Nasal+Polyps

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Definition:
Polyps formed by nasal mucosa.

Etiology:
Polyp formation usually follows the edema and inflammation of a chronic allergic rhinitis, or comes from an acute or chronic sinusitis. If from an acute infection, they may regress once the infection has cleared. They are mostly found around the ostia of the maxillary sinuses, and when mature, resemble a peeled seedless grape.

Nutrition:
therapeutic foods: • garlic, foods rich in Vitamins A, C

avoid: • dairy products

Botanicals
• Cabasil powder: snuff nasally (Bastyr) • Hydrastis canadensis: powder mixed with glycerine nasally (Bastyr) • Larrea divaricata: internally (Bastyr) • Myrica cerifera: as a nasal snuff for some forms of polyps, with Sanguinaria canadensis (toxic) (Felter and Lloyd, pp. 1712, 1294) • Thuja occidentalis: locally (diluted) or internally (Ellingwood, p. 394)

Chinese Formulae
• Bi Yuan Wan (patent): Xue Yu (Blood Stasis) in the nose. (Zhu, p. 52)

Acupuncture
after assessing the person and palpating, consider these patterns: Xue Yu (Blood Stasis); Lung Heat

» therapeutic note: • Nasal polyps may be a part of a general pattern of glandular/lymphatic exhaustion that is often often rooted in or at least exacerbated by a chronic, often subclinical, infection in the sinuses and irritation in the oropharyngeal mucous membranes. This area is a common site of primary focal infection from which secondary infections derive. Palpation at reflex sites in proximity of TW-16 ("East Wind") and LI-10.5 and above and below the eyes will confirm this hypothesis. If tender and/or painful points are found, consider needling Lu-7 and the reactive points in the areas of "LI-10.5", "St-2.5", yu yao, east wind/TW-16, and "St-43". Sinus irrigation with saline solution is usually also helpful - see "patient handout: sinus wash". (Matsumoto) See also "sinusitis".

» prognosis: With polyps of recent appearance seven treatments are usually adequate. With polyps that have been present for months or years up to thirty treatments may be required to achieve complete reduction of the polyps. In recalcitrant cases surgery may be required; here acupuncture can be effective in prevention recurrence, which is otherwise quite common. (So, 1987, p. 155)

» illustrative combinations: • LI-20 and LI-19; GV-28, GV-26, GV-25, GV-24, GV-14, GV-15 and GV-16; Kd-3 and Lu-7 for nasal polyps (Mann, p. 142) • for nasal polyps: (1) LI-4 and LI-11 with needle; (2) GB-20, GV-16, UB-12, GV-26, LI-20, bi yan and GV-25; (3) GV-22 and GV-23 (five cones of direct moxa, green bean size, to each); (4) indirect moxa with ginger over the entire nose (So, 1987, p. 155) • "yu yao", "St-2.5", "east wind", "LI-10.5", Lu-7, and "St-43", with other points sensitive to palpation, for sinusitis and glandular/lymphatic exhaustion, esp. with a primary focal infection in the sinuses and oropharyngeal mucous membranes (Matsumoto) • GV-23 and LI-20 for nasal congestion with an inability to smell (Ellis, et al, 1988, p. 386) • GV-23, LI-4 and Lv-3 for rhinitis (Shanghai, p. 142) • GV-23, yin tang, bi tong and LI-4 for chronic rhinitis (Shanghai, p. 155) • bi tong, UB-2 and Lu-7 for nasosinusitis (Shanghai, p. 213) • LI-11 and LI-4 for disease of the head, face, ears, eyes, mouth and nose (Ellis, et al, 1988, p. 100)

Homeopathy
• Cadmium sulphuratum: sense of tightness at root of nose • Calcarea carbonica: dry, nostrils sore, ulcerated, offensive odor • Lemna minor: nasal polypi, swollen turbinates, putrid smell, dryness of nasopharynx • Phosphorus: polypi bleed easily when nose is blown • Pulsatilla: with plentiful catarrh • Psorinum: with chronic post-nasal drip; tends to be chilly • Teucrium: mucus polypi; catarrh of both ant. and post. nostrils • Thuja occidentalis: polypi and warts on skin

Subtle Support
• notes: A#, B, C, D#, E, G, G#

• chords: diminished 8th, C Major, D# Major, G# Major (Gimbel, p. 116)

Mind/Body
• Nose represents self recognition. (Hay, 1984, p. 177)

• Lung ~ Fei governs the Qi; regulates the rhythm of respiration, the pulse, and all bodily processes; is the home of the Po (Corporeal Soul); it relates to strength and sustainability; and opens at the nose. » Healthy expressions are righteousness and courage. » Weakness, dysfunction, and illness associated with excessive grief, sadness, worry, and depression.
 * Chinese psychophysiology:**

• Liver ~ Gan is the home of the Hun (Ethereal Soul); it relates to decisiveness, control, and the principle of emergence; stores and cleanses the Xue (Blood); maintains smooth flow of Qi and Xue (Blood); and reflects emotional harmony and movement. » Healthy expressions are kindness, spontaneity, and ease of movement. » Liver Qi Stagnation reflects and accentuates emotional constraint as the Liver's function of facilitating smooth flow in the body is constricted. Stagnation is associated with frustration, irritability, tension, and feeling stuck. With time this pattern tends to produce a gloomy emotional state of constant resentment, repressed anger or depression, along with tightness in the chest, frequent sighing, abdominal tension or distension, and/or a feeling of a lump in the throat with difficulty in swallowing. (Maciocia, p. 216) Xue Yu (Blood Stasis) often begins with Qi Stagnation.