When I was younger I would get severe pain in my face and behind my eyes. This pressure felt like someone was taking a poker and stabbing me behind the eyes. Medications only helped a little and my parents did not know what else to do. This started a journey of suffering and pain. A few years later a friend of the family graduation from Chiropractic school and she started to get us “adjusted”. I had no idea what adjustments were, nor did I know what Chiropractic was. After a few visits my headaches and sinus pressure was getting better. I was blown away. After a short period of time they all went away. That was 27 years ago and till this day my sinuses are doing fantastic.
Sinusitis is downright awful. Swollen shut sinuses, post nasal drip, chronic runny noses are all miserable. Sinusitis problems affect every facet of one’s life. According to the CDC, there are a plethora of people who suffer from sinus conditions in the United States. In the United States, the number of adults diagnosed with sinusitis is 28.5 million, or 12.1 percent of the US population.1
Sinus sufferers deal with runny noses, swelling, and fatigue, but they can also have headaches, cognitive fog, and disruptions in sleep. Sinus problems are a complete downer and interrupt the simplest activities that most people take for granted. In the next paragraphs, we will talk about what causes sinus problems, and then give you some common sense things you can do in your life to help your body heal thru your sinus condition.
Table of Contents
What causes Sinusitis?
You cannot fix anything unless you know what causes it. Here is one of the most common causes of sinus problems. The upper cervical spine influences sinus function in a number of ways. First and foremost the sinus membrane is controlled by the Greater Petrosal Nerve (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_petrosal_nerve)which branches off of the 7th cranial nerve(facial). When a person sustains a neck injury the top two vertebrae in the neck can misalign causing interference to the normal function of the nervous system, and thus disrupt normal sinus function. The leading theory on how this occurs is called dural tension. The dura is a sheath that overlies the spinal cord that is attached to the atlas (c-1 vertebra) by a ligament called the dentate ligament. When there is an injury to the upper cervical spine the atlas vertebra misaligns from its normal position. This abnormal position then pulls on the dura mater covering the spinal cord distorting its normal shape and causes interference to the central nervous system. The distortion can affect the 7th cranial nerve nuclei which sit in the brainstem at the level of the atlas skull junction. Over time there is a chain reaction of adaptations that occur through the structure of the spine that can lead to other problems that don’t seem connected to the neck. Sinusitis treatment may be easier than you think.
How would you find out if your upper cervical spine is out of alignment? And what can you do if it is? The first step to finding out if your upper cervical spine is misaligned or not is to seek out a trained Upper Cervical Blair Chiropractor. These doctors are trained to look at how the joints of the neck fit and whether or not they are misaligned from their normal position. If you would like to learn more about this procedure you can listen to this video.
Correcting Upper Cervical Spine Misalignments | What Does A Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractor Do?
We specialized form of care whose goal is to correct interference to the nervous system by correcting spinal misalignments in the upper cervical spine. As we have discussed, a misaligned upper cervical spine can influence the central nervous system causing irritation to the delicate structures of the upper neck. The goal of our care is to correct interference within the upper neck. While the interference is staying clear healing occurs
We run objective testing to locate the cause. When clinically indicated we would take precise x-rays are to determine the direction of joint misalignment and its angulation. Once this information is determined, the patient receives a precise gentle correction. There is no twisting, popping or pulling. After the correction is made the patient is monitored over time to ensure healing is taking place. The goal is for the vertebra to stay in its normal position for as long as possible. Our doctors have helped many patients recover from occipital neuralgia. “Nature needs no help, just no interference!” We hope this information was helpful to someone in need.
Reference:
1.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/sinuses.htm
