Question

Our 3.5-year-old child experiences dry nose-sucking every night before bedtime, which is not only painful but also persistent. We have tried various treatment methods with little to no effect. We hope to understand the cause of this symptom and the available treatment measures.

Answer

For children with rhinitis, consider using rhinitis nasal granules for treatment and complementing with traditional Chinese medicine massage techniques. The specific steps include:

  1. Have the child sit or lie on their stomach, and the parent uses their thumb and index finger to press on the upper end of the nasolabial groove, holding for 1 to 3 minutes.
  2. Gently press on the Hegu point with both thumbs for 1 minute.
  3. Use the thumb pad to rub along both sides of the bridge of the nose from top to bottom until a local warmth is felt.
  4. Knead the Hegu point for 1 to 3 minutes.
  5. Have the child sit, and the parent holds the child’s forehead with one hand while using the other hand’s thumb and middle finger to knead both sides of the Fengchi point for 1 to 3 minutes.
  6. Have the child lie on their back, and the parent uses one palm to rub across the child’s back until it becomes warm.