Acupuncture and Sinusitis
I have successfully treated many people for sinusitis over the years. My patients feel better, either immediately or 24 hours after receiving one treatment. Thay are always surprised at how a simple treatment is so effective.
My patients who suffer with sinusitis, come once or twice a year for a treatment.
I use both local and distal ponts when treating a person for sinusitis.
The local points work around the congested area which is usually around the nose and under the eyes and on the forehead.
I use some distal pints to get rid of the infection and phlegm. These points work at the root of the problem. If there is no infection and phlegn then there is no congestion and pain.
I also do some distal points for the immediate headache pain.
What are Sinuses?
Sinuses are hollow air cavities in the skull. There are eight such empty spaces in the human skull. The cavities that become inflamed during attacks of sinusitis are known as the paranasal sinuses. Two of these are located in the forehead and are known as the frontal sinuses. Another two are inside the cheekbones and are called the maxillary sinuses.
The paranasal sinuses are continuous with the nostrils and share a common lining of mucus membrane The remaining pairs of sinuses are known as the ethmoid sinuses, which are located behind the bridge of the nose and the sphenoid sinuses, which are in the upper region of the nose close to the eyes.
Each sinus opens into the nose in order to exchange air and mucus. A moist mucus secreting membrane known as mucus membrane lines the sinuses and nostrils.
What are the Symptoms of Sinusitis?
Sinus pain is usually due to pressure being applied to a sinus wall. This can occur for a variety of reasons. Nasal swelling, due to an infection or an allergic reaction may place pressure on the adjoining sinuses. Equally a build up of pus or mucus within a sinus may be to blame. Occasionally a vacuum can develop in a sinus because of a swollen mucus membrane. This can cause a particularly intense pain.
Depending on which sinuses are affected and why, a sufferer will experience different symptoms of sinusitis. Early morning headache after waking is often a sign of sinus trouble. Inflammation of the frontal sinuses causes pain when the forehead is touched at the brow. The cheeks become equally sore to touch if the maxillary sinuses are inflamed. These sinuses can also cause the teeth and jawbone to ache.
Ethmoid infection is often associated with a loss of the sense of smell, swelling of the eyelids and a tenderness of the nose. Sphenoid inflammation is less common, but can cause severe earache and pain that runs from the neck to the top of the head. However, since most people who experience sinusitis have more than one infected sinus at any given time, symptoms do not always indicate exactly which locations are inflamed.
More generally, sinusitis can cause a range of symptoms including the following:
– fever
– fatigue
– night cough
– runny nose
– nasal congestion
– post-nasal drip
As most cases of sinusitis are indirectly caused by viral infections such as the common cold, the inflammation of the sinuses tends to clear up within about the same period it takes to get over a cold, i.e. about two weeks. However some cases of sinusitis are known as chronic, because they continue for at least three weeks, and in many cases for months or more.