Sinus and Allergies
Sinus Infections and Chiropractic Treatment
Common in the United States and affecting over three million people a year, sinusitis or sinus infection is an infection or inflammation of the sinuses. Often when you have a cold that lasts longer than 10 days or begins to worsen after it started to get better, it's likely you have sinusitis infection.
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Find out more about sinusitis and how chiropractic care can help...
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Symptoms of a Sinus Infection
The most obvious sign of sinus infection is pain in the ear, face, forehead, sinuses, behind the eyes or nose. Other symptoms and signs include yellow-green nasal discharge, congestion, headache, cough, difficulty sleeping, throat irritation or soreness, fever and fatigue.
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Causes of a Sinus Infection
Your sinuses serve an important purpose; the hollow cavities in your cheekbones, around your eyes and behind your nose contain mucus that filters, warms and moistens the air you breathe. An infection is typically caused by something blocking the mucus from draining.
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Typically, a sinus infection will start as a cold and then a virus or bacteria infect the sinuses. A good rule of thumb for determining if your infection is viral or bacterial, is the length and symptoms. If you've been sick less than 10 days and are not getting worse, it's likely viral. If you have not improved at all within 10 days, or have begun to get worse after it started to get better, it's likely bacterial.
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Chronic Sinus Infections
Prolonged inflammation (not infection) of the sinuses, lasting 12 weeks or longer, is considered chronic sinusitis. Salt-water irrigation is often used to treat this condition. In some cases, surgery is performed, but it's important to take a conservative approach first.
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The Chiropractic Connection: Preventing Illness
In the United States, preventative medicine is often overlooked. Building a routine of healthcare around maintaining wellness versus treating illness is an important part of a wellness lifestyle. Chiropractic treatment focuses treating subluxations in order to maintain an optimally functioning nervous system. Subluxations, a misalignment of one or more spinal vertebrae that create stress or irritation on nearby nerves, can hinder the optimal function of the nervous system.
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The Chiropractic Connection: Boosting Immunity
We know that the nervous system and the immune system are connected through the adrenal glands, and mounting evidence is revealing that these two systems are linked in other ways. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases states there is evidence that the "brain may send messages directly down nerve cells to the immune system." This link supports the theory of chiropractic: Removal of subluxations through the chiropractic adjustment allows the body to function optimally.
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Additionally, studies have also shown a connection between boosted immunity and chiropractic care, and continued research is being performed in this field.
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Make an appointment to talk to our doctor about chiropractic and sinus infections.
