Chiropractic for Sinus Pressure

It’s that time of year for allergies, or yellow snow as I like to call it in this region. One of the top reasons I hear for headaches in my office is sinuses. What if I told you that chiropractic can help?

Chiropractic is amazing in that at its core is the focus on a well-functioning nervous system. When the nervous system is functioning as it should, your body functions as it should. When there is an attack against the body, such as an allergen, doesn’t it make sense to have all your systems working properly to fight it off?

I have a many patients who seek care this time of year especially for sinuses and allergies. As a chiropractor, I am neither treating allergies nor sinuses, but I am removing an interference to cause the body to work more optimally. I remember a patient that came to me years ago for a spinal issue. He told me that every time he came and his sinuses were swollen that after he left, they were better. So he began coming specifically for the sinuses when they were swollen or irritated. One day I adjusted his skull. (This sounds ways scarier than it actually is!) A few seconds later I heard a sound that I would describe as the sound your ears make when they open or pop, but I could hear it come from my patient. I asked him what the sound was that I had just heard. He stated that it was his sinuses opening. It made an audible sound! I was shocked! I had never experienced and audible sound for sinuses opening before and haven’t experienced it since. Although, I have had many patients that experience their sinuses opening after a skull or upper neck adjustment.

I would like to explain the mechanism behind that without getting too technical. When your upper neck, and especially the skull are subluxated there are a lot of things at play. You will have muscle tension, possible swelling and pressure, decreased function and/or range of motion, possible headaches, possible nerve pain, and possible dizziness. With these things going on in the neck or base of the skull it can cause problems with function and pressure can build, not only in the sinuses but also in the neck, throat, or ears. Sometimes you can even get referred pain from the neck around the head and into the eye or sinus areas.

Do allergies go away with an adjustment? No, I really don’t believe they do. I believe there are many things at play with allergies, some which are lifestyle and nutrition based. But, I do believe that the symptoms can be greatly diminished with chiropractic adjustments, and I have seen countless patients attest to this. If you experience sinus swelling and pressure I urge you to give chiropractic a try. I think you will be very pleasantly surprised with the result!