Acupuncture for Sinusitis - Treatment Protocols

General Approaches

Acupuncture For Sinusitis - Treatment Protocols

Acupuncture treatment protocols are generally directed towards the deeper root of a persons set of health issues, not at each individual issue. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, treatment is generally directed towards the individuals diagnostic pattern(s) and their primary issue is only a part of the information required to approach the correct patterns to treat (see "treating the cause vs. the symptoms" for an introduction to this process.).

In designing an acupuncture protocol for sinusitis, one might find one or a combination of the following patterns: liver and gallbladder damp heat, lung dampness - phlegm heat, lung wind invasion - wind heat, spleen qi deficiency among many other possibilities and possible combinations.

Below you will find some of the more common tcm diagnoses and acupuncture treatment protocols for sinusitis. There are many ways to approach the treatment of this condition within TCM. Our presentation describes foundational approaches that would need to be further tailored in most cases to be effective for a given individual.

  • Etiology & Pathology:
    • The root of this condition, according to Giovanni, is repeated invasions of wind-heat (more frequently) or wind-cold many times coupled with an improper diet.
    • Wind-Heat - acute conditions
    • Liver/Gall Bladder Heat - chronic conditions
    • Heat in the LU - chronic conditions
    • SP Deficiency - chronic conditions
  • Differentiation:
    • Wind-Heat
      • Signs & Symptoms:
        • Patient may have: stuffy nose, nasal discharge (yellow/green, thick), headache, inability to smell, aversion to cold, fever.
        • Tongue: Tip/Sides Red
        • Pulse: Floating and Rapid
      • Treatment Protocol:
      • Release the Exterior
      • Expel Wind-Heat
      • Restore the Descending and Dispersing Functions of the LU Qi
      • Treatment Points:
        • Main Points:
          • LI 4 with LI 11 - used together to expel heat.
          • UB 12 - expel wind.
          • LU 7 - Restore the descending and dispersing functions of the LU Qi.
          • GV 23 - Expel wind in the nose/sinus area.
        • Secondary/Local Points:
      • Liver/Gall Bladder Heat
        • Signs & Symptoms:
          • Yellow discharge, eye issues (bloodshot, etc.), red face, headaches (frontal/temporal), irritability, bitter taste in the mouth.
          • Tongue: Red w/red sides, greasy yellow tongue coating
          • Pulse: Wiry, poss. slippery, fast
        • Treatment Protocol:
        • Clear LV/GB Fire
        • Restore the Descending and Dispersing Function of the LU Qi
        • Treatment Points:
          • Main Points:
            • LV 2 - fire point of the LV.
            • GB 43 - water point of the GB.
            • LU 7 - restore the descending and dispersing function of the LU Qi.
          • Local Points:
        • Heat in the LU
          • Signs & Symptoms:
            • Thick nasal discharge, tender sinus area, heat signs - flushed face, thirst, feelings of heat, etc.
            • Tongue: Red w/sticky yellow coating
            • Pulse: Slippery, Full
          • Treatment Protocol:
            • Clear Lung-Heat
            • Restore the Descending and Dispersing Function of the LU Qi
          • Treatment Points:
            • Main Points:
              • LI 4, LI 11 & GV 14 - used together to clear heat.
              • LU 7 - restore descending and dispersing function of the LU Qi.
              • LU 10 - fire point of the LU, clears lung-heat.
            • Secondary/Local Points:
          • SP Deficiency - ST/SP Damp-Heat
            • Signs & Symptoms:
              • Heavy/Foggy feeling in the head, sticky/yellow discharge, red cheeks, thirst, dry lips, frontal headache, chest/epigastrium oppression.
              • Tongue: Sticky yellow coating in the ST/SP area
              • Pulse: Slippery
            • Treatment Protocol:
            • Clear Heat
            • Resolve Dampness
            • Tonify ST/SP
          • Treatment Points:

The information on our site is drawn from our own lecture notes and clinical experience. The following lecture notes were consulted within this section:

  • St. John, Meredith: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes
  • Valaskatgis, Peter: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes

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