Description:
While pain and misery are two things all sinus sufferers have in common, the similarities may well end there. According to authors Debra Fulghum Bruce, a health journalist, and Dr. Murray Grossan, a board-certified otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon, each person's particular brand of sinusitis is unique and calls for individually tailored treatment. By relying on a multidisciplinary approach that combines some tried-and-true treatments with a few new approaches, Bruce and Grossan believe that most patients can control, even cure, their sinus problems. In this comprehensive, well-organized new guide, the authors recommend a comprehensive healing program designed around seven steps: making a correct diagnosis, using nasal irrigation, considering complementary treatments, cleaning the air, eating right, reducing stress, and choosing effective medical treatments. The book's introductory chapter thoroughly explores the causes and types of sinusitis as well as its link to other respiratory ailments such as asthma and allergies. Thoughtful chapters on the value of holistic treatments, herbal remedies, and good nutrition provide welcome direction for patients interested in natural medicine. The treatment of ear and throat complications is also addressed in detail. While the object of this book is to help the patient avoid surgery, Grossan and Bruce do concede that sometimes it's the only cure for really debilitating conditions. Their final chapter explores this option--why it might be necessary and how to prepare for it. Grossan claims that while each patient will apply the seven steps to varying degrees according his or her own situation, nasal irrigation in particular is key to relief. By frequently cleansing the sinuses with saline solution, mucus, bacteria, and allergens are gently removed and the chance of infection reduced. It is important to note that the irrigation process the doctor most heartily recommends requires using a device called the Pulsatile Nasal Irrigator invented by Dr. Grossan himself. --Marianne Painter
| 
