Aa-choo! Alternatives to Allergy Medication

Answer 1

If you're like me, spring, summer and fall can all wreck havoc with my Allergies. Asthma affects more than 20 million Americans (approximately 1 in 15), and over 50% of asthma cases are related to allergies. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America explains that, combined, more than 60 million Americans suffer from asthma or allergies.

As a kid, I remember going through week after week of allergy shots and how miserable it was. As my own children have grown, allergy shots are less common, but putting kids on long-term prescription drugs for allergies is growing. I hesitated when my pediatrician handed me a script for my kids, but what could I say - they were miserable?

For those of us who don't love long-term use of prescription medications, what are we supposed to do? I've been reading about the work of Drs. Kristina and Eric Lewis in electrodermal screening to identify allergens and desensitize patients to them. They report that although, a fairly uncommon treatment, it has excellent results.

Electrodermal Screening? How did I miss that? In case I'm not the only one who hadn't heard of it, let me fill you in. Electrodermal screening is based on the concept that slight changes in the electrical impedance of a person's skin occurs when an allergen is placed on an electrical circuit.

Here's what happens: the patient holds an electrode connected by circuit to a probe held by the examiner. The examiner places an allergen in a holder on the circuit and then touches the probe to an acupuncture point on the patient's skin. The greater the sensitivity of the patient to the allergen, the higher the reading on the galvanometer. The test is usually repeated using an array of foods and environmental substances.

Be a wise consumer and do your own research. As with many forms of conventional and alternative medicine, there are differing opinions about the process.