Sinusitis
Figure 1: Headaches are a common symptom of sinusitis. |
Sinusitis is a common problem, affecting 10 to 15 million people in America each year. The sinuses are hollow cavities in the bones around the nose. Sinusitis occurs when the mucus membranes of the sinuses become inflamed, closing of the opening into the sinuses. This traps bacteria inside the sinus cavity and leads to more inflammation, pressure, pain, and drainage. See figure 1.
Sinusitis is categorized based on which particular sinuses are being affected. There are three major groups of sinuses in the body. The frontal sinuses are located above the eyebrows in the forehead region, the ethmoid sinuses are located on the left and right of the nose, near the bridge of the nose, and the maxillary sinuses are located under the eyes on the cheeks on either side of the nose. See Figure 2.
The other major categorization for sinusitis is based on acute or recurring infections. If it is not something that happens over and over (a recurring infection) it is called acute. But if a person gets a sinus infection again and agian, it is known as chronic sinusitis.
There are many reasons for the sinus cavities to become clogged in the first place (which will lead to a sinus infection). Among those are allergies (pollen, dust, pet dander, etc.), cold viruses, the flu virus, and even fungal infections. Once one of these problems blocks the entrance to the sinuses, trapped bacteria begin to thrive creating a bacterial infection. The body sends fluid and white blood cells into the sinuses to fight the bacteria, leading to drainage,
 Figure 2: Sinuses obove the eyebrows are called Frontal; those near to the sides of the nose are Ethmoid, and those under the eyes are called Maxillary. |
pressure, and pain.
According to the Merck Manual: Home Edition, “Acute sinusitis usually results in pain, tenderness, and swelling over the affected sinus. Maxillary sinusitis produces pain over the cheeks just below the eyes, toothache, and headache. Frontal sinusitis produces headache over the forehead. Ethmoid sinusitis produces pain behind and between the eyes and headache, often described as splitting, over the forehead. The pain produced by sphenoid sinusitis does not occur in well-defined areas and may be felt in the front or back of the head.”
Sometimes when the ethmoid sinuses are involved, there can be drainage from the nose. Usually this drainage is green or yellow.
Chronic sinusitis is a different story, however. It is recurring sinus infection; many times due to nasal allergies, but sometimes even due to a build-up of scar tissue which blocks the sinus openings. This scar tissue can be caused by repeated sinus infections causing a vicious cycle of infection which
 Figure 3: Netipots are used for sinus flushing. |
leads to scarring which leads to another infection.
The symptoms of chronic sinusitis are also more subtle than those in acute sinusitis. Pain is usually not as intense (but it can be). Patients find that they have nasal obstructions and problem breathing. Drainage is common, and general fatigue and malaise are common as well.
Diagnosis of sinusitis is relatively easy, but advanced testing may be necessary to see how bad the infection actually is. X-rays will show fluid in the sinuses, but a CT (often called a “Cat” scan) will give a clearer picture of the severity of the infection. Doctors diagnosing sinusitis have to make sure the problem is not in the teeth or due to some other obstruction (especially if the problem is only on one side).
There are drugs used to treat this problem, however it is difficult for drugs to work well due to how sealed-off these areas are. Some drugs are used in spray form to reduce the inflammation in the nose,
 Figure 4: One of the most important points in the treatment of sinusitis is called "yintang." Incedentally this point is effective in treating depression as well, but the needling technique is different for the two conditions. |
making it easier to breathe. These drugs include phenylephrine (sometimes called Neo-synephrine), and pseudoephedrine (also called Afrinol or Sudafed). Antibiotics are almost always prescribed to help with the infection. In the most severe cases sinusitis may require surgery.
Interestingly enough, most doctors agree that while antibiotics are necessary, relief from the discomfort in a sinus infection comes more from steaming (holding your head over a pot of boiling water and taking deep breaths), warm compresses, and sinus washes (using a netipot or a saline solution in a squeeze bottle to flush the nose and sinuses) as seen in Figure 3.
According to Traditional Chinese medical philosophy sinusitis can be caused for several different reasons. When the energetic properties of the weather (Environmental Qì) repeatedly overwhelm the defensive energies (Wei Qì) of the human body this can lead to weakened energies that are out of balance. This weak and imbalanced state is perfect for the development of the imbalances that lead to Sinusitis. Improper diet can also lead to the development of sinusitis. Too much eating of greasy and hot foods can create conditions within the body that lead to sinusitis as well.
Figure 5: Ear Acupuncture is a great way to treat many problems with fewer needles than Body Acupuncture. |
Use of TCM should never replace proper prescription of antibiotics. As a complimentary treatment, within TCM there are many ways to treat sinusitis. One method is acupuncture. Within acupuncture itself there are several methods. One is puncture to the body, while sinusitis can also be treated by acupuncture to specific points in the ear. Moxibustion can, in many cases be very helpful, and Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine is also very effective in treating sinusitis.
With acupuncture, one of the most important points is called “Yintang,” as seen in Figure 4. Ear points look like the ones on Figure 5. You can find out more about moxibustion and what is involved in its use by clicking
here. Herbal medicine can also be helpful in treating sinusitis. There are several very powerful herbal formulas that will help change the body’s chemistry, making it an inhospitable environment for the bacteria that cause sinusitis.
Research on acupuncture for the treatment of sinusitis is out there. However, most of the research done up to this point is known as “anecdotal.” Basically that means that case studies were collected and patients said, “I feel better,” or, “it didn’t help.” The successful and unsuccessful case numbers are compared and then statistics are drawn up from the results. In most of these anecdotal studies, acupuncture seems to be very helpful, but there is a need for more accurate research. Double-blind studies with a control group are necessary for more acceptable statistical data.
In the meantime, while we’re waiting for better studies to be done, it can’t hurt to try acupuncture along side your antibiotics. And there are plenty of studies showing that acupuncture can help control pain, so you can at least get some relief from that!