Allergic Rhinitis

Risk Factors

Family history of allergic rhinitis or other allergies, age <20 years, Western lifestyle

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Megavitamin Therapy (Multivitamin, Vitamin Supplements) [1, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]:

Please Note that while supplements are effective in correcting deficiencies in the body, their long-term usage is not helpful in preventing diseases like cancer and heart disease. To prevent these illnesses one should eat the natural foods which these vitamins and minerals come from. Replacing natural sources with artificial supplements actually increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Supplements should be taken only as a balanced multivitamin supplement that contains no more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance. It would be most helpful in people with restricted food intakes, pregnant women and women of childbearing age.

Recommendation: Weakly against. (There is no evidence that Megavitamin therapy can prevent or treat allergies. In fact, long term therapy can lead to increased risk)

Grade of Evidence: moderate quality of evidence

Kampo [1, 8, 9]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Kampo helps in the treatment of allergic rhinitis)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Glyconutrients [1, 6, 7]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation  (Available evidence does not support claims that glyconutrients help to treat allergic reactions. More studies are needed.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Cloves (Caryophyllum Aromaticum, Eugenia Caryophyllata) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation  (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Cloves help to treat allergic rhinitis in any way)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Cats Claw (Uncaria Tomentosa) [1]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recomendation (insufficient evidence to support claims that Cats Claw can help to treat allergic rhinitis)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Neural Therapy:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Neural Therapy in any way helps treat Allergic Rhinitis)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT):

NOT RECOMENDED

Recommendation: strongly against (available evidence shows that HBOT is in no way useful in treating HIV/AIDS, and can have harmful effects. NOT RECOMENDED)

Grade of Evidence: Moderate quality of evidence

Chiropractic:

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Neural Therapy in any way helps treat Allergic Rhinitis)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Neuro-Linguistic Programming:

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Neural Therapy in any way helps treat Allergic Rhinitis)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Acupuncture [16, 17, 18]:

Recommendation: Weakly in favor (Studies show that acupuncture can be a safe and valid treatment option for those with allergic rhinititis)

Grade of Evidence: Moderate quality of evidence

Curcuma Longa (Turmeric):

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that curcuma longa is able to treat allergic rhinititis)

Grade of Evidence: Very low level of evidence

Nasal Irrigation (with warm salty water, pH balanced, containing Sodium Chloride and Sodium Bicarbonate) [19, 20, 21]:

Recommendation: Weakly in favor (Studies show that nasal irrigation can be a safe and valid treatment option for those with allergic rhinititis)

Grade of Evidence: Low quality of evidence

Tanacetum Parthenium (Feverfew):

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that feverfew is able to treat allergic rhinititis)

Grade of Evidence: Very low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. Balch, Phyllis and Balch, James. Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 3rd ed., Avery Publishing, ©2000, pg. 94.

3. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, Third Edition by Dan Bensky, Steven Clavey, Erich Stoger, and Andrew Gamble 2004

4. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/cloves

5. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-clove.html

6. http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=3228488

7. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/glyconutrients

8. Shibata, Yoshiharu and Jean Wu. "Kampo Treatment for Climacteric Disorders: A Handbook for Practitioners." Paradigm Publications, 1997

9. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/kampo

10. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/orthomolecular-medicine

11. http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/163/2/192.pdf

12. http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/ortho.html

13. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/72/5/707

14. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/no-index/about-ama/13638.shtml

15. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17327526

16. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25590322

17. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2007/187/6/acupuncture-persistent-allergic-rhinitis-randomised-sham-controlled-trial

18. http://www.medicinetoday.com.au/2011/november/article/allergic-rhinitis-acupuncture-effective-treatment

19. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18593081

20. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3904042/

21. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10892694