Vol. 14

No. 3

 

YOUR ACHING SINUSES

There has been a startling increase in respiratory disease across the world in recent years. Bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis and other upper respiratory illnesses have doubled and tripled. Sinusitis, by itself, has replaced the common cold as the number one respiratory ailment.


Chronic sinusitis flare-ups can come and go several times yearly and can cause the sufferer headaches, head pressures and noises, dizziness, fatigue, foul breath, post-nasal drip, poor sleep, low grade fever, sore throat, chronic cough, and some eye disorders.

Sound familiar? It might help to know a little more about this stubborn ailment to discover some natural options for relief.

The sinuses are air-filled cavities inside the skull and are connected with the nose through small passageways lined with mucous-like tissues. These tissues filter out foreign materials like bacteria and dust to protect the throat and lungs from infection

The acute form of this infection is frequently bacterial and usually treated with antibiotics. However, millions of people suffer from the chronic form of this condition (as described above) called either "viral sinusitis" or "allergic sinusitis" for which there is little medical treatment. There are, however, some natural therapies that may help relieve suffering.

To take a look at one of these, we have to go to a root cause of the condition, which isn't necessarily in the sinuses themselves.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has called chronic sinusitis "gall bladder heat rising to the head," in the belief that digestive disorders contribute to this condition. The inability to properly digest food creates a residue of foreign proteins in the body that can overwhelm the small intestine with toxins. This sets up a condition called Leaky Gut Syndrome in which the body, always working to establish harmony, tries to eliminate the toxins via other channels to take pressure off the struggling intestinal tract.

Among these channels are the mucous membranes of the sinuses which start secreting more mucous in an attempt to eliminate toxins from the overburdened abdomen. Thus, an increase in sinusrelated symptoms can be, in effect, an attempt by the digestive system to discharge poisons and to self-heal. However, as this is not the primary role of the sinuses, mucous inflammation ("gall bladder heat'') builds up inside the head and cannot be eliminated, causing pain and other symptoms. Food allergies will also overload the digestive tract. An inability to break down certain foods (such as wheat or dairy) causes chronic small intestinal inflammation which may spread to the head areas. The same applies to large amounts or overly rich food.

Whether malabsorption, food allergies or overconsumption, the best natural solution for digestive-based sinus reactions is the same: a change in diet, the introduction of digestive enzymatic support and detoxification.

In addition to digestive remedies, other natural approaches to relieving sinusitis symptoms are available. Among these, a clean environment will help reduce the effect of external toxins that contribute to allergic reactions. An improvement in air filtering systems at home and work is essential as well as the removal of mold from carpets, floors, vents and walls.

Chemically-based perfumes and cosmetics should also be removed. One daily regimen helpful both for treatment and prevention of sinusitis is the use of the Neti Pot to cleanse the sinuses of excess mucous. The pot, which Looks Like a small Alladin's Lamp and derives from traditional yoga, is filled with a cool salt solution which is poured directly into the nose.

It may sound daunting, but it has been proven highly effective. Dr. Randolph Stone, a pioneer in the natural healing work known as Polarity Therapy, developed the exercise below to relieve sinus congestion which can be easily performed daily.

  1. Lie face down on the carpet and separate the knees at Least 12 inches
  2. Bend the knees to right angles to the floor.
  3. Criss-cross the Lower legs like scissors from right to left and Left to right, making sure the legs cross.
  4. Perform this exercise 5-10 minutes daily or as needed.

Hopefully, this brief introduction to some of the causes and remedies for sinusitis has been helpful in suggesting that a natural approach to treatment can be sought to bring relief.

For more information on Leaky Gut Syndrome, please go to our website and access the archived newsletter entitled "Natural Immunity." Dr, Friedman uses gentle neurological and muscle relaxation methods to promote self-healing. Please visit our website at www.FriedmanChiro.com

 

Newsletter Archives

The following previous issues can be accessed by clicking on the title:

 

Vol. 12, No. 2: "From Stressed Out to Chilled Out"

There is a simple – yet unseen – mechanism in the human body that regulates and restores our health. This “Great Harmonizer” is actually wired in to the human nervous system and needs only to be properly stimulated in order to maintain health.

Vol. 12, No. 1: "Surprising Eyes"

Heredity can be either blessed or blamed for many of our physical characteristics...  from the inheritance of Mom’s curly hair to Dad’s bald head to, unfortunately, Grandpa’s diabetes. In fact, just knowing about or having observed a beloved relative suffer from a hereditary illness can create an aura of ticking time bomb in our own lives.

Vol. 11, No. 1: "Natural Immunity"

Human beings have always searched for methods to preserve health in the face of aging, infection and disease. One such route to health has increasingly been the promotion of the body’s own self-protective and self-healing mechanisms.These mechanisms, in turn, are dependent upon the  strength of the body’s “natural immunity,” its inherent ability to defend itself against infection and degenerative disease.

Vol. 10, No. 1: "Reflex Healing"

Chiropractic methods may seem, at times, to be mysterious and have little obvious connection with the object of a patient's complaint. While the "light touch" used at Friedman Chiropractic may possibly appear superficial, it is actually a critical tool for helping the body to regain health.

Vol. 9, No. 1: "Hara and Healing"

There is an old Taoist saying which advises: "When you are sick, do not seek a cure. Find your center and you will be healed." "What is this Òcenter" of which the ancients spoke and what is its importance to natural healing?

Vol. 8, No. 3: "Water: The Overlooked Nutrient"

We can live weeks without food, but no more than a week without water. For health, we need a balance of fluids for all of our cells to function properly.Our bodies consists of from 50% to 80% water. These fluids are what carry nutrients, waste products, and minerals to our cells. The fluid in our bodies can be divided into two main groups: There is fluid inside our cells (intracellular fluid) and fluid outside our cells (extracellular fluid).

