SAAT protocol hub · Certified provider
SAAT Treatment in Clearwater, FL: SAAT Acupuncture for Allergies
Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment (SAAT) at our Clearwater clinic — 3001 Executive Drive, Suite 150, Clearwater, FL 33762, central to Pinellas County and Tampa Bay. How the single retained ear needle is placed, what the three-week retention period involves, who it suits, and how it differs from ear seeds and NAET. Call 727-490-6060.
A calm, coordinated approach
SAAT (Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment) is a specific auricular acupuncture protocol developed by Dr. Nader Soliman for allergen-driven conditions. A single needle is placed at a condition-specific ear point and retained for approximately three weeks while the nervous system re-regulates the reactivity behind the allergic response.
Dr. Kim Windschauer, AP is a certified SAAT provider at Acupuncture of West Florida in Clearwater. Patients travel from across Tampa Bay, Florida, and the Southeast for the protocol — most commonly for Alpha-Gal syndrome after a Lone Star tick bite, and for Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.
SAAT is not ear seeds, NAET, or standard auricular acupuncture. It is a trained, certified technique with its own point mapping, retention protocol, and follow-up structure.
If you are searching for SAAT acupuncture for allergies, or for Alpha-Gal syndrome treatment beyond avoidance and antihistamines, the first step here is a conversation, not a needle. Dr. Kim reviews your testing, reaction history, and current medications, tells you plainly whether she thinks the protocol fits, and coordinates with your allergist or physician. Continue your avoidance plan and carry prescribed emergency medication unless your medical team says otherwise.
What we treat
Presentations the SAAT protocol is used for
- Delayed reactions three to six hours after eating red meat or mammal products
- Hives, flushing, GI distress, or near-anaphylaxis with no obvious trigger
- Reactions to fragrance, temperature, exercise, or stress
- A positive Alpha-Gal IgE panel after a tick bite
- Escalating antihistamine use without lasting relief
- An ever-shrinking list of foods you feel safe eating
Why us
Why the certification matters
- Certified SAAT provider trained through the Soliman institute.
- Honest candidacy review before you commit or travel.
- Flat-fee protocol including retention-period check-ins and reassessment.
- Coordinated with your allergist, immunologist, or primary physician.
- Clearwater clinic serving all of Tampa Bay and out-of-state patients.
Our approach
The four stages of the SAAT protocol
Consultation
A call to review your history, testing, and whether SAAT is a realistic fit.
Intake and assessment
Full review of trigger history, labs, medications, and comorbidities before any needle is placed.
SAAT placement
A single auricular needle at the condition-specific point, retained for approximately three weeks.
Retention follow-up
Phone and email check-ins during retention, then reassessment to track real-world reaction changes.
The research
Evidence & guidelines
SAAT was developed by Dr. Nader Soliman and is used clinically for allergen-driven and mast-cell-driven presentations. Reported outcomes in Alpha-Gal patients have been encouraging, though responses vary and SAAT is used alongside — not instead of — the care directed by your physician. Continue avoidance measures and carry prescribed emergency medication until your medical team advises otherwise.
Areas we serve
Serving West Florida
Patients travel to our Clearwater clinic from across Pinellas County and the Tampa Bay region, including:
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is SAAT?+
SAAT stands for Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment. It is a single-needle auricular acupuncture protocol developed by Dr. Nader Soliman, in which one precisely placed needle is retained in the ear for approximately three weeks. During retention, the nervous system re-regulates the immune reactivity driving the allergic response.
What conditions is SAAT used for?+
SAAT is used for allergen-driven and mast-cell-driven conditions. The most common at our Clearwater clinic are Alpha-Gal syndrome (the tick-borne red-meat allergy) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). It has also been used for environmental and food allergen sensitivities.
Is SAAT the same as ear seeds, NAET, or regular auricular acupuncture?+
No. SAAT uses a specific point map and a retained needle, and certification requires direct training with the Soliman institute. Ear seeds, NAET, and general auricular acupuncture are different techniques with different protocols and outcomes.
Is Dr. Kim SAAT certified?+
Yes. Dr. Kim Windschauer, AP is a certified SAAT provider — one of a small number in the state of Florida — and also a Certified Neuropuncturist®.
How many SAAT treatments will I need?+
SAAT is a single-treatment protocol with an approximately three-week retention period, followed by structured check-ins. Most patients do not need a repeat treatment; candidacy and expectations are reviewed honestly at your consult.
