Chronic Sinusitis is a condition that affects millions of Canadians each year. It is a condition that involves inflammation of the paranasal sinuses due to; infection (bacterial, viral or fungal), allergies, or autoimmune disorders. Symptoms may include; nasal congestion, facial pain or pressure, headaches, tightness or fullness of the sinuses, pain when bending foward, and dizziness lasting longer than three months.
Chronic Sinusitis is typically treated with antibiotics, cortico-steroids or even surgery, but natural alternatives like acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine have proven to be very effective.
Regular acupuncture treatments can help ease the symptoms snd clear the root cause. Points located near and around the nasal cavity, aided with supplemental points are well known to dispel congestion and get the energy flowing more freely. Another technique known as '
Guasha' is also effective in helping ease and prevent chronic sinusitis.
Ruling out dietary sensitivities/allergies such as dairy or wheat may prove to be useful, as well as environmental factors such as temperature variations (damp cold) and mold.
With the use of a
'neti pot' , a small teapot helps to flush out the nasal cavity with a saline solution, by clearing congestion and aiding in breathing. The use of essential oils can be beneficial when doing a steam inhalation. Eucalyptus and
Japanese Mint oil are well-known to improve sinus congestion, Thyme oil is excellent as an anti-sinusitis oil and is known for having anti-bacterial properties as well. Place five drops in a bowl of hot water. Place a towel over the head, inhale the steam and allow the sinuses to clear for approximately five minutes.
Natural alternatives can provide lasting relief from chronic sinus pain, which doesn't result in harmful side-effects. Contact your
Registered Acupuncturist for more information.
Spring time!!! And with those lovely cherry blossoms that line the streets with pink, also start a vicious cycle of allergies in many people, that can potentially last from early Spring until the late Fall. What constitutes an allergy? Essentially it's the body's over-reaction or sensitivity to an allergen. Typically in Spring it involves airborne particles from trees and weeds -- pollen. What's really happening? While the body's response is to produce IgE antibodies that attach to white blood cells, when these cells are stimulated they release histamine causing allergic symptoms such as; runny nose, sinus congestion, itchy/watery eyes, and sneezing. Western medicine treats allergies with antihistamines like Benadryl or Chlortriplon or allergy shots by injecting small amounts of an allergen and gradually increasing to desensitize the body's response. While these methods are effective at treating the symptoms, there are also side-effects (drowsiness, urinary retention, dry mouth, blurred vision...etc.) Acupuncture is a natural alternative that works not only to relieve irritating symptoms but also to help build up a tolerance to the allergen. Acupuncture treatments before spring starts, will also help diminish the hypersensitive allergic response and help build-up the body's immune system. 
