night time sinus congestion - my reply to Al

January 5, 2008

Hi Al,

Please stay with me on this for a bit. I feel your on to something with both of

your suggestions and I

am quite desperate. The stuffy nose at night has plagued me for many years and

is what in fact

drew me to TCM. Conventional Western medicine has been unsuccessful and I can't

live with this so

I searched TCM out of desperation.

I will give you a couple of other symptoms that may help you with my diagnoses,

but none of them matter as much as the stuffy nose. Warning, some ladies may

find what said below offensive.

A typical night will have me starting out tossing and turning soon after I go to

bed. I need to switch sides regularly to relieve the pressure from the sinus

nearest the pillow that I assume gets engorged with blood . As soon as I switch

the sinus starts to drain but now the other sinus swells. 60% percent of the

time though I manage to get some sleep, but I probably need to breath through my

mouth during the night. Then what happens almost 95% of the time is somewhere

between 5:00 a.m and 6:30 a.m. I have night sweats usually on my back and

shoulders (near my lungs) like you said below. I am stuffed right up, I have a

full blown erection and I have to urinate (which at that time of the morning

always smells salty) , plus the upper part of my body feels so cold I just can't

get back to sleep. Even if I cover myself with 5 quilts.

My Chinese TCM doctor (who can't speak very good English) says my " kidney=

water " is low or weak which make my lungs cold. Cold lungs with warm blankets in

bed equals sweating around that area. That makes sense to me.

The cold air in my lungs brings blood to my sinuses to heat the cold air, I

assume. Not sure of why the erection and the need to urinate so badly in the

morning, but I know from my readings that blood pressure is regulated by the

kidney so there is a connection between my kidneys and my erections and stuffy

nose.

To help me with my sinuses he has given me acupuncture (in kidneys, sinuses,

above pubic bone, forehead, hand etc...) and has me take 5 little round pills

that look like rabbit poop every morning and night. This is for my kidneys. I

have to say I feel so much more refreshed in the morning when I wake up since

then and he has improved my sinus symptoms by about 20%. However to my surprise

at my last session in November of last year. he said he doesn't want to see me

anymore until the summer months (July & August). He said he has done all he can

for now and has put out the " fire on the mountain " meaning the build up of heat

in my lower body but he said we have to wait until the summer months for him to

conclude his curing me when the energy returns to the head area. My last session

was about my fourth session. In the summer he will be giving me about six

sessions that he said should take care of my problem for good.

I have to admit, although I was disappointed in him having me wait, I respected

him more because I was at his mercy and would have gladly paid for many more

sessions between November and the summer because I was so desperate. In other

words he could have made alot more money from me by leading me on through the

rest of the year.

I have improved concentration and more energy, however I can feel myself waning.

My nose is starting to get stuffier and my sleeps are not as refreshing. Which

makes we wonder if acupuncture and TCM is a temporary fix but I like to believe

it isn't.

Here are some other symptoms:

Hypoglycaemia (controlling with diet)

Tinnitus ( can this be fixed? I have to wait for the summer for this too)

Cloudy concentration.

Cold sores around the nose when I get a cold. Colds almost always

go to my sinuses.

Get cold easily.

Use to have a very strong libido, but is in more in control.

Swollen left testicle after sex.

Changes in weather bother me.

Always the night time stuffy nose. Made worse by low pressure symptoms.

Sometimes the stuffy nose is accompanied by dryness in the nose and throat.

I feel if I can get the stuffy nose under control I will get my sleep and life

will be a box of chocolates.

I asked my TCM why in the mornings does my nose get really stuffy, and

unfortunately his English won't translate, but

it has to do with circulation he says. I think it has to do with blood pressure

in the morning like I said above.

What do you think of my TCM's diagnoses? Is there anything you can add or

suggest.

My TCM did recommend a green tea with rice in it to help with digestion. I

wonder if your suggestion of getting a drying

formula might work and if I in fact have a damp lung. Is that the same as a cold

lung?

I was wondering if I should ask my TCM if I can go back on the pills that he

gave me while waiting for acupuncture in the summer?

I am researching adrenal fatigue, and they are recommending I stay on these Vit

C, B pills for at least two years. The TCM pills work better, but because I have

had this problem for so long I think I need to have those pills for a lot longer

( ie the longer the symptoms the longer the remedy needed).

Look very forward to your thoughts.

