The Key to Getting Rid of Sinusitis and Sinus Infections: Chinese Herbs for Sinus Health
- Sean Dugan
- Sep 6
- 22 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
Over the years I’ve worked with people suffering from a wide range of ailments, and I’ve come to believe that suffering is relative; nobody’s specific type of suffering is ‘worse’ than anyone else's. Misery is misery, be it migraine headaches or chronic constipation.
That being said, sinus infections are a special kind of hell. The splitting headaches, the pressure, the chronic sore throat from post-nasal drip. And the fatigue! That’s a killer. You might be dragging yourself around for weeks, well past the socially acceptable duration of a cold or flu.
And the worst thing about sinus infections? They are tenacious little buggers. If you’ve had one sinus infection, I can safely bet you’ve had two. Or ten.
Do I sound like I’m speaking from personal experience?
It’s true, I have been in the ring with severe sinus infections on more than one occasion. Today, however, I can happily and truthfully say: I have not had a single sinus infection in ten years.
How did I manage that? I’ll tell you.
And then I’ll tell you how you can go ten years sinus infection-free, too.
Whether you’re dealing with severe sinus infections, seasonal sinusitis, or just neverending nasal congestion - you have come to the right place.
I’m passionate about helping people with all kinds of acute and chronic conditions, but sinus infections and sinusitis have a special place in my heart. I have made it my mission to be excellent at treating them, because I went so long myself without a good solution to a truly miserable problem.
Are you ready to be done with sinus infections now and forever?
Let’s get started!
This article delves into my personal experience with sinus infections and treatment, as well as the why and the how behind chronic sinus infections. If you are not particularly interested in all that and just want to start feeling better ASAP, no problem.
You can get started with treatment in my herbal clinic today. Clinical treatment starts with scheduling an in-depth consultation where I assess all of your symptoms, overall health, and health history, and then I create a custom treatment plan for you. I recommend one herbal formula, two at the most, to be taken at any given time.
I get the best results with the personalized treatment that I provide through my clinic. But, if you are looking for something less involved, or you'd like an herbal formula you can buy right now then I'd recommend checking out my sinus support formula.
"If you are suffering from chronic sinus infections, I recommend you seek help from Sean ASAP. If you’re like me, you’ve probably tried a lot of different remedies, but let me tell you: you haven’t tried this, and this WORKS. I have suffered for years from sinus infections, which usually start off as seasonal allergies or a cold and then develop into full blown infections that hang on for months. I don’t even know how many courses of antibiotics I’ve done. I started herbal treatment with Sean and after taking herbs regularly for three months I am symptom free. Breathing normally, no headaches, and I actually have energy. I feel hopeful for the first time in a long time I can kick this for good! I am honestly amazed by the results." - Peter
Table of Contents
My Own Special Hell
When I was 20, I was in my last year of college in the beautiful beach town of Santa Cruz. I was enjoying a period of peak youthful invincibility, the kind where you go to Guatemala and drink tap water and eat fruit and street meat from local vendors without a care in the world. Or you decide to save a few bucks on rent and move into an extremely funky old house by the beach. I was about two weeks into living at my new dilapidated digs, when I noticed black mold creeping up the walls. When I asked about it, my housemates told me they just wiped down the walls with bleach every couple of weeks.
If you know a bit about fungi, you know that visible mold is just the tip of the iceberg - the iceberg being a lurking moldy behemoth that is all through the walls, floors, and roof of an old house like this place. So a cursory bleach wipe wasn’t going to cut it.
Within a couple weeks of that toxic mold exposure, I started getting sinus infections. I was no stranger to respiratory conditions, having already used Chinese Medicine to recover from severe allergies and asthma when I was in my early teens. But at 20 I had been feeling great, training in martial arts, running, and generally not having any issues.
I only spent about a month in that house - but it would stay with me for years to come.
At this point, I was already a few years into studying Western herbal medicine and interning with a Chinese herbalist. I had lots of resources, but all the herbs I took, and all the neti-pot saline rinses I did were not touching the chronic sinus infections. They just kept coming. When my home remedies failed me, I went to several ENTs, took multiple courses of antibiotics, got CT scans of my sinuses and consulted about surgical options. I was getting nowhere.
