4. In terms of surgery, Dr. Josephson pioneered the procedure called FESS (Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery) which is now considered state of the art. This procedure uses an endoscope both for diagnosis and during the surgical procedure. This gives the surgeon an excellent view of the area being worked on and therefore there is less bleeding, more precision, and tamponade is rarely necessary, which is very important. He says that many of his patients just go home and go to work the next day. I would also have liked him to comment on endoscopic laser surgery, but he did not mention that technique. People have told me that this laser procedure worked exceptionally well for them. Dr. Josephson is obviously fully committed to FESS, however, and with the micro-tools he uses, he can apparently keep pain and bleeding levels low in patients, as is the case with endoscopic laser surgery. He also does not comment on a new surgical procedure called sinuplasty, which is similar in concept to angioplasty. I would certainly like to hear your opinion on this new procedure.

5. Wrote extensively on new research developments, especially the remarkable work done by Mayo Clinic researchers regarding the effects of fungi on sinusitis. Although the results are still somewhat controversial, this team has shown that an atypical immune reaction to fungi in certain people to common fungi could be the main cause of sinusitis. The theory is gaining popularity and new topical antifungal medications are being developed.

7. Emphasizes that eating the right foods can make a big difference, but is not entirely dogmatic about it. I was once put off by another book in which the author claimed that one simply had to give up certain foods if one wanted to overcome sinusitis, and these included cheese, chocolate, wine, and all other alcoholic beverages, among other things. For a person like me who lived for several years in France, this would be unbearable. I could mention that for a French it would be unthinkable.

8. A clean living environment is also emphasized, and the book has motivated me to smash the bleach bottle and take a look at our bathroom. Apparently, molds can grow very quickly on wet items, so care must be taken not to have wet clothes or rags lying around, for example.

9. Also included in the book is a discussion of the validity of alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, holistic medicine, and chiropractic, for example. I think this is helpful and in fact a niece recently told me that she had acupuncture treatments for her sinus problems and was excited about how much better she felt.

The five-step plan that Dr. Josephson recommends is presented at the end of the book. The steps are:

1. Take care of your sinuses with proper irrigation.

2. Clean your environment

3. Be attentive to food choices

4. Take your medicine (that is, take the full prescription)

5. Embrace life-changing changes and enjoy your health.

Much progress has been made in treating sinusitis in the last 5-10 years, and Dr. Josephson’s book brings it together and brings us up to speed. “Sinus Relief Now” is certainly a great reference for anyone with CAID problems. There are descriptions of almost every drug used in any of the treatments, both prescription and over-the-counter. I learned several things that I did not know before. For example, I did not know that antihistimines are only effective against allergies. I thought they would just prevent excess mucus from forming in any case. Also, Dr. Josephson believes that decongestants should not be used long-term, but only for a week at a time, as he believes they can cause problems if used for long periods. In general, the book is almost a reference work for any type of respiratory or digestive condition. Anyone with sinusitis would do well to read “Sinus Relief Now” and then refer to it whenever problems arise. It’s the best sinus book I’ve ever read.

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