Rick ( or as my TCM calls me, Lick) :-)

P.S. I wrote in once before and a person suggested I try going to sleep earlier.

That did help.

-

Al Stone

Chinese Traditional Medicine

Thursday, January 03, 2008 7:26 PM

Re: [Chinese Traditional Medicine] Long term effects of cannibis . . .

On Jan 2, 2008 1:45 PM, Rick Brown <bigskyagency wrote:

> Dear Allan,

>

> I have chronic nasal congestion from years of smoking both pot and

> cigarettes. I have a terrible time with it when I am trying to sleep. I have

> since quit smoking both, going on my 17th year.

>

> I understand this congestion is related to my lung wind. Any TCM

> suggestions for this depilating problem?

>

If this is a wind attack that you're having at night, you can think of it as

an allergic type response. Not inclined to think that this is a direct

result of smoking, 17 years later. If it is " lung wind " due to " Lung qi

deficiency " then you may also sweat for no reason and have a weak voice. If

that's the case, then I would get you thinking about a formula called Yu

Ping Feng San.

However, it may also be that the munchies that your pot gave you established

some dampness in your Lungs, perhaps continually aggravated by dietary

issues now. There's an ancient saying that says dampness is created in the

earth (digestive) organs and is stored in the metal organs (Lungs and Large

Intestine.) The Lungs are obviously connected to the nose and sometimes when

you lay down, all that dampness backs up into the nose. If this is the case,

a drying formula that might stimulate the efficiency of your digestion might

be indicated. If you do have internal dampness, look for frequent

indigestion, loose poop, mucus lined poop, smeary poop, lack of appetite,

and perhaps a sensitivity to motion sickness. Sound like you?

-al.

--

, DAOM

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

January 6, 2008

Hello Rick ~ Everyone

I am new to this group, and felt drawn to place a link on nasal

irrigation and use of the neti pot which may benefit (if you have yet to

try). You may also find David Frawley's book entitled Neti: Healing

Secrets of Yoga and Ayurveda an interesting read.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netti_pot

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netti_pot>

Kind Regards

~ Winter

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " Rick Brown " <bigskyagency

wrote:

>

> Hi Al,

>

> Please stay with me on this for a bit. I feel your on to something

with both of your suggestions and I

> am quite desperate. The stuffy nose at night has plagued me for many

years and is what in fact

> drew me to TCM. Conventional Western medicine has been unsuccessful

and I can't live with this so

> I searched TCM out of desperation.

>

> I will give you a couple of other symptoms that may help you with my

diagnoses, but none of them matter as much as the stuffy nose. Warning,

some ladies may find what said below offensive.

>

> A typical night will have me starting out tossing and turning soon

after I go to bed. I need to switch sides regularly to relieve the

pressure from the sinus nearest the pillow that I assume gets engorged

with blood . As soon as I switch the sinus starts to drain but now the

other sinus swells. 60% percent of the time though I manage to get some

sleep, but I probably need to breath through my mouth during the night.

Then what happens almost 95% of the time is somewhere between 5:00 a.m

and 6:30 a.m. I have night sweats usually on my back and shoulders (near

my lungs) like you said below. I am stuffed right up, I have a full

blown erection and I have to urinate (which at that time of the morning

always smells salty) , plus the upper part of my body feels so cold I

just can't get back to sleep. Even if I cover myself with 5 quilts.

>

> My Chinese TCM doctor (who can't speak very good English) says my

" kidney= water " is low or weak which make my lungs cold. Cold lungs with

warm blankets in bed equals sweating around that area. That makes sense

to me.

> The cold air in my lungs brings blood to my sinuses to heat the cold

air, I assume. Not sure of why the erection and the need to urinate so

badly in the morning, but I know from my readings that blood pressure is

regulated by the kidney so there is a connection between my kidneys and

my erections and stuffy nose.

>

> To help me with my sinuses he has given me acupuncture (in kidneys,

sinuses, above pubic bone, forehead, hand etc...) and has me take 5

little round pills that look like rabbit poop every morning and night.

This is for my kidneys. I have to say I feel so much more refreshed in

the morning when I wake up since then and he has improved my sinus

symptoms by about 20%. However to my surprise at my last session in

November of last year. he said he doesn't want to see me anymore until

the summer months (July & August). He said he has done all he can for

now and has put out the " fire on the mountain " meaning the build up of

heat in my lower body but he said we have to wait until the summer

months for him to conclude his curing me when the energy returns to the

head area. My last session was about my fourth session. In the summer he

will be giving me about six sessions that he said should take care of my

problem for good.