Despite moving out of the mold-riddled house, I just couldn’t kick the sinus infections. Eventually I figured out that I felt better in arid climates, and moved to the desert. This didn’t feel like a solution though; it felt like a crutch, and a massive limitation on the forward progress of my life.
A few years later, I came across a naturopath who suggested using a nebulized form of a common antifungal drug. At that point, it was the most promising treatment I’d come across. Unfortunately, most antifungal drugs come with some harsh and serious side effects. In my case, I would get incredible bouts of insomnia. So I could breathe through my nose, and had no headaches, but also got zero sleep for multiple nights in a row.
This didn’t feel like much of a solution either!
At this point in my life, I was exploring formal education in Chinese Medicine. Even though I hadn’t been able to kick my sinus problem yet, I had seen Chinese herbal medicine help people in profound ways through my clinical internship - and through my previous personal experiences. I toured lots of schools, all along the West Coast and out to New Mexico. As much as I wanted to live in the New Mexico desert, the school with the strongest herbal medicine program was in the notoriously wet Pacific Northwestern city of Portland, Oregon.
I knew I would be contending with humidity and routine mold exposure living in such a chilly, damp climate, but I also knew it was the place I needed to go to study. Fortunately, early in my classes there I found the Chinese Medicine doctors I had been looking for - the ones who knew how to crush severe sinus problems like they were nothing. I had braved my kryptonite (the Pacific Northwest), and found exactly what I needed.
I studied hard to learn my teacher's practice and methods. I never wanted to go back to sinus infection hell, but I also felt driven to help other people get out from under their chronic illnesses and suffering.
I have continued to study and learn from my teachers and through classical sources, research and my own clinic practice.
The methods I use today come from a blending of multiple schools of Chinese Medicine thought, but they draw heavily from the 200 A.D. herbal text, the Shang Han Lun. This is one the most important works on Chinese herbal medicine in existence, and details a highly sophisticated method of treating infectious diseases. Some of the core formulas and formula design methods from the Shang Han Lun are essential to successful sinus infection treatment. I also incorporate modern Chinese Medicine formulas and herbs that research and clinical practice have shown to be highly effective.
The How and Why of Sinus Infections and Sinusitis
To understand why my method works so well - and why other treatments you have tried didn’t - we need to dive deep into sinus infection pathophysiology, aka how the why and how of sinus infections.
Let me ask you this: What causes a sinus infection?
Bacteria, right? Or maybe viruses?
Not exactly! It turns out that 96% of chronic sinus infections aren’t bacterial, or even viral.
What? Yes, it’s true!
In a groundbreaking study back in 1999, Mayo Clinic researchers found fungus in the mucus of 96% of the chronic sinusitis patients that they studied. They discovered that the presence of fungus in the mucus was also accompanied by an abundance of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell which is particularly active against fungal pathogens. What’s more important is that in this study they went on to treat the patients with antifungal drugs and saw a high success rate in resolving chronic sinusitis.
That’s right, your chronic sinus infection isn’t bacterial, it’s fungal.
While it's common to also get bacterial and viral sinus infections as secondary infections,
bacteria and viruses are not the root cause of the vast majority of chronic sinusitis cases.
That’s why those cycles of antibiotics you took may have helped you feel better for a while, but the sinus infection always came back.
How do I know? Well, you wouldn’t be reading this article if antibiotics cured your sinusitis, now would you?
It’s mind-blowing, but it's true: Antibiotics are not the answer for chronic sinus infections.
In fact, they might be the biggest enemy to sinus health.
The Fungus Among Us
At this point there are probably two questions as the top of your mind:
How the heck did I get fungus in my nasal cavity?
And, if this was discovered 25 years ago, why are antifungal medications not the standard of care for chronic sinusitis?
Let’s start with the fungi.
Fungal spores, like mold spores, are everywhere. Even in the driest Arizona desert, you’ll still find some mold spores in the air.
There are many types of fungi and mold. Some are benign to humans, and some are not - the latter are called pathogenic molds or fungi. Pathogenic fungi are organisms that are capable of aggressively colonizing the human body, causing severe illness and, in extreme cases, even death.
