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Nasal Polyps

How Chinese medicine differentiates nasal polyps, the five patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Acupuncture only — no herbs.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Nasal polyps need an ENT diagnosis to confirm and size them; acupuncture here is supportive care for the underlying pattern, and results are gradual — not a substitute for medical/surgical management when needed.
General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for nasal polyps — 10 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

PointKey action
L.I.-20Directly targets the nasal passages, removes obstructions from the channel.
ST-36Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
BL-13Tonifies Lung-Qi and nourishes Lung-Yin.
ST-40Resolves Phlegm and Dampness, subdues rebellious Qi.
L.I.-4Expels exterior Wind, releases the Exterior, stops pain.
G.B.-20Expels exterior Wind, clears Heat.
KI-3Tonifies the Kidneys (Yin and Yang), benefits Essence.
BL-23Tonifies the Kidneys and nourishes Kidney-Essence.
SP-10Cools Blood, invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
The Five Patterns

↑ reinforcing   ↓ reducing   ⊥ even method.

1. Spleen and Lung Qi Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Clear, watery or white nasal discharge; nasal congestion worsening with fatigue; chronic fatigue and weakness; poor appetite with bloating or loose stools; frequent colds; pale, soft nasal polyps.
Tongue: Pale, puffy, tender body with teeth marks, thin white slippery coating. Pulse: Weak and forceless, especially deficient at the right Cun and Guan positions.
Treatment principle: Tonify Spleen and Lung-Qi, raise clear Yang, prevent Phlegm accumulation.
L.I.-20 ⊥ ST-36 ↑ BL-13 ↑
Note: moxa applicable on the Tonify points. Direct match with Spleen- and Lung-Qi deficiency.

2. Damp-Phlegm in the Lungs View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Nasal congestion with thick, white or grey-white sticky discharge; heaviness and fullness in the chest; cough with copious white phlegm, easily expectorated; poor appetite with abdominal bloating and loose stools.
Tongue: Pale, swollen body with teeth marks, thick white greasy coating. Pulse: Slippery, often soggy, particularly full at the right Cun position.
Treatment principle: Dry Dampness and transform Phlegm, restore normal Lung-Qi descent.
L.I.-20 ⊥ ST-40 ↓ ST-36 ⊥
Note: no moxa. Direct match with Damp-Phlegm in the Lungs.

3. Wind-Heat Invading the Lungs View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Nasal congestion with thick, yellow or turbid mucus; fever stronger than chills; a sore or painful throat; cough with thick yellow phlegm; thirst or a dry mouth; irritability and restlessness.
Tongue: Red tip with thin yellow coating, slightly red body. Pulse: Floating and rapid.
Treatment principle: Clear Wind-Heat from the Lungs, open the nasal passages, reduce polyp inflammation.
L.I.-20 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ G.B.-20 ↓
Note: no moxa. Direct match with Invasion of Lungs by Wind-Heat.

4. Kidney Qi Deficiency

Clinical manifestations: Pale, soft nasal polyps with clear or white discharge; lower back and knee soreness/weakness; frequent urination, especially at night; fatigue and lack of stamina; tinnitus or dizziness; stubborn, recurrent nasal symptoms.
Tongue: Pale, slightly puffy body, possible tooth marks, thin white coating. Pulse: Deep, weak, possibly fine, weakest at the Chi position.
Treatment principle: Warm and replenish Kidney-Yang and Qi, addressing the root deficiency allowing Phlegm-Dampness to form.
KI-3 ↑ BL-23 ↑ L.I.-20 ⊥ ST-36 ↑
Note: moxa applicable on the Tonify points. This pattern's plain \"Kidney-Qi deficiency\" framing doesn't match this site's \"Kidney-Qi not Firm\" slide, which is specifically about incontinence/leakage rather than stubborn nasal symptoms — no pattern link is given here.

5. Blood Stagnation with Heat

Clinical manifestations: Fixed, stabbing pain in the nose or face; polyps appearing dark or purplish; nasal discharge or bleeding, dark and clotted; a sensation of internal heat, worse at night; irritability and restlessness.
Tongue: Reddish-purple body with stasis spots and distended sublingual veins, thin dry yellow coating. Pulse: Choppy and rapid, often wiry at the left Guan position.
Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood and dispel stasis, cool the Blood.
DU-28 (Yinjiao) ↓ SP-10 ↓ DU-25 (Suliao) ↓ L.I.-20 ↓
Note: no moxa. No deck on this site has a Blood-stasis-with-Heat category, so no pattern link is given here.
Related conditions
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Acupuncture-only reference — structure adapted (not text) from how other condition-lookup sites organize this kind of content. Let us know what to add or change.