Does SAAT hurt, and what is the retention period like?+
Placement takes only a few minutes and most patients describe brief pressure rather than pain. The retained needle is small and covered; you can shower and go about normal activity. We ask you to avoid manipulating the ear and to report any irritation.
How much does SAAT cost and do you take insurance?+
SAAT is a flat-fee protocol that includes the treatment, retention-period check-ins, and reassessment. We are a self-pay practice and provide a superbill you may submit for out-of-network reimbursement. HSA/FSA cards are accepted. Call 727-490-6060 for current pricing.
Can SAAT acupuncture help with allergies?+
SAAT is used for allergen-driven reactivity — food allergens, environmental allergens, and mast-cell-driven symptoms. The protocol targets one allergen family at a time, so your consult identifies which trigger to address first. Responses vary from person to person, and SAAT is used alongside the care your physician directs, not instead of it. Keep your avoidance plan and prescribed emergency medication until your medical team advises otherwise.
What are the treatment options for Alpha-Gal syndrome?+
Conventional management of Alpha-Gal syndrome is avoidance of mammal meat and mammal-derived products, antihistamines, and carrying prescribed emergency medication. There is no medication that removes the sensitivity. SAAT is used by some Alpha-Gal patients as a complementary protocol aimed at the reactivity itself; Dr. Kim reviews your IgE panel and reaction history and will tell you honestly if she does not think you are a good candidate.
How far do patients travel for SAAT in Florida?+
Patients come to the Clearwater clinic from across Tampa Bay — St. Petersburg, Largo, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Tampa — and from elsewhere in Florida and the Southeast, because certified SAAT providers are uncommon. Out-of-town patients are scheduled so placement and the initial check-in fit one trip, with the rest of the retention period handled by phone and email.
Where is SAAT treatment offered in Clearwater?+
SAAT is performed at Acupuncture of West Florida, 3001 Executive Drive, Suite 150, Clearwater, FL 33762, just off Ulmerton Road in the Gateway area of Pinellas County, with free parking at the door. Appointments are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Call 727-490-6060 to check SAAT availability.
Do you treat patients from across Pinellas County?+
Yes. The clinic is central to Pinellas County, so SAAT patients come from Clearwater, Largo, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, Oldsmar, Seminole, Tarpon Springs and St. Petersburg, as well as Tampa and the wider Tampa Bay area. Most are within a 20 to 30 minute drive.
Request an appointment
Send your details and we'll call you back — usually within 5 minutes during business hours.
Ready to feel better?
Book a consultation with Dr. Kim Windschauer, AP.
Book Consultation 727-490-6060Visit the clinic
3001 Executive Drive, Suite 150
Clearwater, FL 33762
Mon–Fri · By appointment
Your next step
What happens when you reach out
Red meat allergy after a tick bite
If a Lone Star tick bite left you reacting hours after eating mammal meat or mammal-derived products, the Alpha-Gal page covers how SAAT is used for that specific allergen, what the retention period looks like, and how food is reintroduced afterwards.
SAAT for Alpha-Gal syndromeMast cell activation symptoms
If flushing, hives, GI reactions and an ever-shrinking list of safe foods point to mast cell activation rather than one allergen, the MCAS page explains how the protocol differs and how it is coordinated with your MCAS physician and medications.
SAAT for MCASStart with the consultation
You do not need a diagnosis to call. Dr. Kim reviews your testing, reaction history and medications, and tells you plainly whether she thinks SAAT fits before you book a treatment or travel.
Call 727-490-6060Related reading
SAAT
SAAT in Clearwater: How the Single-Needle Allergy Approach Works
SAAT uses a single tiny ear needle left in place for weeks. Here's what that actually involves at our Clearwater clinic, in plain language.
Read the articleSAAT
Alpha-Gal and Mast Cell Reactions in Tampa Bay: What SAAT Care Involves
Tick-borne alpha-gal syndrome and mast cell reactivity are exhausting to live with in Florida. Here's what SAAT care at our Clearwater clinic involves.
Read the articleSAAT
Seasonal Allergies in Clearwater: What Actually Helps, and Where Acupuncture Fits
Oak in February, grass through summer, ragweed into November — Pinellas barely gets an off-season. Here's what helps, and what acupuncture can and can't do.
Read the articleStart with a free consultation
How your first visit works
No obligation and nothing to pay to talk with Dr. Kim first — in person at our Clearwater clinic or over the phone.
1. Tell us what's going on
Send the form or call 727-490-6060. We'll ask a few questions about your symptoms and history.