But the environment around us isn’t the only way to get fungus into the sinuses. Inhaling pathogenic mold spores seems like the most direct route to getting fungus in nasal mucus, but it’s not the only path.
Our microbiome includes many fungal organisms, the most well known of which is Candida. This is a fungal organism that is present all over the body. Candida is a commensal organism - meaning not particularly harmful - if its growth is kept in check by our immune system and the balance of other microbes. But if it gets out of control, it becomes a pathogenic fungus.
Overgrowth of Candida is frequently caused by overconsumption of sugar, overuse of antibiotics, immunosuppressive drugs (cortisone, steroids, glucocorticoid nasal sprays, etc), and weak immune function. While Candida overgrowth is most well known for causing problems in the digestive system and vaginal yeast infections, it is also happy to call the respiratory tract and sinuses home.
You don’t have to have encountered a toxic mold in order to have a fungal sinus infection. It can come from overgrowth of fungus naturally present in your body.
Ok, so what does the pathogenic fungus do, once it's set up shop in your sinuses?
In the Mayo clinic sinus study, researchers coined the diagnostic term chronic eosinophilic rhinosinusitis to describe their findings. This diagnosis describes 96% of sinus sufferers, so let’s break it down.
At some point, you are exposed to a pathogenic fungus or mold that makes its way into the deep dark recesses of your sinuses. This could be through inhaling toxic mold spores, or through internal overgrowth of pathogenic fungi like Candida.
The sinuses are air-filled cavities within our skull. They are supposed to be empty, but now they are inhabited by a mean green pathogenic fungi queen, and a bunch of mucus. That fungi, once settled in, does not want to leave.
Your immune system attacks, maybe it even kills off most of the fungi, but it doesn’t quite wipe it all out. Like I said, this stuff is tenacious.
Unfortunately, your immune system’s prolonged battle with this pathogenic fungus switches it into high alert mode for all incoming fungal spores. You could think of it like your immune system’s trauma response.
This is a real problem, because we breathe in benign mold spores every single day. There will be more of them if you live in a humid environment, but even in the desert and even indoors - there are non-pathogenic mold and fungal spores everywhere.
These benign mold spores don’t pose any risk to humans. But your immune system has had it with fungus. It’s had a bad experience, it knows fungi can be dangerous to you, and it’s going to protect you no matter what.
Now, with any exposure to fungal spores - including all the benign ones - your immune system goes to war. It deploys a platoon of eosinophils to battle every last fungal spore. But it has mis-identified the enemy, and this immune response causes a great deal of collateral damage - to you.
This eosinophilic response generates loads of mucus, congestion, swelling, and inflammation. And this messy battlefield in your sinuses and nasal passages becomes a perfect incubation chamber for viruses or bacteria.
Viral and bacterial sinus infections are almost always secondary infections. In 96% of chronic sinus infections, the root cause is pathogenic fungal overgrowth.
You may be thinking: wait, hold on a second. I’ve had CT scans of my sinus. Wouldn’t those show fungus?
The answer is no, unless you have a massive fungal mass that requires surgical removal. And, lucky for you, that level of fungal overgrowth is extremely rare.
A clear CT does not rule out fungus as the primary cause of sinus infections. Very likely the amount of fungal overgrowth in your sinuses is pretty small - even though your symptoms are big - and can’t be visualized on CT.
Perhaps you have also had your mucus cultured, and that didn’t show a fungal infection either. This is a similar situation to the CT scan - most modern testing methods only reveal glaringly obvious infections. They are often ineffective at identifying the cause of chronic infection because the infection exists at a threshold which is lower than the test’s sensitivity can detect.
And since we’re getting pretty far into the fungal weeds here let me clarify... we do not need a CT or a culture or any other Western medical diagnostic test to effectively treat your sinus infections with Chinese herbal medicine. We have our own in-depth diagnostic methods and approach to treatment.
If you would like to read more about how Chinese Medicine works in general, please check out my article About Chinese Medicine, or the video of the same title.
Antibiotics: The Fast Track to a Long Term Problem
Now, before we get into antifungals, let’s talk antibiotics.
