From a Western medical point of view, an allergy is an over-reaction by the immune system, but medical scientists are still researching to find the exact cause and nature of allergies.

For the purposes of NAET®, an allergy is defined as a condition of unusual sensitivity of one person to one or more substances which may be harmless to the majority of other individuals. In the allergic person, the allergic substance, known as an allergen, is viewed by the immune system as a threat to the body's well-being.

NAET looks at an allergy holistically, in terms of what a substance does to the energy flow in the body. When contact is made with an allergen, it causes blockages in the energy pathways called meridians, or we can say, it disrupts the normal flow of energy through the body's electrical circuits. This energy blockage causes interference in communication between the brain and body via the nervous system. This blocked energy flow is the first step in a chain of events that can develop into an allergic response. These energy imbalances in the body lead to a diminished state of health in one or more organ systems, and can result in symptoms of an allergic reaction.

There are various western medical tests that can be used to test for allergies. Some of them are the "Intra-dermal test," "patch test," "scratch test," and various other blood tests such as the RAST test and the ELIZA test, which can identify dozens of allergens from one test or from one blood sample. In most cases, patients must have had previous exposures to the allergen to get an accurate result.

Up until recently, there has been no satisfactory method for treating a person's allergies. Desensitization using injections of allergenic substances over a period of months, or even years, has been the standard approach used by medical allergists. This approach is effective in some people for some allergies, but in many it does not do the job, especially with food allergies.

Another standard treatment is using drugs, either antihistamines or drugs like Claritin steroids to control allergic symptoms. Unfortunately, this does not correct the underlying problem, and often has serious long term side effects.

The most effective treatment option until now has been complete avoidance of the offending allergen(s). This can be difficult at best, and impossible in some cases. Now however, there is an alternative.

NAET is a truly revolutionary system for dealing with allergies, one of the most stubborn health problems that people face. NAET is a natural, drugless, painless and non-invasive method that can be used safely on individuals to alleviate the symptoms arising from the allergens.

Allergens are cleared (treated) one at a time with this technique and best results are obtained if allergens are cleared in a specific sequence. Normally only one item is treated on a given day. The substance must then be completely avoided for 25 hours following the treatment. In most cases, that's all it takes: one session to alleviate an allergy. Individuals who are highly sensitive may sometimes require additional combination clearings.

You may need numerous NAET® treatments before you begin to feel better if your condition is serious, you have a poor immune system, or if you have been sick for a long time.

Continuous contact with an allergen produces toxins in the body, causing reactions to occur that are similar to the defense mechanisms that your immune system launches in response to a virus. The struggle to rid the body of the invading virus we recognize as the symptoms of illness, such as fever, coughing, aches, vomiting, fatigue, etc. These are, in fact, signals of the battle that is going on inside the body as it tries to throw off the invading toxins-producing virus. An undiagnosed or undetected allergic condition can produce conditions that are equally problematic.

Many times allergic reactions produce symptoms that mimic other conditions. Respiratory problems, gastrointestinal problems, genito-urinary problems, musculo-skeletal problems (such as unexplained pain in the body), various types of headaches, arthritis, brain fog, and skin problems can all potentially be related to an allergic reaction, if you have not been able to find any other underlying cause.

Some people are able to identify and isolate a specific allergen in order to avoid it, but unfortunately, many people have to deal with an allergen that either cannot be avoided without complete isolation, or it remains undiagnosed, resulting in chronic ailments.

After diagnosis has been completed using kinesiological muscle response testing, a systematic treatment procedure is begun in which the central nervous system is mildly stimulated in the presence of each allergen, using acupressure points along the spine. This stimulates the nerves which convey messages to the brain regarding the allergen, so that the brain may trigger the release of the appropriate substances to be sent to the organs and tissues throughout the body, to mediate the allergic reaction. This helps reprogram the brain with a new message in the presence of the allergen.

Since acupuncture points fall along the body’s energy pathways, or meridians, this method may be used to balance the nervous system to bring the body back to a state of homeostasis. This is done in the presence of a given allergen, so that an allergic reaction will not result upon future contact with that same substance. When this result is obtained, the patient is said to have been "cleared" of his allergy to that substance.

In our experience, if clearance is still effective 24 hours after treatment, it should continue to last for the life of the patient. We have not seen any recurrence of allergies from a successfully treated allergen in 20 years. So we believe it should be for the life of the patient.

Many people inquire if the must adhere to the "25 hour avoidance" of the allergen after the NAET® treatment. While some patients may complete the treatment and clear the allergy sooner, it is still recommended that patients avoid the allergen for 25 hours, so that the treatment has cycled through every body system over the course of a day. In our experience, patients who observe the "25 hour avoidance" receive maximum benefit from the treatment, and clear the allergy faster.

The total length of the treatment program varies greatly from one individual to another, depending upon the number of specific allergies, and the overall intensity of the allergic condition. For best results, just one allergen (or one group of closely related allergens) should be identified and treated per office visit. How many allergies the individual has, and how well they respond to treatment, will determine the results of the treatment. Some people start to notice relief after only 1 or 2 treatments, but some people have a complex case of many different allergies, in which case it may take anywhere from 10 to 40 visits, depending on your condition, to note significant results.