Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a clinically common non-infectious disease characterised by inflammation of the nasal mucosa1. It is a global health concern, affecting up to 40% of the population worldwide2. The aetiology of AR is associated with environmental and genetic factors, although its exact cause and pathogenesis have not yet been fully understood.
Typical symptoms of AR include nasal congestion, runny nose, decreased nasal ventilation, and nasal itching, which can considerably affect patients' respiratory function and daily life, including sleep disturbances and daytime fatigue3. In severe cases, AR may lead to insomnia, headache, dizziness, inattention, and cognitive decline, greatly compromising patients' physical health and quality of life. Additionally, it often coexists with comorbidities such as asthma, sinusitis, and otitis media, further emphasising the need for effective management strategies4.
Early intervention is crucial to control the progression of nasal damage and reduce the risk of a poor prognosis5. In Western medicine, allergen-specific immunotherapy, often combined with relevant anti-inflammatory drugs, is the primary prescription for AR treatment. This regimen can effectively control hypersensitivity reactions, reduce inflammatory factors, and improve rhinitis symptoms triggered by AR. Pharmacological treatments typically include antihistamines, intranasal corticosteroids, and leukotriene receptor antagonists6. Nevertheless, Western medicine shows limited efficacy and poor outcomes in treating AR in some patients7, highlighting the urgent need to optimise and improve AR treatment protocols.
In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown remarkable achievements in many fields, including the treatment of COVID-19, chronic pain, and others8,9. At the same time, TCM has a long history in treating AR, with a holistic approach that considers the overall balance of the body. Traditional Chinese medicine formulas are compound prescriptions considered highly effective in AR treatment10,11. These formulas often aim to tackle the root cause of the disease, not just the symptoms, by regulating the body's internal environment and strengthening its resistance to external pathogens. For instance, the Bimin Formula (BMF), consisting of Buzhong Yiqi Decoction and Yupingfeng Powder, is one of the most commonly used TCM formulas for AR12.
External TCM therapies, such as acupoint application and Gua Sha, have shown favourable therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of AR13,14. For acupoint application, a classic formula comprising Xixin (Asarum sieboldii), Ganjiang (Zingiber officinale), Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia divaricata), and Baijiezi (Sinapis alba) in a 1:1:1:2 ratio is used. Each 3 g dose, ground into powder and mixed with warm vinegar to form a 0.5 cm thick paste, is applied to acupoints like Yingxiang (LI20), Bishu (BL12), and Feishu (BL13) once daily for 4-6 h (2-3 h for sensitive skin), with a 10-day course followed by a 3-day interval. Gua Sha, performed with a 5-8 cm buffalo horn scraper and sesame oil, targets the Bladder Meridian from Dazhui (GV14) to Feishu (BL13) and the Large Intestine Meridian from Hegu (LI4) to Quchi (LI11) once every 3 days for 10-15 min until mild redness appears. These therapies promote the flow of qi and blood by stimulating specific points on the body, thereby alleviating AR symptoms. Acupuncture, another TCM modality, has also been shown in several studies to effectively reduce AR symptoms and improve quality of life15. It involves 0.25 mm × 25 mm filiform needles inserted obliquely into Yingxiang (LI20) (0.3-0.5 cun) and perpendicularly into points like Bitong, Hegu (LI4), Lieque (LU7), and Fengmen (BL12) (0.5-1 cun) to induce deqi, retained for 20-30 min; treatments are administered once every other day (twice weekly for moderate-severe cases) over 10-session courses.
The integration of TCM and Western medicine in the treatment of AR has gained increasing attention in recent years. Integrated medicine can maximize the advantages of the collaborative mechanisms of the two medical systems. From the perspectives of immunity and inflammation, Western medicine uses antihistamines or hormones to block IgE-mediated allergic reactions16. Traditional Chinese medicine focuses on overall conditioning; for example, Yupingfeng San regulates the body's immunity and corrects the Th1/Th2 imbalance3. The combination of the two approaches can not only provide rapid symptom relief but also improve the body's overall condition and enhance the therapeutic effect. This integrated method, therefore, offers a more comprehensive and effective treatment option for patients with AR. Moreover, some studies suggest that integrated treatment may lead to better symptom control and fewer side effects than Western medicine alone17.
However, despite the promising results of individual studies, the clinical evidence is mainly based on small-sample, short-term studies and needs to be verified by multi-centre randomised controlled trials (RCTs). The standards for integrating TCM and Western medicine in nursing practice are not unified, research on biological mechanisms is limited, and there remains a need for more rigorous, large-scale clinical trials to establish the efficacy and safety of integrated TCM and Western medicine approaches for AR. Additionally, the mechanisms underlying the effects of TCM treatments on AR are not fully understood, necessitating further research in this area.
This study adopted a large sample data (enrolling 120 patients with AR admitted to the study centre between March 2020 and December 2021) analysis to comprehensively evaluate the effect of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment from aspects such as symptom improvement, changes in inflammatory indicators, nasal function, and quality of life, and explored the application potential of traditional Chinese external treatment in the nursing of acute rhinitis.