Antibiotics are a common part of sinus infection treatment - and also one of the main factors that create and perpetuate them.
Ironic, right?
If you suffer from chronic sinusitis, you have probably had the experience of taking antibiotics and feeling better, at least for a while. Maybe even for a long while.
This is because they are killing off the secondary infection in your sinuses - the bacteria that grew in your inflamed sinuses while your immune system was busy brawling with molds. Additionally, many common antibiotics have secondary anti-inflammatory effects, so they reduce swelling in your sinuses and help fluid drain out.
I’m making antibiotics sound pretty amazing, right?
In some ways, they are! Antibiotics are perhaps the most important medical advancement in modern history. They have a time and a place, but that place is not in treating chronic sinus infections and sinusitis.
Antibiotics are the fastest way to take you from having a minor, acute problem, to having a serious and difficult to get rid of chronic problem with sinus infections and sinusitis.
Here’s why:
Antibiotics wreak havoc on your gut flora, which is vitally important for your overall health, especially your immune system function.
Overuse of antibiotics breeds antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria
Antibiotics are the worst possible thing to use when dealing with fungal infections. Your body is an ecosystem, and beneficial bacteria occupy important places in your gut flora as well as your respiratory tract, sinuses, skin, etc. When these good bacteria are present, there is no space for harmful fungal organisms to live. When you wipe out beneficial bacterial colonies with antibiotics, you create space for more and more fungal organisms to colonize your microbiome.
You can also develop sinusitis as a result of taking antibiotics for something else. In my clinic I have seen many cases where a sinus infection flared up in the aftermath of taking antibiotics for something like a UTI or ear infection. The antibiotics disturb the microbiome, and for the opportunistic fungi lurking in your sinuses - that means it’s time to party.
In a nutshell, every course of antibiotics you take drags you deeper into a cycle of chronic sinus infections.
Where My Anti-fungals At?
Let’s circle back to that second important question raised by the 1999 Mayo Clinic sinus study:
If fungus is the primary cause of chronic sinusitis, why isn’t addressing fungal infection the standard of care for treating sinus infections?
After all, in the Mayo study they treated patients with antifungal drugs and saw a high rate of success.
Well, there’s a catch.
We have not yet developed antifungal medications that are both effective and come with minimal side effects.
This is actually true for both antifungal drugs and antiviral drugs. These classes of pharmaceuticals frequently have harsh and serious side effects. Antifungal drugs can cause liver damage, kidney damage, and often have unwanted side effects due to their secondary steroidal effects.
Is that all worth some sinus headache relief? Maybe, maybe not.
In my opinion, this is the most likely reason why treating chronic sinusitis by addressing fungal infection hasn’t gained traction as a standard of care.
However, there are many factors that affect which treatments get funding, support, and acceptance, and which ones die in the research phase. Politics, money, power, and culture all play pivotal roles in directing the development of medicines - and unfortunately it doesn’t always work out for the benefit of the general public.
But wait - there’s good news!
There are other ways to treat fungal infections successfully besides harsh antifungal drugs.
Chinese herbal medicine provides a safe and effective way to treat chronic sinus infections by addressing the underlying root cause - fungal infection - without the nasty side effects and risks of antifungal drugs.
We use complex and specifically tailored herbal formulas that are far safer than pharmaceutical medications, and are highly effective in treating not only the primary fungal infection but also secondary bacterial and viral infections.
How, you ask?
Let’s get into it!
What We’ve All Been Waiting For: A Sinus Infection Treatment That Works
In my clinical practice, I treat every case on an individual basis. However, there are some elements that I will always address in every chronic sinus infection case I see, because they are of vital importance to the healing process.
Strengthening immune system function
Regulating and strengthening immune function is the most important part of curing a long-term infection, even more important than killing off the pathogen - though we will do that too. In a healthy body with a strong immune system, you don’t need to rely on herbs or drugs to protect you; you protect yourself!
There is a classical herbal formula for acute and chronic infections that I use often in my practice composed of seven herbs. Five of them strengthen the innate immune response (known as Zheng Qi), dispel phlegm, and regulate digestion. Only two of the seven herbs have direct antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial actions.
