How Acupuncture Can Help Prevent the Flu This Season

It’s the time of year that’s come to be known as “flu season”, but this year the illness is particularly rampant. Currently across the world, more and more people are being contracted with the virus and the effects have been stronger than usual. Making matters more difficult is that this year’s flu vaccine has proven to be less effective against the current strains of the illness than usual.

While getting a flu shot is still a crucial part of prevention, there are other ways for people to stay healthy this season and beyond. Many more folks are tuning additionally to holistic treatments, with great success. One particular treatment, of course—acupuncture.

"There's some really good acupuncture in different areas of the body that help boost your immune system," Texas-based Acupuncturist Adrienne Ortega said. In the goal of preventing the flu, acupuncture needles are placed on the head, ears and stomach area.

However, for those who have already been infected, prevention tactics are too little too late. Thankfully, acupuncture is not only a flu prevention tool, but is proving to be a successful technique for treating and clearing up some of the flu’s most disruptive and painful symptoms.

"Acupuncture can really clear up the lungs, stop a cough, reduce phlegm, clear up the sinuses and improve nausea," says Dr. April Schulte, Clinic Director for Healing Horizons Integrated Health Solutions in Grand Junction, CO.  

Perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to avoid getting the flu this season. But there’s no vaccine yet for the common cold (we can all hope!), and according to the CDC Americans have a combined one billion colds a year. Acupuncture is also helpful against both preventing and treating the common cold.

“It can drop a fever really fast with the acupuncture and it helps when you have that cough that’s causing pain,” says Bon Linde of Acupuncture and Herbal Therapies of St. Petersburg, FL.

So if you find yourself with some sniffles, or worse, or want to stay free and clear, acupuncture treatment may be the way to go.