According to the 2021 National Health Interview Survey conducted by the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), 31.8% of U.S. adults have seasonal allergies, eczema, or food allergies, with 25.7% having seasonal allergies, 7.3% having eczema, and 6.2% having food allergies. Among children, 27.2% have one or more allergic conditions, with seasonal allergies accounting for 18.9%, eczema for 10.8%, and food allergies for 5.8%. In the United States, an average of 45,000 to 50,000 emergency department visits occur each year due to anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction). From 2008 to 2016, the number of emergency department visits due to anaphylaxis more than doubled.
Common allergy treatments include antihistamines, steroids, and allergen immunotherapy (injections or sublingual tablets). Although this treatment has been proven effective, side effects may occur depending on the individual’s constitution, and it is not uncommon for patients to need to continue treatment for an extended period. For these reasons, some people are interested in natural and alternative therapies.
Well-known methods include herbs such as quercetin and stinging nettle; ingredients such as perilla leaf extract and astragalus; and diets believed to have anti-inflammatory effects. However, many are still in the research stage, and herbs can also interact with medications and cause side effects. In addition, methods such as acupuncture, intranasal light therapy, and hypnotherapy are also used. Among these, “Soliman Auricular Allergy Therapy (SAAT)” has recently been gaining attention in the United States.
SAAT is an auricular acupuncture therapy developed by Dr. Nader Soliman, a U.S. physician (board-certified in both anesthesiology and medical acupuncture), based on auricular therapy systematized by French neurologist Paul Nogier. While allergy treatment using ear acupressure is not uncommon, even though SAAT is also a “treatment that uses acupuncture on the ear”, SAAT differs significantly in its approach and procedures. In a nutshell, while general ear acupressure aims to restore balance throughout the body and alleviate symptoms, SAAT claims to eliminate the reaction to specific allergens itself.
In ear acupressure therapy in general, the ear is viewed as a “microcosm of the entire body,” and stimulating the ear’s acupressure points is believed to help regulate the autonomic nervous system and suppress excessive immune responses. This method is often described as a way to help alleviate painful symptoms rather than as a quick fix. On the other hand, proponents of SAAT claim that after treatment, patients become tolerant to environmental allergens such as pollen and can once again consume foods and medications that previously caused allergic reactions, and that these effects last for many years. The scope is not limited to environmental allergies; it also includes food and drug allergies, as well as “Alpha-gal syndrome,” a skin allergy caused by ticks.
In addition, the acupuncture points used are different. In standard ear acupressure treatments, specific acupressure points are selected based on the symptoms. For pollen allergy, use the “inner nose” point for nasal congestion and a runny nose, the “Sprint Gate” point to regulate the autonomic nervous system, and the “Eye” point for itchy eyes, and so on. However, SAAT involves identifying an allergy zone (SAZ) within the micro-system of the ear (a map that views the ear as a microcosm of the entire body) and locating and treating the reaction points in the area of the ear that corresponds to the liver. Furthermore, it is said that by detecting reaction points in this liver projection area, it is possible to identify the specific substance causing the allergic reaction.
Moreover, the treatment methods differ. In the SAAT method, a single, extremely fine needle, about 3 mm long, is inserted subcutaneously for each allergen, taking care not to damage the cartilage. The needle is then secured with tape and left in place for about three weeks. During these three weeks, the patient avoids that allergen. Some clinics treat 1 to 3 types of allergens in a single session. In standard ear acupressure treatments, pressure is typically applied using fingers or cotton swabs, and ear acupressure patches or round acupuncture needles are used; it is common to visit the clinic several times during the period when symptoms occur.
Donald Lieber, a chiropractor and acupuncturist who treats allergies using SAAT, explains that SAAT neither suppresses symptoms with medication nor desensitizes the body to allergens; rather, it regulates the body’s electrical communication to prevent the immune system from making incorrect judgments.
If you’ve been struggling with allergies for many years and are considering trying alternative therapies, why not discuss this as one of your options with your doctor? Here is a list of practitioners offering SAAT in the United States.
Reference:
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275199928_A_Comparison_Study_of_the_Effectiveness_of_SAAT_Soliman’s_Auricular_Allergy_Treatment_Approach_and_Nogier’s_Allergy_Treatment_Technique
- https://mimi-sinq.com/post-481/
- https://liebellclinic.com/
- https://www.wyndly.com/blogs/learn/treat-allergies-without-antihistamines
- https://alternativemedicinecenter.info/
- https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/releases/20230126.htm
- https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/alpha-gal-syndrome-and-the-treatment-youve-never-heard-of-6052077
- https://aafa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/aafa-allergy-facts-and-figures.pdf
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8729907/
