You probably know somebody who speaks highly of acupuncture as an alternative therapy to relieve inflammation and pain, but have you tried it yourself? This traditional Chinese practice, which dates back to 5.000 years, is adulated by some, whereas for others it’s no more than a hustle that, somehow, thrives as a ‘matter of faith’. In the former frame of mind, there are some people who claim that acupuncture has worked wonders in soothing their sinus problems, but to what extent can we rely on such an ancient method to combat a sinus infection?
You may already know this, but acupuncture is based on inserting thin needles into certain parts of the body in order to balance our energy (identified as ‘qi’) flow. It’s traditionally been used to treat multiple conditions, but also as a stress-relieving treatment and even as a way to boost fertility. In fact, the World Health Organization lists acute sinusitis among the disorders that can be treated with acupuncture sessions. When dealing with sinusitis, practitioners often focus on strengthening the spleen meridian so that they can clear what they agree to call ‘dampness’, responsible for the inflammation in the mucus membranes.
According to a double-blind randomized controlled study from 2009, acupuncture helped to increase nasal air flow and decrease congestion in chronic sinusitis sufferers, who reportedly noticed an improvement of their symptoms 30 minutes after the treatment. Yet, only a few studies on the matter have been carried out and, in general, the results turned out to be nothing but conflicting.
After all, there is no clear evidence about acupuncture having real health benefits for those struggling with sinus problems. That’s why, up to now, the majority of research attributes acupuncture’s effect to a placebo response. What’s more, even if acupuncture did help increase air flow and decrease nasal congestion, it still wouldn’t clear and drain mucus from both the nose and paranasal sinuses, which is essential to keep the lid on sinusitis symptoms and feel relief.
However, some people keep giving credit to acupuncture as an anti-sinusitis therapy after getting positive outcomes, so the debate remains open.
Have you ever had your sinusitis treated with acupuncture? If that’s the case, did it work out for you? We’d really like to know!
