Joel - hayfever
Joel is almost 10 years old and first came to Rainy when he was about 7 for treatment for his severe hay fever. His mum Amanda had been treated by Rainy so she had every confidence that Rainy would make a positive difference to Joel’s wellbeing and quality of life. Amanda says “when Rainy mentioned to me that she specialised in treating children I booked Joel in as soon as I could, and Rainy now calls Joel her ‘Star Client’”.
Joel’s hay fever was so acute that the whites of his eyes used to swell up so badly that his pupils looked sunken. From April to September each year, Joel was often confined indoors especially if the grass had been recently mown and he couldn’t enjoy a ‘normal’ life like other children his age.
At the first treatment Amanda says “initially Joel was quite frightened as one would be; however that didn’t last and he now sees Rainy more as a friend. She has such a natural way of making children feel at ease and relaxed; she’s such a warm person.”
Joel himself says “it feels quite calm & relaxing and the needles don’t hurt at all. My sister really wants to have acupuncture even though she doesn’t need it!” He goes on to say “my hay fever is so much better after I’ve seen Rainy and I can even play outside and stroke a cat.”
The treatment has made an unbelievable difference to the whole family’s quality of life. Joel can now play outdoors as long as he likes, even when the grass has been mown. Amanda says “the treatment has completely transformed Joel’s life. Before, he was on daily medication and now he rarely has it at all.”
Amanda’s initial hope was that Rainy’s treatment of Joel would offer him some relief from his severe symptoms but the reality has far exceeded those expectations. She says “Joel’s very calm now and sleeps much more soundly after treatment too. Actually, he’s much calmer generally and so much happier; this is the best Joel’s ever been and I can’t wait to see Rainy again to tell her.”
Hay fever is seen in Chinese Medicine to be caused primarily by a disharmony in the lung energy. Amongst other things the lungs (aided by the kidneys and spleen) are responsible for maintaining the body’s defensive energy called Wei Qi. The Wei Qi is like an invisible force field which circulates around the entire body, moving just below the level of the skin.
If a person is strong and well balanced the force field is powerful enough to repel most pathogens (viruses, bacteria etc) which might try to attack and enter the body. If however the person is weak or out of balance then the Wei Qi can either fail to repel intruders or over react to the presence of harmless intruders. This over reaction is what is seen to occur in extreme cases of hay fever such as Joel’s, giving rise to immune- like responses to harmless pollen grains.
Joel responded well to gentle treatment to strengthen his lung, spleen and kidney energy using points on the feet, ankles, lower legs and wrists. Strengthening these three organs also helped Joel to become less restless and fidgety. As he began to calm down his sleep and his concentration also improved.
Treatment is most successful if it can be done as a preventative measure before the hay fever season gets going. It is however still often very effective in relieving symptoms even during an attack.
back to top |
