Researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare different treatments for persistent moderate-to-severe allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever. They studied 260 patients across multiple centers, testing four approaches: standard allergy medication (loratadine), acupuncture alone, a targeted needling technique called sphenopalatine ganglion needling alone, and a combination of acupuncture plus this targeted needling. All treatments were given for 8 weeks, with symptoms tracked for another 4 weeks afterward.
The main finding was that after 8 weeks, more patients in the combination therapy group (82.5%) and the acupuncture-alone group (71.4%) experienced significant symptom relief compared to those on standard medication (45.3%). The combination therapy also showed the fastest improvement, with benefits noticeable by the second week. The targeted needling technique alone did not show a clear advantage over medication in this study.
It's important to be cautious because the study did not report any safety data, side effects, or reasons why patients might have stopped treatment. We don't know if the treatments caused any discomfort or problems. The results are promising for people seeking non-drug options for allergy relief, but they come from a single study without long-term follow-up. Patients should discuss these findings with their doctor rather than changing their treatment based on this research alone.