Acupuncture for Chronic Colds & Sinusitis

Everyone catches a cold sometimes. A common cold is caused by a virus and clears up on its own within one to two weeks. When symptoms such as a blocked or runny nose and a reduced sense of smell last longer than twelve weeks, this is called a chronic cold or chronic sinusitis. It feels as if you always have a cold.

The sinuses are small, air-filled spaces in the bone beside the nose and above the eyes: the maxillary sinuses and the frontal sinuses. They connect to the nose through a narrow channel. With inflammation, the lining swells and extra mucus is produced, increasing the pressure in the sinuses. With maxillary sinusitis, you feel this pressure mainly under the eyes and in the cheeks; with frontal sinusitis, in the forehead. The pain often increases when bending forward.

Common symptoms include a persistently blocked nose, mucus running down the back of the throat, a pressing or painful feeling around the forehead, eyes or cheeks, a reduced sense of smell and taste, coughing, sore throat and sometimes earache. Because you breathe poorly through your nose, you often sleep less well. Fatigue and difficulty concentrating are therefore common accompanying complaints.

Various causes may play a role: allergy or hypersensitivity to, for example, house dust mites, pollen, perfume, smoke or temperature changes, long-term use of nasal spray, nasal polyps, a deviated septum, an infected upper tooth, smoking, previous facial injury, or hormonal changes such as during pregnancy. Reduced resistance is often involved too, so each new cold adds to the existing one.