Surgery-Recommended Sinusitis: The Real Cause of Endless Post-Nasal Drip | Sinusitis

“Medicine helps while I’m taking it, but once I stop, the post-nasal drip comes right back.”

Today’s Core Story

Chronic sinusitis and post-nasal drip severe enough to warrant surgery may not be just a simple nose inflammation problem. We explore the "Broken Drainage System," which is the fundamental reason why inflammation keeps recurring.

Repeated Medication and Surgery as the Last Resort

CASE STUDY

Patient A, an office worker in his 40s, has been suffering from chronic sinusitis for several months. The post-nasal drip—mucus flowing down the back of the throat—is particularly severe, creating a constant feeling of phlegm being stuck. He complained, “Medicine works okay when I take it, but once I stop, the drip returns and my nose feels constantly blocked.”

He was prescribed antibiotics and steroid nasal sprays multiple times at an ENT clinic, but the improvement was only temporary while using the medication, and symptoms worsened upon discontinuation. Eventually, he was recommended surgery, and just before the procedure, Patient A visited our clinic with the hope of finding an alternative.

Patient A had previously used clarithromycin-class antibiotics for two weeks and steroid nasal sprays, but the inflammation and mucus did not subside. This cycle of temporary relief and relapse is a common difficulty faced by many chronic sinusitis patients.

In Patient A’s case, the dry office air and overwork had depleted his physical condition. These factors led to a decline in mucosal immunity and the accumulation of "damp-phlegm" (濕痰) in the body, which became key factors slowing down inflammatory recovery.

Clue Collection: Infection or System Problem?

The ENT specialist diagnosed Patient A’s condition as “chronic bacterial infection and inflammation.” Indeed, Western medicine primarily views the cause of chronic sinusitis (rhinosinusitis) as bacterial infection of the sinuses and takes an approach of removing inflammatory tissue and pus through long-term antibiotics or endoscopic surgery.

On the other hand, from a Korean medicine perspective, Patient A’s symptoms are not explained by infection alone. We consider not only the local nose problem but also the overall decline in vitality and circulatory disorders of body fluids. Upon examination, Patient A typically had weak digestion, a cold body constitution, and stagnant damp-phlegm concentrated around the nose area.

In other words, the Korean medicine hypothesis understands Patient A’s post-nasal drip and chronic sinusitis as “a problem caused by a collapsed drainage system in the body.” This is not a direct conflict with Western medicine’s view but rather a perspective that explains the more fundamental background.

Insight Discovery: Unblocking the Clogged "Drain"

It is important to realize that the sticky mucus constantly flowing down the throat and the pus accumulating in the sinuses are not just because the inflammation won’t subside, but because the path for discharge (the drain) is blocked in the first place.

It’s easy to understand if you imagine a bathroom floor drain clogged with hair, causing water to pool. Currently, in Patient A’s sinuses, inflammation has reduced mucosal ciliary movement and the passages are swollen and narrowed. New mucus is constantly produced but cannot flow out smoothly, creating a stagnant environment ideal for bacterial growth—forming a "biofilm" that perpetuates the cycle of inflammation.

Ultimately, Patient A’s sinuses had become like a “room where the drain is clogged and ventilation is poor,” leading to a deterioration of the internal environment itself. Persistent post-nasal drip and mucus stagnation are not just simple chronic inflammation, but the result of a collapse in the discharge and defense system of the upper respiratory mucosa. This means that instead of just suppressing surface inflammation, the clogged drain must be cleared to improve the internal environment itself.

Patient A chose an integrated approach instead of surgery. Through Korean medicine treatment involving custom herbal prescriptions to boost vitality and remove damp-phlegm, along with consistent acupuncture, the post-nasal drip decreased after a few months, the nasal passages opened, and congestion during sleep improved. He showed such improvement that he described it as “feeling like a natural drain opened in his nose,” and he was able to postpone the surgery.

Patient A’s case suggests the importance of a strategy that corrects the human environment and system, rather than just fighting inflammation itself, in treating chronic sinusitis. It demonstrates that integrated treatment aimed at restoring the mucosal system and normalizing immunity can be a lasting solution to prevent recurrence.

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Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Clinic
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