A musical prescription for sinusitis - Brief Article

Men's Fitness, Nov, 2002

It's a bit low-tech, but the hottest new treatment for sinusitis is ... humming.

People who hum exhale 15 times more nitric oxide from their nasal passages than less musical breathers, according to investigators at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm. The effect is significant because nitric oxide helps blood vessels dilate and improves the flow of oxygen-rich blood. The increase in air moving from the sinuses to the nasal passages also helps ventilate the sinuses, which may decrease susceptibility to infections.

"PROPER VENTILATION OF THE SINUSES is essential for sinus integrity, and the data indicate that humming is an extremely effective means of increasing sinus ventilation," states the report, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Thirty-seven million Americans suffer from nasal congestion, sinus pressure, fatigue and other symptoms caused by sinusitis, though many mistake the condition for a chronic cold. For more information, see "Signs of Sinusitis" in the October issue of MEN'S FITNESS.

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