>

> I have to admit, although I was disappointed in him having me wait, I

respected him more because I was at his mercy and would have gladly paid

for many more sessions between November and the summer because I was so

desperate. In other words he could have made alot more money from me by

leading me on through the rest of the year.

>

> I have improved concentration and more energy, however I can feel

myself waning. My nose is starting to get stuffier and my sleeps are not

as refreshing. Which makes we wonder if acupuncture and TCM is a

temporary fix but I like to believe it isn't.

>

> Here are some other symptoms:

>

> Hypoglycaemia (controlling with diet)

> Tinnitus ( can this be fixed? I have to wait for the summer for this

too)

> Cloudy concentration.

> Cold sores around the nose when I get a cold. Colds almost always

> go to my sinuses.

> Get cold easily.

> Use to have a very strong libido, but is in more in control.

> Swollen left testicle after sex.

> Changes in weather bother me.

> Always the night time stuffy nose. Made worse by low pressure

symptoms.

> Sometimes the stuffy nose is accompanied by dryness in the nose and

throat.

>

> I feel if I can get the stuffy nose under control I will get my sleep

and life will be a box of chocolates.

>

> I asked my TCM why in the mornings does my nose get really stuffy, and

unfortunately his English won't translate, but

> it has to do with circulation he says. I think it has to do with blood

pressure in the morning like I said above.

>

> What do you think of my TCM's diagnoses? Is there anything you can add

or suggest.

>

> My TCM did recommend a green tea with rice in it to help with

digestion. I wonder if your suggestion of getting a drying

> formula might work and if I in fact have a damp lung. Is that the same

as a cold lung?

>

> I was wondering if I should ask my TCM if I can go back on the pills

that he gave me while waiting for acupuncture in the summer?

> I am researching adrenal fatigue, and they are recommending I stay on

these Vit C, B pills for at least two years. The TCM pills work better,

but because I have had this problem for so long I think I need to have

those pills for a lot longer ( ie the longer the symptoms the longer the

remedy needed).

>

> Look very forward to your thoughts.

>

> Rick ( or as my TCM calls me, Lick) :-)

>

> P.S. I wrote in once before and a person suggested I try going to

sleep earlier. That did help.

>

> -

> Al Stone

> Chinese Traditional Medicine

> Thursday, January 03, 2008 7:26 PM

> Re: [Chinese Traditional Medicine] Long term effects of cannibis . . .

>

> On Jan 2, 2008 1:45 PM, Rick Brown bigskyagency wrote:

>

> > Dear Allan,

> >

> > I have chronic nasal congestion from years of smoking both pot and

> > cigarettes. I have a terrible time with it when I am trying to

sleep. I have

> > since quit smoking both, going on my 17th year.

> >

> > I understand this congestion is related to my lung wind. Any TCM

> > suggestions for this depilating problem?

> >

>

> If this is a wind attack that you're having at night, you can think of

it as

> an allergic type response. Not inclined to think that this is a direct

> result of smoking, 17 years later. If it is " lung wind " due to " Lung

qi

> deficiency " then you may also sweat for no reason and have a weak

voice. If

> that's the case, then I would get you thinking about a formula called

Yu

> Ping Feng San.

>

> However, it may also be that the munchies that your pot gave you

established

> some dampness in your Lungs, perhaps continually aggravated by dietary

> issues now. There's an ancient saying that says dampness is created in

the

> earth (digestive) organs and is stored in the metal organs (Lungs and

Large

> Intestine.) The Lungs are obviously connected to the nose and

sometimes when

> you lay down, all that dampness backs up into the nose. If this is the

case,

> a drying formula that might stimulate the efficiency of your digestion

might

> be indicated. If you do have internal dampness, look for frequent

> indigestion, loose poop, mucus lined poop, smeary poop, lack of

appetite,

> and perhaps a sensitivity to motion sickness. Sound like you?

>

> -al.

>

> --

> , DAOM

> Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

>

January 9, 2008

Thanks winter. I will look these up. Have tried the Neti Pot for about 2 weeks,

will let you

know after a few months. These websites are interesting and i will give them a

good read.

Rick

winter_anamchara

Sunday, January 06, 2008 6:47 AM

Chinese Traditional Medicine

[Chinese Traditional Medicine] Re: night time sinus congestion - my reply to Al