This article is transcribed by SimpRead, original source mp.weixin.qq.com
Allergic rhinitis is considered one of the mildest among the entire #Case Series CASE SERIES. During the high-incidence season in spring, Beijing’s cypress, poplar, and willow take turns wreaking havoc, causing people immense distress. This article briefly discusses the topic.
There are many treatment methods for rhinitis, including:
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Western medicine antihistamines and decongestants. (Most people find them ineffective after a while)
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Western surgical treatments, including nasal endoscopic surgery, rinsing suction, radiofrequency ablation, etc. (With considerable side effects, many not only failed to be cured but also lost their sense of taste)
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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) localized external treatments, commonly including acupuncture of the sphenopalatine ganglion point (no longer traditional acupuncture, a 5.5 cm needle is inserted through the cheek stimulating the sphenopalatine ganglion), inhaling medicinal powders into the nose (causing dozens of sneezes, seemingly effective short-term, but ultimately useless), which are symptomatic treatments without addressing the underlying cause.
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TCM internal regulation, i.e., taking herbal medicine, preferably decoctions rather than pills, powders, or ointments. This currently offers the highest cure rate and fastest efficacy. (The downside is it’s ineffective for those who cannot tolerate herbal decoctions, though solutions exist nowadays)
In recent years, multiple cases of rhinitis have been treated effectively with bitter herbal decoctions as long as patients can tolerate them. Two-thirds were allergic rhinitis, and one-third were atrophic, vascular, and other types resulting from prolonged allergic rhinitis. A case is presented here.
Case Summary
Patient overview: A 39-year-old female with over 5 years of allergic rhinitis, secondary asthma, and urticaria, worsened in the past 2 years; experiences nasal congestion and chest tightness during poor air quality.
Severity: Often wakes up suffocating at night; all Western medicines ineffective except bee venom peptides, which offer brief relief.
Treatment method: TCM decoction (warming yang + regulating qi + dispelling dampness + activating blood + unblocking intestines).
Treatment duration: 3 weeks.
Effect evaluation: In the first week, significant subjective improvement in nasal congestion and chest tightness. By the second week, chest tightness disappeared. By the third week, drinking alcohol no longer caused waking up suffocated at night.
Attached are some screenshots of the treatment process; appetite also improved alongside rhinitis relief.
Because the patient had many offline consultations, most records were made after oral reports by the patient. The attached screenshots are the reviewed treatment outcomes confirmed by the patient.
As the patient’s rhinitis was severe, the prescription exceeded conventional ranges; such medicines could not be issued by hospitals, explaining why previous treatments were ineffective. Here is a display of part of the prescription used.
What is the principle of TCM treatment?
Below we unravel the entire process step by step.
Clue 1: Rhinitis and the common cold
Allergic rhinitis does not occur without reason. At birth, the immune system is usually fine, but problems often result from several unresolved colds, especially after COVID-positive status. In spring and autumn, large temperature fluctuations can disrupt immune system order, rendering it unable to resist large amounts of pollen and dust, thus causing rhinitis.
Clue 2: Rhinitis and immune disorder
The onset of allergic rhinitis often accompanies immune disorders such as food allergies, asthma, and urticaria. For example, the author first suffered allergic rhinitis simultaneously with newly developed allergies to several previously non-allergenic nuts.
Clue 3: Rhinitis and meridian blockage
Early in the disease, skin temperature near Fengchi and Fengfu points is abnormally low, with warmth providing comfort. Most people’s yang qi is stuck here; this is an important node where yang qi travels along the bladder meridian and the Du meridian to the head, called the Jade Pillow Pass in Taoism. Rhinitis often leads to allergic conjunctivitis, with dry and itchy eyes, because the eyes are on the bladder meridian pathway.
Clue 4: Rhinitis and yang qi circulation
Nasal congestion is relieved during bathing and exercise because of accelerated qi and blood circulation which clears blocked meridians. When feeling cold, circulation slows down, meridians become more congested, and nasal congestion worsens.
Clue 5: Warming and unblocking yang qi cures rhinitis
The earliest rhinitis treatment formula was Guizhi Tang (For chills, cold wind, slight fever, nasal ringing, dry heaving, Guizhi Tang is the main remedy). Guizhi’s role is to warm and unblock yang qi. Common rhinitis medicines like Xin Yi (Magnolia flower), Cang Er Zi (Cocklebur fruit), Bai Zhi (Angelica root) have similar functions.
Therefore, it is not difficult to see—
From a TCM perspective, the chaotic immune system is essentially yang qi which should flow through the Du meridian and bladder meridian (life energy reaching the heavens / three flowers gathering at the top). This yang qi gets stuck at the neck and cannot ascend. If yang qi cannot be delivered to the head and face, turbid yin rises, manifesting as nasal congestion, runny nose, even dry itchy eyes, dizziness, headache, and chest tightness.
Thus, rhinitis flare-ups are just alarm signals of yang qi blockage. Treating only the local symptoms is like ignoring a fire and smashing the alarm.
Allergic rhinitis has some relatives, including infectious, vascular, occupational, and atrophic rhinitis. How do these arise?
This is what TCM education classifies as different syndromes:
Yang qi congestion over time turns into fire, manifested as yellow nasal discharge and forehead pain; textbooks call this damp heat, which only looks at the surface. The essence is that the nasal environment deteriorates so much that stagnant water becomes foul, causing bacteria to flourish and infectious rhinitis.
Yang qi congestion affecting water and blood pathways causes dry or crusty nostrils; textbooks label this yin deficiency, another shortsighted view. The essence is yang qi cannot transport essence and subtle substances to the nasal cavity; food supplies are cut off, leading to atrophic rhinitis.
A more serious condition is yang qi stagnation over time fostering tumors (yang deficiency leads to yin excess), such as nasal sinus cysts. Of course, these also respond well to herbal medicine. Reference: Case Report｜TCM Treatment of Pediatric Ethmoid Sinus Cyst 1 Case
Therefore, treatment does not really require syndrome differentiation nonsense; as long as yang qi can pass through, the lesion may be cured fundamentally. If yang qi can’t pass, other treatments like so-called clearing heat, nourishing yin, soothing liver are only temporarily relieving surface symptoms.
Finally, a bonus
Previously mentioned, allergic rhinitis mostly affects younger groups who may struggle with decoctions. What to do? Try acupoint patches.
A 15-year allergic rhinitis case with morning sneezing, nasal congestion, and runny nose showed feedback after one acupoint patch treatment.