Why Spring Allergy

Spring is here, and many people start to notice familiar allergy symptoms: itchy eyes, sneezing, congestion, or a heavy head.

From a Chinese medicine perspective, these reactions are not seen as isolated problems in the nose or eyes. They are understood as part of a larger pattern involving the Lung and Liver systems and the way the body responds to seasonal change.

Why Do Spring Allergies Occur?

Spring brings unique challenges, particularly for those prone to allergies. Understanding why these symptoms arise requires some foundational knowledge of Chinese medicine.

Basic Concepts

Energy Systems and Organs

In Chinese medicine, an organ system does not only refer to the physical organ itself. For example:

  • The Lung system includes not only the lungs, but also the nose, respiratory function, skin, and more.
  • The Liver system is closely related to the eyes, tendons, and the upward movement of energy in the body.

The Five Elements

Chinese medicine describes nature and the body through five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.

These elements correspond to organs and seasons:

Wood: Liver and Gallbladder (associated with spring)

Metal: Lung and Large Intestine

Earth: Spleen and Stomach

In the context of spring allergies, we pay particular attention to the Wood (Liver) and Metal (Lung) systems, and to how they interact during seasonal change.

How Chinese Medicine Understands Spring Allergy

From this perspective, spring allergy symptoms often reflect:

  • the way the Lung system interacts with the external environment (air, pollen, temperature changes)
  • the way the Liver system moves energy upward and outward in spring
  • how smoothly or abruptly the body adapts to seasonal shifts

When the Liver and Lung systems are not coordinating well, the body may respond to spring with:

  • sneezing and nasal congestion
  • itchy or watery eyes
  • a sense of heaviness in the head or sinuses
  • feeling tired and foggy, especially outdoors or after wind exposure

In the clinic, these ideas are used to understand how your whole system is meeting the season—how the Lung, Liver, digestion, and overall regulation are working together. Spring allergy patterns can vary widely from one person to another, so treatment focuses on the underlying relationships rather than just suppressing symptoms.

Preventative Care

One important idea in Chinese medicine is that you do not necessarily need to wait until spring allergies appear before supporting the body.

By supporting overall balance throughout the year, the body often responds more smoothly to seasonal transitions.

Simple foods such as ginger, garlic, and many white‑coloured foods are traditionally used to help support the Lung system and overall circulation during colder seasons.

(We will talk more about the relationship between food colour and organ systems in a future blog.)

Further Reading

Related Perspectives

About Julia (Ya Zhu Gabriel)--Balance Method Acupuncturist

Now practicing in South Surrey / White Rock and Langley.

I offer an individualized approach to acupuncture rooted in classical Chinese medicine and the Balance Method Acupuncture.

You are welcome to:

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