At a glance
A blocked nose and lost sense of smell and taste, restored during treatment by opening and warming the respiratory system.
Presentation
A 47-year-old patient came to the clinic with a persistently stuffy nose, intermittent clear mucus, and — most distressing of all — a lost sense of smell and taste. Losing those senses takes much of the pleasure out of daily life, and she was eager to breathe and taste freely again.
Diagnosis
Pulse diagnosis and assessment pointed to several interwoven factors: Lung Qi deficiency, inflammation in the respiratory system, Liver Qi stagnation, and internal cold. In TCM the Lungs open into the nose, so when Lung Qi is weak and the respiratory system is both inflamed and cold, the nose blocks, mucus accumulates, and the senses it carries are dulled. Opening the nose meant addressing each of these at once.
Treatment
Treatment combined acupuncture to open the nose with a warming, strengthening herbal mixture:
- UB-2 (Zanzhu) and Bitong — points at the inner eyebrow and beside the nose, used directly to open the nasal passages
- LU-1 (Zhongfu) and LU-10 (Yuji) — Lung-channel points — LU-10 helps clear inflammation from the respiratory system
- the ‘earth’ points ST-36 (Zusanli) and SP-9 (Yinlingquan), and the ‘wood’ point LR-8 (Ququan) — selected to strengthen the body and smooth the stagnant Liver Qi
Alongside the acupuncture, a herbal mixture was prescribed to open the nose and to strengthen and warm the respiratory system from within.
Result
Her nose opened during the treatment itself, and the stuffiness lifted. By the time she went home she could smell and taste her food again — the senses she had lost returning along with clear, easy breathing.
This reflects an individual patient experience, not clinical trial data.
Results vary from person to person depending on the condition, its severity, and how an individual responds to treatment. TCM and acupuncture are not a substitute for care from your physician or another regulated health professional. If you’re dealing with a serious or urgent symptom, please see a doctor first.