This exemplifies the importance of using a balanced approach when treating chronic infections. Most treatments for infection - be they herbal or pharmaceutical - ultimately fail by putting all the focus on killing, and none on fortifying your defenses.
Improving blood circulation
Our immune system relies on circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid to deliver immune cells to the areas where they are needed. All the T cells in the world won’t help you if they can’t get where they need to go.
This is especially important for sinus infections. The sinuses are hard to reach places, and the capillaries and blood vessels that supply them are small and easily impaired. Many people who deal with chronic sinusitis also have structural challenges like deviated septum, small upper palette and reduced airway volume.
These structural elements make good blood circulation even more important. I use a variety of Chinese herbs that improve blood circulation, not only in the whole body, but specifically targeting the sinuses, head, and face.
Breaking down biofilms
Chronic pathogens, including fungi, viruses, and bacteria, create biofilms to hide and protect themselves from our immune system. Incorporating herbs that break down biofilms is an important part of sinus infection treatment. Supplements that claim to break down biofilms have become popular in the last few years, but I have yet to see any that rival the effectiveness of traditional Chinese herbs.
Lymphatic drainage
Just like blood circulation, circulation of lymphatic fluid is essential for proper immune system function. I use herbs that focus their action on lymphatic flow in the head, neck, and throat to help clear the sinuses faster.
Transforming phlegm
Most sinus infection treatment products on the market focus on drying up phlegm and mucus. While it may make your nose stop running, this is not an effective long term strategy.
Even though it's common for chronic sinusitis to manifest with a watery, runny nose - there is almost always some impacted, dry and sticky phlegm deep in the sinuses. Drying out that type of phlegm will only make the congestion worse!
I use a variety of herbs to address phlegm, but I always include herbs to help moisten, resolve, and metabolize the sticky, dry, and impacted phlegm that is deep in the sinus cavities.
Destroying fungi, viruses, and bacteria
While it is most important to address the innate immune system function and all the factors above, I also use herbs that have direct antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial action.
The herbs I use for this are effective, yet fundamentally gentle and safe. In my approach to sinus infections I focus heavily on antifungal herbs, but many of these herbs have broad spectrum action. The ability for certain Chinese herbs to suppress fungal pathogens, viral pathogens, and bacterial pathogens simultaneously makes them uniquely appropriate to sinus infections.
These herbs are inherently milder than drugs, but infinitely more complex in their chemistry. This makes it possible to attack pathogenic infections without causing disruption to your microbiome and gut flora.
Am I Acute or a Chronic?
I’ve talked a lot about chronic sinusitis in this article, and you may be wondering - does this approach work for acute sinus infections too?
Heck yes it does!
Sometimes it’s tough to tell the difference between acute and chronic infections because every person with chronic sinusitis will go through acute phases, or flare ups of intense symptoms.
If you are prone to sinus infections, my advice is to start treatment whether or not you are currently having an acute flare up. If you only seek treatment when you feel awful, and then do nothing when you are feeling relatively good, you will probably be on the sinus roller coaster for a while.
If you are reading this article, it's likely you feel miserable right now - so let’s get started!
Just remember: you will get the best results if you stick with it for several months - even if you feel a lot better by next week.
Continual herbal treatment for 2-3 months will allow for a substantial change in your immune system health, and in the health of your sinuses and microbiome, and that will create stability so you don’t keep see-sawing back into acute sinus hell.
The Four Percenters
So, what about the 4% of sinus infections that aren’t fungal?
Well, I’m glad you asked.
Firstly, I’ll say this: if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you’ve been to a lot of doctors already. Maybe regular doctors, maybe naturopaths, maybe functional medicine doctors. None of them helped you, at least not in a significant and lasting way.
That experience tends to make you feel like an impossible case, some rare presentation never seen before. Lucky for you, that’s probably not the case. You are most likely to be in the 96% of cases that are primary fungal infections paired with secondary viral or bacterial infections.
What is rare is finding a doctor who knows how to treat any type of chronic sinusitis!
You’re not the “impossible case” - you’ve just been to a lot of people who don’t know how to treat sinus infections properly.
