Allergies are an overreaction of the body's immune system to specific substances that it misidentifies as harmful. This overreaction of the body's immune system is known as an allergic reaction and the substances that cause it are called allergens. Allergic reactions manifest themselves in the form of commonly seen skin and respiratory disorders such as eczema, hives, hay fever, asthma and food allergies. In Ayurveda, allergy treatment is done by first diagnosing the individual root-cause of every patient.
Ayurveda regards allergy as a disorder caused by impaired digestion, which is why preliminary symptoms may include indigestion, constipation or diarrhoea. This dysfunction in the digestive process is the cause of the hypersensitivity to certain substances, such as dust and pollen that triggers the allergic attacks. Deposits of ama (toxins in the form of mucus) in the lungs and respiratory tract create obstruction in breathing and cause wheezing, coughing or sneezing.
Each time a person comes in contact with an allergen, the doshas are imbalanced, and toxins are released according to the imbalanced Doshas, leading to specific symptoms. For example, if Pitta Dosha is imbalanced, it releases specific heating toxins that accumulate in deep tissues like Rasa (nutrient plasma), Rakta, (blood), Mamsa (muscles) and Lasika (lymphatic). These toxins cause contamination of deeper tissues leading to a host of symptoms of various skin allergies. If Kapha is imbalanced, it gets accumulated in the respiratory channels, causing blockage and respiratory allergies.
Ayurvedic allergy treatment focuses on pacifying the imbalanced dosha, restoring digestion with herbal preparations, and advising supporting diet and lifestyle changes. Ayurvedic tonics are also administered to build up the strength of the lungs.
