Spring time!!! And with those lovely cherry blossoms that line the streets with pink, also start a vicious cycle of allergies in many people, that can potentially last from early Spring until the late Fall. What constitutes an allergy? Essentially it's the body's over-reaction or sensitivity to an allergen. Typically in Spring it involves airborne particles from trees and weeds -- pollen. What's really happening? While the body's response is to produce IgE antibodies that attach to white blood cells, when these cells are stimulated they release histamine causing allergic symptoms such as; runny nose, sinus congestion, itchy/watery eyes, and sneezing. Western medicine treats allergies with antihistamines like Benadryl or Chlortriplon or allergy shots by injecting small amounts of an allergen and gradually increasing to desensitize the body's response. While these methods are effective at treating the symptoms, there are also side-effects (drowsiness, urinary retention, dry mouth, blurred vision...etc.) Acupuncture is a natural alternative that works not only to relieve irritating symptoms but also to help build up a tolerance to the allergen. Acupuncture treatments before spring starts, will also help diminish the hypersensitive allergic response and help build-up the body's immune system. 
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