acupressure for allergy and sinusitis

1. Allergic sinusitis.  We use LI 20 (Ying Xiang), which corresponding to maxillary sinus,  LI11 (Qu Chi), LI 4(He Gu) and GB 20 (Feng Chi).

Frontal sinusitis: add UB 2 (Zan Zhu)
Ethmoid sinusitis: add SI 18 (Quan Liao)
Pic 4-1

Table 4-1

Pic 4-2

Acupressure Tips for patients:

1. The key acupressure points are LI 20, UB2 and GB14. You will feel your sinus opening by pressing the above points in both sides for 5 min of each and 2 to 3 sessions.
2. Irrigating your sinuses with normal saline or some Chinese herbs solution might give you a significant improvement.

Acupuncture Tips for Practitioners:

1. By electrical stimulation the points of LI 20 (Ying Xiang), UB 2 (Zan Zhu)  and GB 14 (Yang Bai), you may give patients a surprise that their sinusitis and headache might go away within one to two sessions, because the above points may increase the opening of the sinus and drain the sinus. The patients will feel “the pressure over the sinus” are much less after the treatment.
2. LI 20 (Ying Xiang) is the outlet of the large intestine meridian and is adjacent to the nose, thus LI 20 connects the nose to the sinus after stimulation of the point. By stimulation of points of LI 20, UB 2 and GB 14, the treatment desensitizes the mucus membrane and decreases the amount of secretion. Hu Gu is the original location of the large intestine point, which can make the invasion of the allergen decrease and also will expel the allergen from the body. GB 20 (Feng Chi) will  enhance LI 4 (He Gu) of the  function to expel the invasion of the allergen.

Type II
For allergic eye symptoms we use GB20 (Feng  Chi ), LI11 (Qu Chi), LI 4(He Gu) plus the followings, St 1 (Cheng Qi),  St 2 (Si Bai), SJ 23 (Si Zu Kong) GB 14 (Yang Bai), GB 1 (Tong Zi Liao), UB 2 (Zan Zhu), UB 1 (Qing Ming), ST 8 (Tou Wei) and Ex-HN5 (Tai Yang).
For itching in the ear, add SJ 21 (Er Meng) and SI 19 (Ting Gong), GB 2 (Ting Hui).
See Table 4-2,  Pic 4-1 and Pic 4-2
Acupressure Tips for patients:

1. For patient with itching ear and tinnitus, SI 19, SJ 21 and GB 2 are the best choice. You may press the above points for 3 to 5 min, 2 to 3 sessions per day for  2 weeks, you will realize the beauty of the points.
2. For tearing and itching eye, GB 1, UB1 and St 1 are good choice.

Acupuncture Tips for practitioners:

1. Electrical stimulations for SI 19, SJ 21 and GB 2 will greatly improve hearing, tinnitus and decrease the ear itching. You have to further differentiate the symptoms based on the patient’s body types,  there are two subtypes:
   1. Kidney Yang deficiency accompanied with symptom of cold in all 4 extremities, fatigue, and clean and long urine: add UB 23 (Sheng Shu) see Pic 3-1 and table 3-4.
   2. Gall Bladder fire excess accompanied with symptom of thirty, bitter in the mouth, inflamed eye, add GB 34 (Yang Ling Quan)  and Li 3 (Tai Chong).

Pic 4-3

1. GB 20 (Feng Chi) ( See Pic 1-1 and table 1-1)  protects the patient from the allergen invasion and strengthens the immune function of the human body.  St 8 (Tou Wei) and Ex-HN5 (Tai Yang) are around the scalp, and will decrease headaches.

Pic 4-4
Initially Dan J underwent my treatment for four visits.   On his first visit, after about 20 minutes, his eyes were dry and his sinuses had stopped running, which made him happy and much more comfortable.   With three more treatments, his symptoms were almost gone. After discussing the case with his mother, Dan J came back for continued treatment, for a total of ten visits.  His problem was mainly due to a weakened immune system with deficiency of Kidney and Lung.  he needed acupuncture to help him improve these systems, thus casting off the effects of allergens on his body.
After subsiding his symptom, Dan was advised to return to my office during summer for about 12 visits, even then he did not have any symptom. After these treatments, Dan’s immune system was much strengthened, he only needed to come to me at the beginning of the next few  allergy seasons for five to six visits. Recently, however, his symptoms are so much improved, that he no longer needs to consult me, even at the beginning of new allergy season.

Tips for everybody:
“Strengthening your Yang in the summer, nourishing your Ying in the winter” is the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which guides TCM practitioners for more than two thousand years. It means that the patients of allergy, sinusitis and asthma should be treated during summer for strengthening their Yang, i.e. immune system. The acupuncture points are UB 13 (Lung, Fei Shu), UB 15 (Heart, Xin Shu), UB 20 (Spleen, Pi Shu) and UB 23 (Kidney, Shen Shu). This is the reason  I requested Dan J came to my office during summer for 12 visits.