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.
Detailed Answer
A normal sinus pushes mucus out through its mucosa, but when the mucosa swells due to rhinitis, the drainage passage becomes blocked and secretions pool. When chronic inflammation settles into the pooled mucus, characteristic symptoms appear such as yellow purulent nasal discharge, post-nasal drip, facial pressure, and reduced sense of smell. To examine the structure and extent of inflammation precisely, nasal endoscopy is used to check for purulent discharge, and a CT scan may also be recommended.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
Dongjedang understands sinusitis as a state in which sticky waste produced when water metabolism is blocked, namely dampness-phlegm (dameum), becomes stagnant around the nose like sludge in a drain. In particular, when stomach (spleen-stomach) function declines, the clear energy cannot rise upward and turbid residue accumulates, blocking the passage. So we take an approach that brings down the heat and pressure concentrated in the head and face (cheongsang) and resolves the stagnant dampness-phlegm (detox).
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