And the reason I can say this with confidence is that I have felt exactly the same way when I was struggling with chronic sinus infections, but now I treat sinus infections constantly in my clinical practice with great success.
Sinus infections are not “impossible to fix”; they’re just misunderstood and mistreated the vast majority of the time.
But okay. What if you are part of the 4% of cases that are primary viral or bacterial infections?
Let’s talk about it.
As you might remember from the section on my treatment methods, killing the specific pathogen is not nearly as important as addressing the overall health of your sinuses and treating the conditions that allow infection to take root. So even if the infection is bacterial or viral, the same balanced method will work better than an all-out, salt the earth and take no prisoners antibacterial or antiviral approach.
Here’s another anecdote from my healing journey that illustrates this perfectly.
By the time I was two years into my four year Chinese Medicine program, I was doing well. I’d been sinus infection free for two years, when the worst one I’d ever had - an antibiotic-resistant MRSA strain - stopped me in my tracks.
When it first started it wasn’t too bad, and I thought I’d learned enough from my teachers to handle it on my own. After a couple weeks of unsuccessful attempts to treat myself, and a full re-entry into the head-splitting pits of sinus infection hell, I made my way humbly back to one of my teachers for help.
He did his exam and intake, and asked how I had treated it so far. He shook his head, and, with the kind of shade only a great teacher can cast - a combination of kindness and “you have much to learn, my young padawan” - he explained the formula and treatment method he would use to treat this nasty infection.
This method would become the key to my success at treating chronic infections in my own practice down the road.
That was the last sinus infection I had, at age 25. I’m going on 10 years without sinus problems, and along the way I’ve helped a lot of people just like you.
My methods will work whether you have a bacterial, viral or fungal yeast infection. The actual pathogen is only a part of the process - and not even the most important one. The key is in a balanced approach.
What if this was the last sinus infection you ever had?
Think about it...
Why Me: What Makes Us Prone to Sinus Infections
Anyone with a chronic condition or illness had wondered this at some point.
Why me?
It’s not fair, but it's not random either. Let’s talk about the factors that affect your predisposition to sinusitis and sinus infections.
Weakened immune system
Weak immune system function can be driven by chronic stress, overwork, lack of sleep, and immunosuppressive medications, to name a few. (This includes steroidal glucocorticoid nasal sprays)
Structure
The bony structure of your head, face, sinuses, nasal passage, and palette can make you more prone to sinusitis and sinus infections. Structural problems can make it harder for phlegm and congested fluid to drain, and can impair healthy circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid.
In my clinical experience, I have rarely seen that sinus surgeries or deviated septum surgeries have helped people avoid sinus problems, however. Surgeries can cause more damage than relief in this delicate area, and usually leave behind scar tissues - enemy #1 to good blood flow.
Chinese herbal medicine can help you get around issues with structure. In some cases, palette expansion therapy with an experienced dentist may be beneficial to open up the airway. It’s long, uncomfortable, and costly so I recommend starting with Chinese herbal medicine first.
History of antibiotic use
The more antibiotics you’ve taken, the more likely you are to be prone to sinus problems. In some people even one or two courses of antibiotics is enough to set the stage for sinus infections.
Disturbed microbiome
As discussed earlier, your microbiome plays a pivotal role in controlling pathogenic organisms. Genetics, antibiotics, medications, improper use of herbs and supplements, and diet can all result in dysbiosis, a dysregulated microbiome.
Excessive sugar, dairy, and phlegm-forming foods
Sugar and dairy are the biggest dietary culprits that contribute to sinus problems. Simply put, sugar and dairy are the best way to form a lot of mucus - regardless of whether you’re lactose intolerant or not. Sugar means sugar in all its forms - including excessive consumption of fruit or fruit juice.
Chronic Candida
Often related to antibiotic use, excessive sugar intake, and dysbiosis, Candida overgrowth is one of the common fungal pathogens that contributes to sinus problems.
History of mold exposure
Maybe you lived in an old house growing up, or maybe you live in one now. The more exposure you have had to pathogenic molds, the more likely you are to have sinus problems.
