immune regulator, anti-allergic for type 1 allergic conditions, immune stress with sudden allergies i.e. allergic rhinitis. It is also a bronchial relaxant and dilator used for atopic asthma, clearing excessive mucus discharge from nose and lungs.
Wu Mei is anti allergic – counters histamine shock, anti-histamine – protein sensitisation. Astringes nasal discharge (when clear and watery) it also dissolves nasal polyps.
NB Herbs that have anti histamine effects do not suppress the body’s natural immunity nor have drowsy side effects.
