Acupuncture in allergic rhinitis: A Mini-Review

Acupuncture is a therapy method known for millennia with apparently polygenetic roots. It is traditionally practiced in East Asian countries. During the recent fifty years, it has found wide applications in Europe as well. Today acupuncture is one of the most important parts of modern complementary medicine. Questions concerning the mechanism of action and efficacy of acupuncture, among others in the treatment of allergic rhinitis, still lead to many scientific discussions. This review summarizes the modern understanding of possible mechanisms of acupuncture as well as it presents the current state of clinical studies relating to the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Further investigations are necessary to confirm acupuncture as an effective therapy of allergic rhinitis.