Spring Sinus and Allergy Problems

Sinus headaches typically occur in and around the face. Most people think of the sinuses as the frontal (forehead) and maxillary sinuses (our "cheek bones"). The other two sinuses (called ethmoid and sphenoid) are less well known. As a chiropractor, many patients ask me about sinus problems. Those of us who have suffered from sinus infections really know how painful sinus problems can be! Here I will discuss the sinuses and what you can do to self-manage the problem.

As I mentioned there are four sinuses in the head.

The Maxillary Sinus can cause pain or pressure in the cheekbones, sometimes even referring pain to the teeth. These drain sideways (if you lay on your side, the side "up" drains down into the downside maxillary sinus and into the nose).

The Frontal Sinus can cause pain or pressure in the forehead.  These drain downward when we are upright.

The Ethmoid Sinus can cause symptoms between or behind the eyes. These drain when we lean forward.

The Sphenoid Sinus can also cause pain/pressure behind the eyes or the top of the head.  These drain best when lying face pointing down towards the floor, but they can be stubborn to drain which can cause infection.

Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinus lining (mucous membrane) and can be caused by a virus (rhinovirus is often better known as the common cold), bacteria or fungal infection.   Chemical irritants such as cigarette smoke and chlorine fumes can also trigger sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis can be caused by anything that irritates the sinuses for >12 weeks (viruses, bacteria, environmental irritants, and more).

Allergies are also a common cause of sinusitis whether they are environmental and/or food/chemical induced.

Chiropractic care for sinusitis includes primarily symptomatic care with sinus drainage techniques such as facial and cranio-sacral therapy & lymphatic drainage. 

Home Care usually involves instruction in acupressure for sinuses, nutritional counseling (such as using 1000 mg of vitamin C every 2-4 hours) along with anti-inflammatory supplements such as quercetin.  I also recommend nasal rinsing with a saline spray or using a Neti pot.

Acupuncture is often also very helpful for both sinusitis and allergies.

Call the office if you have further questions at 630-554-9323.  I am always happy to provide a free consultation if you have any friends or family members who might benefit from natural care. I do sometimes recommend co-management with your primary care doctor if symptoms are severe and medications are required in the short term, but my goal is to help you handle spring time sinus and allergy problems as naturally as possible.