Dr. Anthony Gordon is a certified provider of Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment (SAAT) and offers it for two conditions: alpha-gal syndrome and mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). SAAT is not offered for other allergies.
What Is Alpha-Gal Syndrome?
Alpha-gal syndrome is an allergy to a sugar molecule found in most mammal meat and some products made from mammals. It usually begins after a tick bite. Reactions are often delayed by several hours and can include hives, stomach upset, swelling and, in some people, anaphylaxis.
Alpha-Gal Syndrome Symptoms
- Hives and itching
- Swelling of lips, face, or eyelids
- Gastrointestinal distress
- Difficulty breathing
- In severe cases, anaphylaxis
Understanding MCAS
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) involves repeated episodes of symptoms caused by overactive mast cells, which release too many chemicals into the body.
This complex disorder can affect multiple systems and lead to unpredictable and often debilitating symptoms that affect daily activities.
Common symptoms of MCAS include
Skin reactions like hives and flushing
Gastrointestinal issues
Respiratory problems
Cardiovascular symptoms
Neurological manifestations
Introducing Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment (SAAT)
Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment (SAAT) was developed by Dr. Nader Soliman, MD. It uses one very fine needle placed at a precise point on the ear while you hold a sample of the trigger. The needle stays in place for about three weeks under a small cover.
Dr. Gordon adds a polarity reset and a high-precision point finder to the standard protocol, so the point is graded and confirmed before the needle is placed.
What to Expect
Here is what a course of SAAT looks like.
Your First Visit
Your first visit takes about 60 minutes: your history, an ear exam, point finding and placement of the needle.
Single Needle Treatment
After the auricular points are located, a single, ultra-fine acupuncture needle is inserted into the ear. This needle is carefully placed at the identified point and remains in the ear for about three weeks under a small cover.
Most patients need one or two treatments.
Safety
SAAT does not replace your allergist’s care. Keep carrying your epinephrine. Any reintroduction of trigger foods is planned with Dr. Gordon and your allergist, never on your own.
If you have had anaphylaxis in the past, you follow a different, slower plan.
Your Follow Up
About three weeks later, the needle is removed and Dr. Gordon plans the next step with you.
What to Know About SAAT
The one published SAAT study (Bernal and colleagues, Medical Acupuncture, 2021) followed 137 alpha-gal patients. Most reported remission after one treatment when they reintroduced trigger foods at home. The results were patient-reported, there was no comparison group, and the mechanism is not known. SAAT has not been studied in MCAS, so Dr. Gordon describes MCAS results only from his own clinical experience. Individual results vary.
A single, very fine needle is placed at one confirmed point on the ear and stays in place for about three weeks.
SAAT does not use drugs. It works alongside your allergist's care, not in place of it.
Dr. Gordon offers SAAT for alpha-gal syndrome and MCAS. It is not offered for other allergies.
Most patients need one or two treatments. Individual results vary.
Questions About SAAT?
Book a visit online to ask Dr. Gordon whether SAAT fits your situation.