Allergies
Allergies create an added challenge to sinus problems by producing excess phlegm, congestion, swelling and inflammation. Most allergies can be treated effectively with Chinese Medicine. Some allergies, like cat allergies, do best with avoidance of the cause. If you’re a cat lover who’s allergic to cats, I highly recommend looking into an actually hypoallergenic cat breed like Siberian cats. Many cat breeds are touted as hypoallergenic, but are not. Most cat allergies come from an immune response to the Fel d1 protein, not from hair or dander, a common misconception.
Low body temperature / not keeping head and neck warm
This can be a hard pill to swallow if you’re a modern person who’s committed to ignoring the science-backed wisdom of your grandmother, or if you’ve read a little Wim Hoff but not enough.
Here’s the deal: your body temperature is one of your most fundamental defense mechanisms. Your ideal body temperature is around 98.6 F - and that is not a random number.
All manner of nasties - rhinoviruses (common cold viruses), fungi, and bacteria that you’re exposed to every day - cannot thrive and grow at that temperature! But drop the temperature of your head and neck just 2 degrees down to 96F, and the growth rate of rhinoviruses (for example) increases exponentially.
This is what your grandmother meant when she said “careful you don’t catch a chill”. “Catching a chill” (aka reducing the temp of your head for even just a couple hours) takes your body’s temperature defense mechanism down, and invites respiratory pathogens to throw a party.
If you are someone who generally runs cold, less than 98.6 F, you are going to be more prone to respiratory infections. But don' t worry, we can help you thermoregulate with herbal medicine.
If you’re someone who goes out in cold weather frequently without a hat or scarf, you are setting yourself up for an increased risk of sinus problems. Not drying your hair also results in evaporative cooling on your scalp which will cool your head and sinuses.
If you live in 80-100 degree weather, this doesn’t matter much (as long as you aren’t cranking your AC). But if you live somewhere chilly, dressing warm is a very simple way to reduce sinus problems.
The Fear of Interaction: Can I Take Herbs and Antibiotics Together?
Short answer: Yes!
If you are in a position where you have to take antibiotics for a sinus infection, taking herbs will help the antibiotics work better by improving blood and lymphatic circulation - allowing the antibiotics to get where they need to go.
The herbs will also support your innate immune system, and simultaneously suppress fungal pathogens and viral pathogens. You will be less likely to end up with more problems after your antibiotics course is done.
Over the years I’ve found that a lot of people are scared to take herbs alongside antibiotics because they are afraid of making the antibiotics less effective, or of some herb-drug interaction.
This is due to lack of education about Chinese Medicine. You should follow instructions - like no alcohol with certain antibiotics, or being careful of sun exposure with others. Some herbs - like St. John’s wort - can make antibiotics less effective by speeding up the drug’s metabolism.
I only use herbs that are appropriate to use concurrently with antibiotics when treating infection.
So please, don’t think that antibiotic use excludes herbal treatment! You will do yourself a great favor by doing herbal medicine alongside your antibiotic treatment plan.
Sinus Self-Help
If you made it this far, congratulations and thank you for reading!
I hope you’ve learned some things about sinus infections and how to prevent and treat them.
Since this article is already very long, please check out my separate article Sinus Self-Help for strategies you can use at home to maintain sinus health.
Ready for happy, healthy, and clear sinuses?
Visit my herbal clinic page to schedule your first consultation, find more information on the treatment process, cost, herb quality, and more.
Sincerely, Sean Dugan L.Ac.
Sean Dugan L.Ac. is a licensed and board-certified herbalist and acupuncturist. He holds a Master’s degree in Chinese Medicine from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine as well as a Diplomate in Chinese Medicine from the NCCAOM. He has studied under many Master Herbalists including Dr. Guohui Liu, Dr. Jimmy Wei-Yin Chang, Dr. Fang Zhang, Dr. Greg Livingston, and Dr. Darren Huckle. Sean’s herbal medicine practice draws from both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Classical Chinese Medicine treatment methods, with a focus on clinical efficacy above all. He has been treating patients with Chinese Herbal Medicine since 2013.
Sean works with clients all over the US through the Folkwise Herbal Clinic. In-person appointments are available at our Boise, Idaho clinic.
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