A sinus infection  or sinusitis is an inflammation of the air filled pockets in the bones of the face, of which we all have four pairs (sinuses in the face). Sinuses are a series of hollow cavities in the bone of the forehead, cheeks, and nose that produce mucus for the nasal passages and throat. The function of sinuses is three fold: 1) decrease the weight of the skull 2) warm the air we breathe 3) act as a mucus factory to filter the air. The mucus traps dirt and debris brought in by the air. Any dirty mucus is transferred out of the sinus via a drain hole called the ostia. Hence when sinuses are healthy and open they have a mucus lining that ensure warm, moist air, free from pollutants reaching the lungs.   However when infected, the sinus linings become swollen, inflamed and the body creates an excess of mucus.

Sinusitis is triggered when the lining of the sinuses becomes inflamed and swells. This can be a result of inhaling irritants such as chemicals or particles causing allergies. The ostia which is a drain hole may become plugged with the excess mucus and swollen tissues. This creates a negative optimal environment for viruses or bacteria to flourish. As the sinuses become filled and the lining more irritated, pressure builds up often causing headaches and that common stuffed up feeling. This is how the lining of the sinuses become compromised and damaged and the person becomes more vulnerable to further infections.  

Chronic sinus infections can be painful and include headaches, coughing and sore throat, clogged ears, watery eyes, and runny nose. The most common remedy usually involves antibiotics and, in some cases, steroids, which the body can build up resistance to over time. 

A better, more natural way to not only clear up sinus infections but help the body build up immunity against future infections can be through Chiropractic care. Chiropractic indirectly treats sinus infections and many patients have positive results with chiropractic adjustments. A chiropractic adjustment works to free up any nerve interference in the central nervous system (spine) to promote proper function. The function of the central nervous system is imperative for how the body functions overall. The better our nerves can transfer messages from the brain to the body’s systems and vice versa, the more in sync and healthy the body will be. Spinal misalignments cause nerve interference that can lead to all sorts of chaos within the body. Spinal misalignments can be the root cause of sinus inflammation and pain. Removing spinal misalignments not only reduces inflammation, but it also increases immune system function.  Sinus issues are prevented and fighting off colds and infections is easy for the body when the immune system is in optimal health. Thus, adjusting the cervical vertebrae (neck area) stimulates the nerves that control the function of the sinuses which naturally decrease pressure and increase drainage. Often patients experiencing sinus infection have a misalignment of the neck and back vertebrae causing the associated muscles to become swollen or spastic, cutting off proper lymphatic fluid drainage. Chiropractic adjustments reinvigorate the central nervous system’s optimal functioning, thus allowing for excess fluid to drain from the sinuses.

The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics held a study with 14 patients with sinus infections. Patients received manual chiropractic therapy on the second, third, and fifth week of a seven-week session all significantly improved after each chiropractic session reporting less pain and improvement of symptoms. The Study concluded chiropractic treatment may be a viable alternative to standard care for chronic sinus infections.

Alex was born in March 1972. At the age of 7 he started to experience frequent headaches with all the conventional symptoms of a Migraine headache. His particular headache resulted in him experiencing auras, nausea and sensitivity to light with no particular trigger to the onset of the migraine.

After years of treatments, therapies and medications, his headaches were no better and Alex continued to experience them all throughout childhood and into young adulthood. Some years the headaches would come monthly, some years every two to three months and some years weekly. His headaches were incurable, there was nothing that could alleviate the symptoms and head pain. Until he experienced cranial manual therapy, which resulted in the complete eradication of his life-long Migraine Headaches.

At the age of 16 Alex noticed a mild deformity in the right side of his ribs, a slightly lower right shoulder and the experience of constant lower back pain. Although mild, a diagnosis of Idiopathic Adolescent Scoliosis had been labeled.

At the age of 18 he was involved in a serious car accident that exacerbated his lower back pain. Throughout the years Alex had tried a multitude of conventional treatments but continued to suffer on and off with lower back pain, even throughout Chiropractic school and beyond.

In 2015 and fifteen+ years out of Chiropractic school, Dr. Kaminsky participated in his first and life changing Craniosacral Therapy seminar and he was fascinated, intrigued and hooked. It all made sense, he was immediately astute to its methods and since that first seminar, and as a result of trading sessions of Craniosacral Therapy with his colleagues, his back pain subsided and till this day has never returned.

Dr. Kaminsky decided to enhance his skill-set to better serve his patients. He began reaching out to other craniosacral therapists, cranial osteopaths, and many types of leading practitioners from various fields for advise and consultations He also enrolled in Upledger continuing education seminars with a focus on mostly hands-on manual and alternative therapies.

And, as he gained knowledge with his own health issues, he has learned to help more and more patients achieve great health results.

Dr. Alex Kaminsky is headache free and low back pain free, and has committed himself to a life of learning, teaching and treating patients. His emphasis is on the patient’s stored patterns of the body and each individual healthcare needs.