2. Free consultation
Talk with Dr. Kim in person or by phone — your choice, at no charge. She'll tell you honestly whether acupuncture can help.
3. Your first treatment
Only if it's a good fit. You'll know the plan, the number of visits and the cost before you book.
Ready to feel better — naturally?
Start with a free consultation — in person or by phone — with Dr. Kim Windschauer, AP. We'll listen to what's going on and tell you honestly whether acupuncture can help.
The short answer
How does SAAT work?
One very small needle is placed at a point on the ear chosen for the specific allergen you react to. It stays there for about three weeks under a small covering, then comes out. That continuous, very low-level input — rather than a single session — is what the method relies on. SAAT addresses one allergen at a time, so the plan depends on which reaction affects your life most.
- 1
The allergen is identified
Dr. Kim reviews your testing, your reaction history and what you currently take, then decides with you which single trigger to address first.
- 2
One needle is placed and left in
Placement takes a few minutes and most people describe brief pressure rather than pain. The needle is smaller than a standard acupuncture needle and sits under a small adhesive covering you will barely notice by the next day.
- 3
Three weeks of retention, then review
You carry on normally — showering, working, exercising — while we check in by phone and email. The needle then comes out and you and Dr. Kim look at what actually changed in daily life.
What SAAT is not: it is not ear seeds, not NAET, and not standard ear acupuncture. It uses its own point mapping and requires direct certification. It is also not a cure, and it does not replace your allergist's plan — keep your avoidance plan and any prescribed emergency medication unless your physician says otherwise.
Not sure whether you are a candidate? Call 727-490-6060 or ask Dr. Kim below — the first conversation is free, and the honest answer sometimes is no.
Where SAAT is performed
SAAT in Clearwater, FL — Pinellas County
Acupuncture of West Florida is just off Ulmerton Road in the Gateway area, central to Pinellas County and a short drive from Largo, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, Seminole, St. Petersburg and Tampa. Free parking at the door.
People searching for SAAT acupuncture in Clearwater usually come to us with food allergies such as Alpha-Gal (red meat allergy after a tick bite), seasonal and environmental allergies, or mast cell symptoms. Dr. Kim is a certified SAAT provider and reviews each allergy one at a time before recommending treatment — so you know what to expect before anything is booked. See everything we offer on our Clearwater acupuncture page.
3001 Executive Drive, Suite 150, Clearwater, FL 33762
Monday–Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm · Saturday & Sunday, closed
Book a SAAT consultation
Ask Dr. Kim whether SAAT fits your allergy
Send your details and Dr. Kim's team calls you back — usually within 5 minutes during business hours. We'll review your allergy history, answer candidacy questions for Alpha-Gal and MCAS, and only book a treatment if SAAT is a sensible fit.
- Certified SAAT provider — a single ear needle, retained about three weeks.
- Alpha-Gal, MCAS and environmental allergies reviewed individually.
- Works alongside your physician's care — we never ask you to stop medication.
- Prefer to talk now? Call 727-490-6060.
Request a SAAT consultation
Send your details and we'll call you back — usually within 5 minutes during business hours.
Related reading
SAAT
SAAT in Clearwater: How the Single-Needle Allergy Approach Works
SAAT uses a single tiny ear needle left in place for weeks. Here's what that actually involves at our Clearwater clinic, in plain language.
Read the articleSAAT
Alpha-Gal and Mast Cell Reactions in Tampa Bay: What SAAT Care Involves
Tick-borne alpha-gal syndrome and mast cell reactivity are exhausting to live with in Florida. Here's what SAAT care at our Clearwater clinic involves.
Read the articleSAAT
Seasonal Allergies in Clearwater: What Actually Helps, and Where Acupuncture Fits
Oak in February, grass through summer, ragweed into November — Pinellas barely gets an off-season. Here's what helps, and what acupuncture can and can't do.
Read the articleStart with a free consultation
How your first visit works
No obligation and nothing to pay to talk with Dr. Kim first — in person at our Clearwater clinic or over the phone.
1. Tell us what's going on
Send the form or call 727-490-6060. We'll ask a few questions about your symptoms and history.
2. Free consultation
Talk with Dr. Kim in person or by phone — your choice, at no charge. She'll tell you honestly whether acupuncture can help.
3. Your first treatment
Only if it's a good fit. You'll know the plan, the number of visits and the cost before you book.
Find out if SAAT is right for you
Book a consultation with Dr. Kim. Honest answer before you book a treatment.