Rhinitis / Sinusitis

Q Is a remote consultation also possible?

A. If your symptoms are stable, you can begin history-taking and consultation remotely. However, accurate diagnosis, herbal prescription, and treatments such as nasal bloodletting require an in-person visit, and if you have one-sided bloody discharge or vision abnormalities, an in-person examination is recommended first.

Q My rhinitis is severe, and every change of season I also get a touch of asthma. Are the two related? Can they improve together?

A. Allergic rhinitis and asthma are upper and lower extensions of the same airway allergic reaction, so they often appear together. When the hypersensitivity of the nasal mucosa is managed, irritation of the lower airway also decreases, and accompanying symptoms often improve together.

Q My child can't sleep well because of nasal congestion, perhaps from rhinitis, and says their ears feel plugged. Is this related to otitis media as well?

A. The nose and ears are connected by the eustachian tube, so when a child's rhinitis swells the nasal and eustachian tube mucosa, ventilation of the middle ear is blocked and otitis media easily develops. Nasal congestion also lowers sleep quality. When rhinitis is treated at its root, the plugged-ear feeling and sleep problems often improve together.

Q When I lie down at night, my nose gets completely blocked and I can't sleep well. Is there anything I can do at home right now?

A. Raise the indoor humidity with a humidifier at bedtime and sip lukewarm water to keep the mucosa moist. Slightly elevating your upper body with a pillow reduces sleep disruption from congestion. It's best to avoid caffeine and cold water before bed.

Q What habits should I build to make rhinitis flare up less?

A. The keys are drinking lukewarm water often, keeping indoor humidity around 50%, cutting back on caffeine, cold water, and spicy or salty foods, and practicing abdominal breathing. Small habit changes can make as big a difference as medication.

Q I have blood-tinged mucus from only one nostril and a feeling of swelling around my eye. Can I just assume it's rhinitis and watch it for now?

A. If blood-tinged discharge comes from only one side, or if it is accompanied by reduced vision, bulging of the eyeball, facial swelling, or severe headache, immediate examination is needed. This can be an urgent warning sign that goes beyond simple rhinitis, such as atrophic rhinitis or a complication of sinusitis.

Q I'm using a nasal steroid spray I got from the ENT clinic. Is it okay to take herbal medicine at the same time?

A. It's fine to use them together if you space them out in time. The nasal spray acts directly on the nose while herbal medicine is taken orally, so their routes differ and there is little conflict; we usually advise spacing herbal medicine and oral Western medicine about 1–2 hours apart. As symptoms improve, we gradually reduce use of the spray.

Q I've had rhinitis for over 10 years now. Can something this long-standing really get better? How long does treatment usually take?

A. Even long-standing rhinitis can become much more comfortable once the mucosa's moisture balance and defenses are restored. We usually aim for the frequency and intensity of runny nose and congestion to noticeably decrease with two to three months of consistent treatment.

Q Even after treatment makes me better, my nose gets blocked again whenever the seasons change. Can recurrence be prevented?

A. Rhinitis is closely tied to seasonal and environmental changes, so management is important. Combining mucosal recovery with environmental management and lifestyle habits can lengthen the intervals between seasonal recurrences and lower their intensity.

Q I'm an office worker in my 40s living near the harbor in Dong-gu, Incheon. Every spring I can't stop sneezing and having a runny nose. What exactly causes allergic rhinitis?

A. Allergic rhinitis is an immediate-type immune reaction that occurs when IgE antibodies on the surface of mast cells in the nasal mucosa bind to antigens such as pollen or house dust mites. Chemicals like histamine are released all at once, so a clear runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, and itchy eyes appear together. When the maritime humidity around the harbor combines with airborne antigens in spring, symptoms can become even more pronounced.

Q After living with rhinitis for a long time, yellow mucus drips down the back of my throat and my face feels heavy and dull. Has it turned into sinusitis?

A. When rhinitis persists, the passage through which mucus drains from the sinuses swells and secretions pool; when chronic inflammation is added, it progresses to sinusitis. It is characterized by yellow purulent nasal discharge, post-nasal drip, a feeling of pressure in the forehead and cheekbones, and reduced sense of smell. If it lasts 12 weeks or longer, it is considered chronic sinusitis and is confirmed by nasal endoscopy and CT.

Q I'm told I have a house dust mite allergy. What kind of environmental management actually helps with rhinitis?

A. The foundation of managing allergic rhinitis is avoidance therapy. The key is to minimize exposure to antigens that trigger symptoms, such as house dust mites, animal dander, and pollen. Keeping indoor humidity below 50% and regularly washing bedding in hot water at 55°C or higher can effectively reduce mite antigens.

Q I drink coffee all the time and love spicy food. Do these eating habits make rhinitis and sinusitis worse?

A. Caffeinated drinks and cold water can dry out the mucosa and worsen rhinitis symptoms, while spicy and salty foods promote blood vessel swelling and aggravate nasal congestion. Even if it's hard to quit completely, cutting back and frequently drinking lukewarm water will reduce how often symptoms occur.

Q I'm looking for a place to get rhinitis treatment near Dong-gu, Incheon. How does the first visit work?

A. At the first visit, we listen in detail about when and in what situations your symptoms are worst and what your lifestyle and eating habits are like, and we examine the condition of your nose. Based on that, we decide together on a treatment plan, herbal prescription, and direction for lifestyle management.

Q What specific steps does Korean medicine treatment for rhinitis go through?

A. First we bring down the heat and pressure concentrated in the head and face and resolve the waste stagnant around the nose. Next, with customized herbal medicine, we correct whole-body water metabolism so the mucosa can maintain its own moisture, and finally we proceed by releasing tension in the neck and shoulders to improve circulation.

Q What should I prepare before the consultation?

A. If you organize when your symptoms are worst, which seasons, environments, or foods worsen them, the medications you are taking, and any test results you've received, your visit will be faster and more accurate.

Q I can barely get through the day unless I take antihistamines every day. If I get Korean medicine treatment, will I be able to manage without medication?

A. Antihistamines suppress symptoms quickly, but the underlying state of a hypersensitive nasal mucosa remains, so symptoms tend to return when you stop. Korean medicine treatment aims to reduce drug dependence by restoring the weakened mucosa and defenses so the body reacts less to the same antigens. During periods of severe symptoms, we gradually taper the medication while using it alongside treatment.

Q I'm a lecturer in my 30s, and I keep having a stuffy feeling of something sticky dripping down my throat along with a dry cough. Tests show nothing wrong, but can Korean medicine help things that tests don't catch?

A. Even when tests show no clear abnormality, post-nasal drip and a dry cough often interfere with work. Such cases frequently arise from a combination of nasal inflammation and energy stagnation caused by stress, and this is an area where Korean medicine treatment that manages the mucosa and relieves tension shows its strength.