Acupuncture for Allergies: Does It Work?

They might be called “seasonal allergies,” but itchy eyes and a runny nose can happen all year round. No matter what time of year they happen, these symptoms can leave you grasping for relief. 

So what can you do if your allergy medicine isn’t working? There are some natural approaches that map help. Acupuncture is one of them.

Can acupuncture help improve seasonal allergies?

It’s possible. Several studies have looked at whether acupuncture can help improve seasonal allergies (also called allergic rhinitis). Most — but not all — studies have shown some improvement in symptoms:

• One review looked at over 2,000 people across several studies. It found that acupuncture was safe and effective for people with allergies. It helped lower symptoms, allergy medication use, and blood markers of inflammation.

• Several smaller studies also show that acupuncture can help relieve allergy symptoms. 

• Another review of several studies found that acupuncture is helpful for both seasonal and year-round allergies. 

But not all research agrees. One review found benefits for only year-round allergies, not seasonal ones. And an older analysis found no relationship at all between acupuncture and allergy relief. 

Still, there’s enough evidence to say that acupuncture may benefit certain people with allergies. This can include people who: 

• Have symptoms that continue even with other treatments

• Can’t take allergy medicine because of side effects

How does acupuncture work to treat allergies?

It’s not fully understood how acupuncture works. 

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine practice. It aims to restore balance in the body’s energy flow, called “qi” (pronounced “chee”). During treatment, very thin needles are inserted into specific points on your body. These points are thought to be connected to one another by pathways called “meridians.” 

Acupuncturists believe meridians are paths where energy flows through the body. Each meridian is connected to a different body system. 

This idea can be hard to study because there’s no clear way to measure energy flow in the body. But research has shown that acupuncture changes levels of certain proteins and hormones in the body linked to inflammation. It may also change the activity of immune cells that also play a role in inflammation.

Some studies compare “real” acupuncture with “sham” acupuncture, which is like placebo acupuncture. Sham acupuncture uses a device that touches the skin but doesn’t fully penetrate it. 

Interestingly, people who receive both real and sham acupuncture report feeling better than people who don’t get acupuncture at all. This suggests the placebo effect may play a role in the benefits of acupuncture.

What to expect from acupuncture

If you’ve never had acupuncture before, you may wonder what it feels like and what to expect. Even though the practice uses thin needles to stimulate pressure points, most people feel little to no pain when the needles are inserted. We go through possible side effects in more detail in the next section.

The acupuncturist places needles in different locations based on your specific symptoms. For allergies, the needles target meridians that are connected to the: 

• Spleen

• Stomach

• Lungs

• Colon

After the needles are inserted, they’re left in place for a variable amount of time — usually about 20 to 30 minutes. During this time, many people report feeling more relaxed or energized.

Side effects of acupuncture

When done correctly, acupuncture is safe. Most people don’t experience any negative side effects. As mentioned earlier, many people can’t even feel the needles. Some people may feel pain where the needles puncture the skin. Research suggests this is less likely to happen with experienced acupuncturists.

When side effects do happen, you many notice the following symptoms where the needle is inserted:

• Pain

• Tingling

• Pressure

• Aching

• Numbness

• Bruising or bleeding

These sensations are generally mild and don’t last long.

Other whole-body side effects are possible, but they’re rare. These can include:

• Lightheadedness

• Dizziness

• Fainting

• Nausea or vomiting

Other natural ways to manage allergies

In addition to acupuncture, some people use other safe natural remedies to manage allergies. For many of these remedies, research is limited. More studies in humans are needed. But here’s a brief summary of some options: 

• Nasal irrigation: Irrigating your nose with distilled water may help. It may help remove dust, pollen, and mucus, which may make it easier to breathe and sleep.

• Vitamin D: Some studies have shown that a deficiency in vitamin D may make allergy symptoms worse. But it’s not clear yet whether taking vitamin D supplements helps.

• Butterbur: There’s some evidence that butterbur root or leaf extract may help relieve allergies. But the data isn’t very strong. Butterbur has also been linked to risks like liver damage.

• Black seed (Nigella sativa) oil: Studies suggest black seed oil can improve allergy symptoms when used as a nasal drop or taken by mouth. But note it can also cause skin allergies (rashes) in some people. 

• Spirulina: In one small study, people who took large daily doses (2 g) of spirulina had less runny nose and nasal congestion after 8 weeks. Similar findings were seen in a larger study of people who took the same dose for 6 months.

• Honey: Taking honey daily along with allergy medicine may help allergy symptoms more than taking allergy medicine alone. But another study found that it made no difference in allergy symptoms.

Before starting any vitamins or supplements, talk to your healthcare professional. They can help make sure that the vitamins or supplements are safe and won’t interact with any other medicines you take.

Managing allergies at home

Certain lifestyle changes may help reduce allergy symptoms — especially if they’re caused by allergens in the air like pollen. Here are some examples to try: 

• Wash your hands, change your clothes, and rinse your face after spending time outdoors.

• Shower before going to bed to wash allergens out of your hair.

• Use an air purifier with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to remove dust, pollen, mold, pet dander, and bacteria.

• Wear a mask when gardening or mowing the grass.

• Change your sheets and pillowcases more often. Wash them in hot water to remove any allergens.

• Reschedule outdoor activities around weather and pollen counts.

Many people need more than one approach to manage allergies. This often includes allergy medication. Several types are available, both over-the-counter (OTC) and by prescription. Using allergy medicine along with the above natural methods might be what works best for you.

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Written by:

Cherilyn Davis, MD

Cherilyn Davis, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician in NYC. She's held local and national roles at the American Medical Women's Association, including board member of the physician division and physician chair of social media.

Edited by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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