by Dr. David Pollack

My wife relayed the following message to me from a patient today, and I thought it best to start with it:

Good morning! I had to contact you to ask you to please pass along a message to Dr. Pollack for me. Please tell him Kathryn says he’s a real-life miracle worker! My allergies have made me absolutely miserable these past few weeks, to the point where my sinuses look like I have bruises on my face and my ears were clogged to the point where I could barely hear. Last night at my appointment, I casually said to him that I was speaking loudly because I couldn’t hear well, not realizing he knows how to take care of clogged ears and stuffed sinuses.

He worked some sort of magic, and I’m finally feeling relief this morning. Promise me you’ll pass it along because I don’t have any upcoming appointments and I want him to know I’m really appreciative! It wasn’t the reason I went in, but he still took the time to take care of it.

So many people are complaining of allergies lately—between the fall winds, dust from the heaters being turned on, and, of course, our lovely masks. There are many reasons for these complaints. In Kathryn's case, I actually noticed her cheekbones (called zygomas) were not aligned; one was significantly higher than the other. When I mentioned this, Kathryn said her mom has always said her face is a pinch crooked.

Upon palpation (pressing), the right side was extremely tender and painful. I then tested, using a standard applied kinesiology muscle test, to see if the bone was out of place in the cheek itself or the bone behind it, called the sphenoid bone. The sphenoid is a large butterfly-shaped bone that actually extends from ear to ear, through the whole head. I found it was twisted in the counterclockwise direction. So, I simply twisted it back and told her to take a look in the mirror. “My face is straight!” she exclaimed.

To be clear, there are many reasons for sinus issues—from a zygomatic or sphenoid malposition; to digestive problems, including GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), bloating or bowel issues; to toxicity of the liver, kidneys, or lymphatic system. Most often, despite what the bloodwork might suggest, we find that it is not a direct allergy. The allergy is often the result of one of the previously mentioned issues or even some I haven't mentioned.

There are amazing, sometimes simple reasons to explain why we feel the way we feel. Perhaps you don't have to feel that way anymore. Wellness is a choice and a dynamic process. Let's choose abundant health together.