Sinusitis is a common condition in our practice. The condition can be caused by many pathogen factors which are: a cold, allergies, and a possible infection. In the field of traditional acupuncture medicine, we treat the condition, based on these causative factors.

A cold:

The common cold can cause many symptoms from neck pain, feeling tired, a runny nose, sometimes a fever… When I observe my patients during the initial evaluation, they blow their nose with a lot of pressure or they sniffle. Gentle blowing is perfectly fine, but a strenuous action and sniffling can potentially cause irritation within the sinus cavities. Further action can also cause ear infection. Everything is connected in our body.

Allergies:

They are many types of allergies that could cause sinusitis. The most common is allergies to pollen and other allergens that are carried in the air. Certain types of food could cause the same symptoms, but it is a little more difficult to discover which one is responsible. Dairies and food, containing glutens,could increase the filling of the sinuses with phlegm consequently causing congestion and pressure within the cavities. In traditional acupuncture medicine, it has been studied that if something is not processed well by the digestive system, it could lead to the formation of phlegm.

Treatment options:

Acupuncture is the first option, (acupuncture is covered by most insurances). It will provide immediate relief or within a few days, the symptoms will start to dissipate. Few treatments are usually needed for an acute (new) condition. For a chronic condition, the therapy takes more time because we must research the trigger(s). The second option is: herbal medicine alone or as a complement to acupuncture. Herbal medicine treats infection and body unbalances. A complement therapy will always hasten the progress of the patient. The third option is: dietary journal. If a patient has been having this condition for a long time, a journal, with patient’s diet and how he or she feels after a meal could help us in our treatment and improve our therapy.

Conclusion:

Healing takes time and it is a process. Acupuncture and herbal medicine are designed to treat the cause of the condition to restore the harmony of the human body. For any chronic condition, please, expect at least a month of therapy to see any progress.