Herbal Remedies for Sinus Infections

Video Transcript

"Chinese herbs can be very helpful in eliminating or reducing greatly sinus infections. Sinus infections are usually due to repeated allergy attacks or a decreased immune system due to constant colds and fevers. So we do want to build up the immune system and then in Chinese medicine we recognize four to eight different categories that, different herbs that are going to be effective in helping sinus infection; but two of the categories I'm going to talk about are wind heat and wind cold. We call it wind because the symptoms kind of rise to the upper jaw, the upper body and there's a lot of sneezing and nasal congestion and blowing of the nose and sinus congestion; so it's in the, it could be also headaches and we call that wind attack. So usually from an exogenous factors like from being expose to too much cold weather or it could come from an allergen; a food allergen. So there's some patents that are very good that we can use and then there's also, of course individual herbal formulas. First I'm going to show you a few patent formulas. So these are a couple of herbal formulas I might use for that wind heat condition where there's a lot of thick phlegm, thick yellow phlegm; Bao He Wan or Bi Min Gan Wan and then this formula is more for when there's more of that very copious white sputum and this is called Magnolia flower. Then I also have a patient right now. I have a case study of a patient who is suffering from repeated allergy attacks; so I am going to give him this formula here; this is Cang Er Zi San; Xanthium Powder. So it's going to clear the wind heat nasal obstruction and it's with the sinus headaches, copious nasal discharge, yellow and a chronic sinus infections. So the first herb in this formula is called Chang Er Zi; this is a cocklebur fruit. You can see the little burs on on the edge of it. It's a sweet herb; very warm and it goes to the lung and thi is helpful to open the nasal passages. The second herb in the formula is called Xin Yi Hua and this is actually the magnolia flower. You can see the little flowers in there; they're kind of; there's a, there's a nice little flower so you can see it. It's very warm; it goes to the lung and stomach and that helps to unblock the nasal passages. The third herb in the formula is called Bai Zhi and this is also, the Latin name is Angelica Dahurica and it's very warm, it goes to the lung and the stomach and it relieves sinus pain; very important for sinus pain and nasal congestion. And the last and final herb in the formula, this is called Bo He. This is what mint look like in the raw. This is actually mint. It has a very nice smell to it and it releases the heat and it clears to the eyes; opens the eyes and opens the head. So we're going to start him on this formula to help relieve his sinus infection. So my patient that has a sinus infection; this is the second formula I've put him on; he's already improving and on the, a case yesterday I have is one lady I was thinking; now she came to me and she was suffering terribly her whole life from sinus infections and I put her on some formulas. She, after about three months no longer had sinus infections; no longer had constant colds and flus and was feeling very well and now she just comes in for tune up every once in a while and two years later she is completely sinus infection free. So acupuncture and herbs are very helpful for sinus infections. As with all herbal formulas, it's really important to consult with your Acupuncture Physician or Herbalist to get the proper diagnosis, treatment and prescription formula for sinus infections."