SAAT, or Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment, offers an effective approach to addressing various allergies.

This treatment method can alleviate sensitivities to various food items, animals, environmental toxins, household allergens, and common allergens found in Nashville, such as pollens, trees, grasses, weeds, and medications. SAAT is also beneficial for managing allergies like the Alpha-Gal allergy and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)..

As you consider when to schedule your session, please keep the following in mind for the 3-4 weeks that the needle(s) are in place:

The site around the SAAT needle needs to be kept dry. We will provide you with a cover to use while bathing, but please schedule your session at a time when you will be able to avoid swimming or other activities when your ears are likely to get wet.

The site around the SAAT needle needs to be kept clean. The tape that is applied over the needle(s) is adequate to keep the site clean for normal wear, but it is best to avoid activities where you will be exposed to more than the usual amount of dirt, grime, and dust as long as the needles are in place.

You will get the best results from SAAT if you avoid the allergenic substance(s) being treated for the 3-4 weeks that the needle(s) are in place. Food allergens should be avoided completely while the needles are in place. Exposure to environmental allergens should be minimized as much as possible. If you have anaphylaxis in response to exposure to your allergies, we require you to maintain your currently prescribed medication protocol (e.g., Benadryl, EpiPen, etc.) even after a successful treatment.

If you have seasonal allergies, it is preferable to schedule SAAT prior to rather than during your usual allergy season.

As noted above, the success of SAAT depends largely on the identification of all substances that provoke symptoms.
If you have already undergone allergy testing, please bring a printed copy of your results to your appointment. The Elimination Diet is the Gold Standard for identifying food allergies.

If you have not already identified your allergies, you will need to schedule testing in our clinic prior to SAAT (testing can be performed on the same day as SAAT needle placement). We will use Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) and Electronically Imprinted Testing Samples (EITS) to identify the substances that may be contributing to your symptoms.

At the beginning of the visit, you will be tested to see if you are allergic to the needle or adhesive. If you show allergy to one or both, treatment for these must happen first before proceeding with the original allergy treatment.
We are currently equipped with the EITS filters to test for over 350 Environmental and Food allergens. If you require treatment for an allergy that we currently do not have, we can obtain it usually in about a week or two.

Legal Disclaimer: Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) and Electronically Imprinted Testing Samples are not diagnostic tests, are not FDA-cleared, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. They are not a substitute for evaluation or testing performed by a licensed physician or allergist. Findings obtained through these methods represent the practitioner’s clinical observations and impressions during the assessment and should be interpreted within the context of the patient’s overall clinical presentation.

Alpha-Gal Syndrome is the so-called ‘red meat’ allergy caused by a tick bite. The Lone Star tick is known to cause sensitivity to a sugar molecule (galactose-α-1,3-galactose) found in most mammals.

Alpha-gal can be found in meats such as pork, beef, rabbit, lamb, and venison as well as products made from mammals (including gelatin, cow’s milk, and milk products).

The alpha-gal carbohydrate is found in the tick’s saliva, which is injected into a person’s skin during the tick’s feeding. In response, the person’s body releases immunoglobulin E antibodies to combat the foreign substance’s presence. Later, the person’s immune system may mount an attack after red meat is eaten and the Alpha-Gal carbohydrate is digested.

Alpha-Gal Syndrome can manifest as hives, swelling, stomach upset, diarrhea, stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, headaches, a drop in blood pressure, and in certain individuals, anaphylaxis. Reactions to eating meat, meat fumes, or food products and cosmetics that contain red meat byproducts may be experienced hours after coming into contact by those suffering from Alpha-Gal Syndrome, making the cause of symptoms difficult to detect.

SAAT has been shown to provide relief from alpha-gal allergy symptoms. You can read more from a study done about its effectiveness for Alpha-Gal here.

Unfortunately insurance does not cover SAAT treatments.  

The needles used for SAAT are extremely small, about 3mm or 1/8″. Most people cannot feel the needle at all once it is in place. 

Dr. William Alexander, DAOM, L.Ac, was trained and certified by Dr. Nader Soliman, MD, the developer of SAAT. He is one of only a few acupuncturists in the Middle Tennessee area who are certified in this treatment method.