GRIFFITH University School of Medicine study is hoping to help hay-fever sufferers with the prick of a needle.
John McDonald, a Southport acupuncturist of 40 years, and his research team are planning to reveal how acupuncture can treat irritating and chronic allergies via changes to the immune system.
Hay fever was more prevalent on the Gold Coast, where the allergy season was up to five times longer than the average two-month period of Melbourne, he said. This was because the Coast's pollen season was longer.
About 15 per cent of Australians suffer from hay fever, commonly caused by grass pollen and dust mite.
Mr McDonald said the figure could be even higher on the Coast and he is calling on 60 locals to participate in the free study.
Runaway Bay man John Black has already taken part in the study and said he had noticed massive improvements in his condition.
''I'm a lot better now and I can do a lot more things now I couldn't do before,'' he said.
''Even just sitting around the house and things that would come through the window would be a problem.''
Mr Black, who has been battling hay fever for 10 years, said he previously used a pack of tissues a day and took antihistimines but now did not use either.
The 24-year-old is part of 72 people aged between 18 and 45 who have already completed the study. Mr McDonald said the findings would be of great importance to allergy specialists throughout the world.
''The information should be able to be used for developing new treatments outside of acupuncture because once you know what needs to be done it's just a question of figuring out how to do it,'' he said.
http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/11/24/272835_gold-coast-news.html
www.awcsandiego.com
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment