Chiropractic And Sinusitis

We’ve had a warmer and wetter winter than normal. At Homberg Chiropractic, your Knoxville chiropractor, we’ve treated and helped a number of patients recently who are dealing with sinus issues. Learn more about how chiropractic and sinusitis are related.

Because we haven’t had a cold winter, many trees and shrubs are still putting off pollen bothering those who suffer from seasonal allergies. A wet winter season causes a change in air pressure, which can also cause sinusitis. Sinus pain occurs when there is pressure on the air-filled sinus cavities.

Your sinuses are located in your cheekbones behind your nasal cavity, between your eyes in your forehead. Sinuses are air-filled sacs (empty spaces) on either side of the nasal cavity that filter and clean the air breathed through the nose and lighten the bones of the skull. There are four paired sinuses in the head. The most posterior (farthest toward the back of the head) of these is the sphenoid sinus.

For many reasons, the sphenoid bone is considered the most important cranial bone and the one most often found out of alignment. When the sphenoid is misaligned, a vast array of physical and emotional health issues can occur. The sphenoid makes up much of the floor of the skull, holds the pituitary gland and affects the flow of cerebral spinal fluid, which is produced in the brain and is crucial to the health of our nervous system. The most likely cause of cranial misalignment is trauma from falls, accidents or sports, minor head injuries from falls, bumps and jars from childhood, difficult birth (including the use of forceps and vacuum extraction) or even prenatal stress.

A sphenoid misalignment, among other things, can lead to sinusitis, which is a condition that causes inflammation in the tissues surrounding these hollow cavities and acute sinusitis is a condition where fluid blocks these tissues. Acute sinusitis is a common condition and often results in a bacterial infection.

When you have acute sinusitis you’re likely to have symptoms such as a headache, runny nose, and similar cold-like symptoms that may last for up to four weeks.

If you have misaligned vertebrae in your spinal column it could be adding to your sinus issue, making it worse. Because chiropractors treat the underlying cause of your health problem and not just the symptoms, the treatment will vary slightly depending on your specific set of circumstances. It's also important to remember that the nerves coming out of your spine can have an impact on your sinuses. Misalignments of the spine can cause nerve dysfunction and tissue dysfunction.

Chiropractic care can also be a preventative therapy if you have chronic sinus issues. Because your nervous system controls every aspect of the way your body works, if you can improve the signals from your nervous system to your respiratory system connected to your sinuses, then you may be able to stimulate drainage and keep mucus from building up and causing problems. This is what we consider to be a treatment for the root cause of the sinus problems you may be experiencing.