RESEARCH FINDINGS USING GUIDED
IMAGERY FOR
ALLERGIES
AND ALLERGIC REACTIONS
July, 2006
Definition of the Problem
Allergies are one of the
greatest causes of illness and disability in the United
States. As many as 50 million Americans have allergies of
some kind;. the most common allergy is probably hay fever
(“allergic rhinitis”), which affects about 36 million
people (AAAAI, 2006).
There
are many other types of common allergies, including
sensitivity to pets, food, and insect bites, and also
various allergies that can cause rashes or scaly skin. Add
to these the uncommon or atypical allergies that many
people seem to experience, and it’s no wonder that they are
so common. Nearly everyone seems to be allergic to
something.
Having allergies can also make you more prone to other
problems (including asthma, recurring ear infections, and
sinus problems), or they can often make these problems
worse (Settipan, 1999).
Typical allergy symptoms include itching, sneezing, runny
nose, and cough, fatigue, and insomnia. The symptoms are
not only physical, for allergies can even slow down your
thinking.
Any
of these symptoms can significantly affect the quality of
one’s life, and they also can impose significant financial
burdens on employers, their customers, insurers, and the
economy from lost work due to increased sick leave time
(Klein, Ziering et al, 1985; Settipan, 1999).
Scope
and Cost of the Problem
Each year, lost productivity due to allergic rhinitis alone
costs the American economy s lose 3 million workdays
because of allergies at an estimated cost to the economy of
$250639 million annually (Smart, 2004). Allergies in
children result in a loss of about 2 million school days
each year.
Hay fever alone Allergies results in about 15.216 million
physician visits per year (NIH Fastats). The cost of
medical tests, medications, and allergy shots for allergies
costs about $2 billion ($2,000,000,000) a year.
When
you add economic costs to medical costs, the numbers are
even larger. For example, the total estimated cost to the
economy for allergic rhinitis alone was $2.7 billion in
1995, exclusive of the additional
costs for associated medical problems such as sinusitis and
asthma (Dykewica and Fineman, 1998).
Medical
Treatment
Standard medical treatment for allergies includes
antihistamines, decongestants, steroids, cromolyn (for
respiratory tract allergies), skin ointments, eye drops,
nasal sprays, and a variety of new medicines called LTRA’s.
Unfortunately, none of these medications can cure
allergies, and many of them can produce significant side
effects or complications. Some, such as antihistamines, may
cause drowsiness. Others, such as decongestants, can raise
blood pressure and heart rate, and others, such as
steroids, can cause many other problems.
Desensitization injections (“allergy shots”) may be helpful
for some people, but they are expensive and require
frequent clinic visits (Ivker, 1995).6
Complementary
Treatment Including Imagery and Self-Hypnosis
The causes of allergies are thought to include heredity
factors, past and present environmental exposure, and
stress (Ivker, 1995).6 Anxiety is also strongly linked
with many kinds of allergies, especially rhinitis and
dermatitis (Addolorato, Ancona et al, 1999; Czubalski and
Zawisza, 1976; Michel, 1994; Weir and Stephens,
1976).7-10
Anti-anxiety programs using relaxation and guided imagery
have been used with great success in allergic dermatitis
(Klein, Ziering et al, 1985; Shertzer and Lookingbill,
1987; Stewart and Thomas, 1995).11-13 These methods have not been
studied as much in allergic rhinitis (AR). This may be
because results are harder to measure in AR than they are
in dermatitis.
When one researcher taught self-hypnosis to a group of
patients with a variety of allergies, 76% said they felt
better, and 86% reduced their medication usage. They
continued to show improvement when they were examined for
follow-up two years later (Madrid, Rostel et al,
1995).14 Patients taught self-hypnosis
showed significant improvements in their hay fever symptoms
(Langewitz, Izakovic et al, 2005).
A review of hypnosis in allergic subjects illustrated how
relaxation, imagination, and concentration can change the
immune system’s response to an allergen (Wyler-Harper,
Bircher et al 1994).
Since allergies are usually mediated by the immune system,
anything that affects the immune system can affect
allergies, as well. Research in psychoneuroimmunology has
demonstrated that psychological interventions, including
relaxation and guided imagery, tend to “calm down” the
immune system (Kiecolt-Glaser, Malarkey et al, 1993;
Pennebaker, Kiecolt-Glaser, 1988; Zachariae, Kristensen et
al, 199015-17, and a calmer immune system
appears to be beneficial for many allergic reactions.
Thorough cleaning and effective ventilation to reduce
allergens, avoiding allergy triggers, regular relaxation,
exercise and healthier eating (Ivker,
1995)6 can also help to reduce or
eliminate some types of allergies.
Conclusion
Research available to date supports the conclusion that
guided imagery can people help cope with allergies, and
reduce allergy symptoms, office visits, and medication
usage in many cases.
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