So, I have a question for some of the foreign residents here. I've been here for 9 months and have enjoyed my time in this city. It's a wonderful place for many reasons...but the last 4-5 months I've been going through medical hell because of my sinuses. I'm from America and have never had issues before but since Feb/March I've experienced some of the weirdest and most painful issues in my sinuses.

Back in March I started getting crazy numbness in my face, followed by terrible headaches and fatigue. I checked with multiple local doctors and eventually left for Bangkok to get some advice. The doctors there ran MRI's and various tests...they concluded that my left nasal cavity had become blocked from pollution! They advised to either move out of Kunming...or take a group of decongestants for a few months.

Well, the last few months I've dealt with the ups and downs of this issue....but the last 3 weeks my head has been on fire. So much so that it's started to affect my eyesight and the top of my head.

I mention this only because I'm sure someone else has dealt with sinus issues here in Kunming. Apparently the combination of air quality and altitude affect some sinuses worse than others. I've checked with countless local and foreign doctors and no one seems to offer any solution that works.

If so...does anyone have any advice or potentially remedies to make this bearable. If it gets worse I'll have to potentially leave the city...but I'm trying hard to find a solution.

Any help would be great appreciated!

some suggestions:

1 - extra lajiao on your mixian. la jiao will not only clear your sinuses, but put some hair on your chest and make you a real man.

2 - acupressure massage (well, all massage is acupressure here). but tell the massage therapist to focus on the pressure points on your head/face related to your sinus.

3 - eucalyptus and/or peppermint essential oil (if you can find here, or ask someone from home to send you some). both are decongestents. add a few drops to boiling water, put your head over the steam and inhale the steam.

I believe some yogi flush their sinuses with a mild solution of bicarb of soda. Basically, you such it up through your nose.
Many years ago, my mother had her sinuses drilled and drained in hospital. I recall she found it extremely painful, but it was a permanent cure for the terrible sinus problems she had.

The thai docs might have included yunnan plant pollen in their "pollution" diagnosis. Last 4 to 5 months all kinds of plants have been blooming everywhere. Not too sure what you do about that since it's the same problem/hassle US sinus suffers go through.

Or as tigertiger said, sinus flushing can be effective. A more modern home method is this:
www.amazon.com/[...]

Have your relatives ship you this express mail :0

I regret not bringing my neti pot with me. I haven't had numbness or pain, just a lot of snot and sneezing.

acupuncturist. a good one.
don't eat MSG.
eat more sweet if you're stressed.
take a nap in afternoons.

Raw garlic with honey will help.

just checked taobao. they have nasal sprays.

there's one called "saline nasal spray" that looks promising.

Nasal sprays in China are a bit like cold cures, 10 a penny, and found everywhere. They are usually no more than nose drops in a squirter bottle.

A nasal rinse/flush is very different.

ok, then get someone from home to send you some.

this one might be good...as i read that grapeseed extract is a kind of natural antibiotic..

Nutribiotic Nasal Spray
www.amazon.com/[...]