X
Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source
Additionally, as an alternative or a complementary treatment, you can perform acupressure on yourself to help clear up sinus problems. However, see a doctor if your symptoms last longer than 10 days or if you think you might have a sinus infection, which requires antibiotics.[2]
X
Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source
Getting Acupuncture
Visit a licensed acupuncturist. It’s essential that you get acupuncture from a trained professional. Ask your doctor to refer you to an acupuncturist or find one through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine registry here: https://www.nccaom.org/find-a-practitioner-directory/. Schedule an appointment at a time and place that’s convenient for you. Try acupuncture for chronic sinusitis or acute sinusitis.
Describe your symptoms to the acupuncturist. During your visit, tell the practitioner what sinus problems you’re struggling with so they can determine the best course of treatment. Try to be really specific about what you’re experiencing and mention issues like a runny nose, blocked nasal passages, sinus pain, and pressure. Let the acupuncturist examine you, as well. Ask the acupuncturist what to expect during the treatment and ask any questions you have. Your first appointment may take up to an hour, but future appointments will likely be shorter.
Relax while the practitioner performs the treatment. The acupuncturist will have you lay down and will then insert tiny needles into specific pressure points on your body. While this might sound a bit scary, don’t be nervous! Acupuncture doesn’t hurt and the needles are really small. Expect to relax for about 20 minutes before the practitioner removes the needles. A licensed acupuncturist will use sterile needles, which prevent infections. Common acupuncture points that can relieve sinus problems include GB20 (Fengchi), LI4 (Hegu), and St36 (Zusanli). These are the gallbladder channel at the base of your skull, the large intestine channel on the backside of your hand, and the stomach channel below the front of your knee, respectively.
Return for additional appointments as needed. Unfortunately, a single treatment is unlikely to solve all of your sinus problems. You may need 6-8 treatments, which are usually done once or twice a week. Ask your practitioner how many acupuncture sessions you need and attend each one so you can get relief from your sinus issues. Some health insurance companies do cover acupuncture appointments, so be sure to check!
Doing Acupressure
Apply pressure to the base of your nose with your index fingers. This pressure point is called Large Intestine 20. Put one index finger on either side of your nose, just outside where your nostrils begin to flare. Press gently but firmly.
Hold the pressure for 3 minutes. You’ll get the best results if you apply continuous pressure for a few minutes. Keep your fingers in place on this point to relieve pressure in your sinuses.
Move your fingers to the top of your inner eyebrows. Move your hands up to your eyebrows and position your thumbs and index fingers as if you were holding something between them. Press your thumbs down on the inside of your eyebrows. Press your index fingers down just above your brow bone so there are a few millimeters of space between your thumbs and fingers.
Apply pressure to this point for 3 minutes. If you have pressure in your forehead, holding this point can help relieve it. Hold the pressure for 3 minutes to get the maximum benefit. Feel free to repeat this treatment as often as you like.
Comments
0 comment