Call it allergies, hay fever, or cedar fever, it’s still allergic rhinitis and it’s the immune system over-reacting to inhaled particles in the air. These particles can be pollens, dust mites, dander, cockroach feces (gross, but real!), wood dust, tobacco and other kinds of smoke, even moxa smoke. There are lots of different kinds. Can’t list them all here!
This causes runny noses, stuffy noses, post-nasal drip, sneezing, itching and watering of the eyes, and itching in the nose and throat. All of this makes a terrific opportunistic environment for bacteria and can lead to sinus infection.
As always, do the detective work you need to define a working diagnosis and differentiation and work to address the underlying causes as well as the signs and symptoms.
Left side: Jian Zhong, Lu 5, Lu 6, Lu 8 (or 10 instead of the 3 point set), Xia San Huang, St 36, St 37, St 42
Right side: Ki 3, Ki 5, Ki7
Point Discussion
The Lung points are kind of a ‘duh,’ right? That’s the channel affected, so that’s part of what we are needling. Use Lung 10 if you see a lot of heat in this patient. If you don’t see a bunch of heat, needle Lung 5, 6, and 8. Could you do all four? Quite possibly. You could even bleed the Lung 10 point first, the needle the other points.
Xia San Huang is along the Spleen channel and will address the nasal dripping and dampness. The other Earth points in this protocol, Stomach points, help address phlegm and clear toxins from the body. St 42 is on the center of the foot and mirrors the face and nose.
Kidney points, the Water element, uses the shu stream, xi cleft and jing river points.