Acupuncture, though now almost mainstream, remains more recognized as an alternative therapy and still maintains its status as something of a novelty. Despite its recent entrance into the American medical community, it lays claim to a long history in traditional Chinese medicine and other ancient systems, like Ayurveda and it purports to relieve a myriad of physical problems. Its American association is with pain in the body, but it also can have great affect on a stuffy nose. So if you’re willing to try a new method, acupuncture is certainly worth consideration. Keep in mind that many health insurance plans already cover it!
What Is Acupuncture?
Although commonly labeled both as both alternative and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture is generally described as a procedure which utilizes the insertion of needles into the skin or the flesh. Tradition claims that the treatment affects the body’s Qi, or energy. The validity of this explanation has never been proven, but the health benefits for many conditions are documented. Before beginning, the practitioner will take the patient’s pulse and will typically examine the tongue, a method promoted in TCM as a way to garner information about the body’s general condition.
The critical piece of equipment for acupuncture is the needle. The widths and lengths can vary, often determined by the location in which they will be inserted. The skin may be pricked or the needle can actually be inserted; pain levels can vary, and some find the procedure exceedingly difficult.
Human body meridians, according to TCM
The location of a needle’s insertion depends greatly upon the condition being targeted. TCM proposes a number of specific points along meridians; they can be likened to blood vessels, as they are the channels along which energy flows. Their existence remains as unproven as that of Qi, and thus the exact mechanism which acupuncture employs to give relief does as well. It has been recognized as effectively treating almost 30 conditions, however, and there is significant anecdotal evidence that it treats many more. It is unlikely that a clinical trial will ever be successful in proving whether the treatment has validity beyond the placebo effect, since the gold standard of such experiments—the double-blind study—is impossible to create with such a method.
Acupuncture and the Stuffy Nose
"Acupuncture needle", by Xhienne
On the face are several acupuncture points: the Bitong, along the bottom of the nasal bones, and the Yingxiang, at the widest place on each nostril, are of particular interest to anyone seeking to treat a stuffy nose with acupuncture. An acupuncture practitioner will insert the needles in a treatment, or the related therapy of acupressure can be performed at home. Ideally three times a day, apply firm pressure to the point for a few seconds. Though it can be performed with specialized tools, it can also be done with the tip of a finger. If you still prefer to seek out a professional for treatment but are wary of the use of needles, several other similar therapies can provide relief. As they are somewhat less common, a proficient practitioner may be more difficult to find.
As acupuncture can produce relief in a single treatment, this may greatly assist recovery from congestion. But, especially if the cause of the congestion is a recurrent allergy or a sinus infection, it may take more treatments. Since the treatment is temporary, like most forms of relief for the stuffy nose, follow-up appointments are often recommended annually or more often as necessary.
What to Look For in a Practitioner
Just as you wouldn’t go to any individual with dental picks for an exam, it is extremely dangerous to have any person with the appropriate needles conduct a therapy session. The best choice is to select an acupuncturist certified by the American Board of Medical Acupuncture, the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, or another organization well known for regulating those who claim to practice the therapy.
Though the specific requirements of each certification can vary, to attain certification, an acupuncturist will have a license to practice allopathic or osteopathic medicine; significant training time, much of which must be clinical; another significant period of practice; and a large case history. And even when you have scheduled an appointment with a certified acupuncturist, exercise the same caution in his or her office as in any other medical setting.
Acupuncture, when performed correctly, can have a great and positive impact on a stuffy nose. Although it does not affect a cause such as an allergy or a cold, the relief is still worth the trip to the acupuncturist’s office. With a little bit of research and a willingness to experiment with a new method of treatment, you may be able to soothe the congestion in just a few hours.
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