Vol. 8, No. 2: "Fibromyalgia"

Fibromyalgia is a condition that affects over 8 million Americans, 80% of them female. People with this chronic condition have symptoms of severe fatigue and multiple sites of aches and pain in their muscles, ligaments and tendons. Years ago, people with this condition were told they had fibrositis, myalgia, rheumatism or were just plain hypochondriacs.

Vol. 8, No. 1: "Food Allergies"

Many medical experts predict that between 50%-60% of all Americans have negative reactions to some foods. These reactions are not restricted to the intestinal tract but can also cause brain, immune system, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, respiratory and skin symptoms...

Vol. 7, No. 2: "The Law of Polarity"

Since ancient times there have been many seekers of Nature's secret laws of healing. One such doctor was Randolph Stone, DO., DC., who explored the world in hopes of determining the common denominator of all healing systems. He concluded that there is an unseen field of electro-magnetic energy that both runs and heals the body. Dr. Stone organized his discoveries into a method he called Polarity Therapy ...

Vol. 7, No. 1: "Toxic or Tired?"

Fatigue is epidemic is our society. Common causes of this malady can vary from life-style choices to dietary indiscretions. Many people are aware that their exhaustion may come from poor food and emotional pressures, but an often overlooked factor is "auto-intoxication." Autotoxemia is poisoning with toxic substances formed within the body.

Vol. 6, No. 1: "The Importance of Posture"

There is an old adage that states: "The shape you are in determines the shape you are in." The implication is that the way one's body looks reflects one's general health. This idea goes back to the ancient Greeks who appreciated an erect and poised body in athletics and the arts, particularly statuary. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, exhorted: "In all diseases, look to the spine."

Vol. 5, No. 1: "The Four Stages of Healing"

An understanding of how the body-mind becomes ill can be helpful in guiding us through the healing process. The body becomes ill and gets well in an orderly manner whether the stressor is nutritional, mechanical, or emotional. The stages of disease in the order of progression are Acute, Sub-acute, Chronic, and Degenerative. All stages are various degrees of a condition called "inflammation." ...

Vol. 4, No. 1: "The Healing Field"

Many people wonder what is the mechanism in the human body that co-ordinates our daily physiology and also heals illnesses and injuries. A simple finger cut, for example, goes through many stages of tissue healing. How does the body know what type of connective tissue to lay down and when the scar is ready to fall off? ...

Vol. 3, No. 6: "Understanding Your Gut Feelings"

Most of us believe that important decisions are made via the intellect or the reasoning part of the mind. Current scientific research reveals this to be only partially true. It appears that we think with our minds but experience our emotions from another locale within the body: the stomach area. ...

Vol. 3, No. 5: "Retracing: The Untold Story"

There is a belief among many health practitioners working with natural therapies that a person who is in the process of getting well may undergo some sort of a "healing reaction" in order to fully heal. The "healing crisis," as it is known, occurs at a point when the body's self-healing mechanism has begun to "retrace" its own history of illness in order to completely heal and rid itself of the accumulated residues of disease...

Vol. 3, No. 4: "May the Force Be With You"

The physicians of the ancient world believed that health comes from a power within the human body which they called "Vis Medicatrix Naturae" or the healing power of nature. The Greek physician-philosopher Plato observed that every living thing is activated by an "inherent vital principle" which both runs and heals the body-mind complex...

Vol. 3, No. 3: "Change Your Thinking...Change Your Life"

The philosopher-psychologist Henry James observed almost a century ago:
"The most profound discovery of my generation is that, by changing one's thinking, one can change one's life."
Increasingly, science is finding that, by engendering positive and uplifting thoughts, we can not only improve the quality of our emotional and spiritual lives, but we may be also able to influence the quality of our physical health. ..

Vol. 3, No. 2: "Is It Mind? Is It Body? Is It Body-Mind?"

Except for a small number of physical complaints such as injuries or acute infections, there is an increasing array of health complaints being labeled as having a "stress-related" or emotional component. By current estimate, almost 90% of present health issues have emotional stress as a partial cause of disease. How can we, as health consumers, know if a disease derives from emotional or physical causes or from a combination of both? To find the answer to this question, it is helpful to look to the past. ...

Vol. 3, No. 1: "Fatigue and Its Remedies"

At various times throughout our lives, all of us will experience a sense of tiredness or fatigue. Sometimes this feeling will last a day or two but, for some people, it can persist for months, years, or even a life-time. It is important to understand that serious fatigue, that is, fatigue that is not attributable to temporary over-exertion, is actually a symptom of some other process going on within the body-mind unit. Prolonged fatigue is not an illness in itself, but a manifestation of a health imbalance. ...

TO RETURN TO SITE DIRECTORY, CLICK ON ARROW

 

 

 


Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required

For additional information or to receive an information packet,
email your name and address
here or write or call:

Jeffrey I. Friedman, D.C.
FRIEDMAN CHIROPRACTIC, INC.
711 D Street, Suite 104, San Rafael, California 94901-3703
(415) 459-4646

Petaluma Annex: 405 D Street, Suite 2, Petaluma, CA 94952-3006
(707) 773-0288


DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is intended to provide health information to improve quality of life and assist users to better understand their health and arrange more easily for healthcare services. It is not an attempt to replace the need to seek healthcare services nor to provide specific healthcare advice. Information provided should not be used to diagnose or dispute a qualified healthcare professional's judgement. If you have any questions, please give our office a call or check with your local healthcare professional.

© Copyright 2015 Friedman Chiropractic, Inc. All Rights Reserved.