A common Jamaican complaint is 'I have sinus', meaning 'I am having a problem with my sinuses. What is a sinus? Medically, a sinus is a sac or cavity in any organ or tissue.

The human skull contains four major pairs of hollow air-filled cavities called sinuses. These are connected to the nostrils and the nasal passages. The sinuses reduce the weight of the skull and allow the voice to resonate within it.

Perhaps, most important, the sinuses provide defences against harmful foreign substances in the air like germs, dust, smoke, particles in the air and chemical pollutants. It should come as no surprise that as the air we breathe and the environment we live in become more polluted, more of our people complain of sinus problems. Sinusitis is simply an inflammation of the membranes lining the sinuses.

Sinusitis is one of the leading chronic diseases, and according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, more than 37 million Americans have one or more episodes of sinusitis a year. These are caused by allergies or a cold, which inflame the sinuses. Americans lose more than 73 million days from work and school each year. I wonder about the situation in Jamaica!

SYMPTOMS OF SINUSITIS

Common symptoms include facial pain/pressure, nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, diminished sense of smell, irritation of the throat, drainage and cough. Additionally, sufferers may have fever, bad breath, fatigue and even dental pain.

TREATMENT

Sadly, modern medicine focuses its attention on treating the symptoms of this problem with drugs and surgery. Virtually no attention is paid to treating the underlying causes or on prevention. I know patients who have been on 'sinus medication' for more 20 years! Many of those people have rapidly learnt how to get rid of the problem completely or greatly improve it.

CLEAN UP YOUR DIET

Unburden your system of chemicals and food additives. Minimise your intake of processed foods, sugar and white flour. Most important, take a holiday from all dairy products - cow's milk, butter, cheese, ice cream, etc. Dairy products stimulate mucus production from the sinuses. Read food labels carefully. Consume lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and drink more water.

CLEAN UP YOUR ENVIRONMENT

Do all you can to avoid pollutants in your surroundings. Moulds, dust, pollens and chemicals are in the air you breathe. Avoid damp, poorly ventilated areas. Curtains, mats, pillows, pets and toys are sources of allergens. Fresh paint, new carpets and furniture will let off gaseous toxic chemicals for a long time. Avoid cigarette smoke!

STRENGTHEN IMMUNE SYSTEM

Take lots of antioxidants. These include the ACES - vitamins A, C, E and the mineral selenium, as well as a number of herbs and other nutrients.

I particularly recommend a combination of the herbs schizandra and rosemary along with the ACES. These are conveniently available and mixed in tablet form.

WASH, HUMIDIFY YOURSINUSES

For thousands of years, practitioners of yoga have used a technique called neti to keep their sinuses and nostrils in excellent condition. This was particularly important to them as they considered good breathing as essential to good health.

I use this method myself and strongly recommend it to sinus sufferers as well as to anyone interested in excellent health. It involves the use of a simple and inexpensive device called a neti pot that looks like a small teapot. The pot is filled with warm salt (natural salt) water and the spout applied to a nostril. By tilting the head, one can allow the water to runs into one nostril and out of the other nostril.

The method is easy to learn. A few dos and don'ts are easily understood. Daily use of this technique cleanses and humidifies the nasal passages and not only relieves sinus symptoms, but also prevents future attacks.

In my experience, this simple holistic approach, designed to have your own body do the healing and prevention, is an excellent method. It avoids many of the dangers and problems of drugs and surgery. Of course, these may have their place but, in my opinion, should be reserved for special acute situations or when these simple methods have not been effective enough.

Further information on this approach can be had by calling 979-3333 or 927-8871.