Customer Reviews

Harvard Medical School Guide to Healing Your Sinuses (Harvard Medical School Guides)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a good book if you know nothing at all about your sinus condition. However, I had already gathered much of this information from good websites. There were a couple of interesting things that I wasn't aware of, but the bottom line is, how is this going to help me? Is it going to give me new ideas so I can get better? Unfortunately, it didn't. If you've already tried nasal irrigations, decongestants, steroid sprays, antihistamines, possible allergy shots and antibiotics, then you know all you can know about treating sinusitis without surgery. If you are facing surgery, then maybe the chapters on what to expect will be useful.

I picked up a copy of this book because I have sinusitis. I found the book to be extremely helpful in understanding my problems and in instructing what to do about them. It is written in a way that anyone can understand. You don't have to be a doctor to get what the book is talking about, but it didn't seem so basic that it was patronizing like some medical books for non-doctors. I also liked that it was easy to skip around and I didn't feel like I had to read it from beginning to end. Each chapter stood on its own as helpful in and of itself. I would recommend this book to anyone who has sinus problems.

The information is coherent and well organized. Yes, it is possible one can glean much of the information from other sites on the Internet. However, doing so would take twice as long as reading the book and one can never tell when they are receiving advice from a real doctor or a quack. Everything in this book is backed by a Clinical Professor at Harvard. Not only does that offer peace of mind, it also gives you an upper hand when trying to get the correct medication from your doctor. "I read in this book by Ralph B Metson from Harvard..." goes a lot farther than "I read on an Internet site somewhere..." I wish I could have read this book years ago.

Of note:
The recommended salt usage for nasal wash is a bit high. Some prefer it that high, I recommend doing Internet research and trying less salt at first, ESPECIALLY if you notice a stinging sensation. Never, ever try to force water through a clogged nose!!

The explanation of Zicam in the book is not quite correct. Zicam is *marketed* as homeopathy, but it is not really homeopathic; it actually contains Zinc. Homeopathy is just water.

Also, I was told Atrovent (in that form) was taken off the market.

This is the most comprehensive book I've read on sinuses. It is written so that the average person can understand what goes on inside your sinuses, what the problem areas are, but most importantly, what can be done to get relief. I was also very fortunate to have had surgery by Dr. Metson. Each day I continue to improve and feel like a brand new person. This book is a must for anyone who is suffering. I HIGHLY recommend getting this book.

The Harvard Guide to Healing Your Sinuses is a valuable resource, which is written in easy-to-understand language that details various sinus conditions, including ones that might seem like sinusitis but are not, and numerous strategies for treating them. In addition, discussions of treatments include helpful thoughts on various methods of sinus surgery, how to prepare for surgery if needed, and what to expect.

I appreciate how, on pages 162-163, Dr. Metson and Mr. Mardon cite empty nose syndrome (ENS) as a "troubling phenomenon," which results from an overly aggressive surgery of the turbinates (inner nasal mucus-producing tissue that performs many critical functions). The description of ENS is accurate, and I am grateful it is noted as a complication of surgery, as not all sinus self-help books acknowledge ENS.

When discussing treatments, The Harvard Guide to Healing Your Sinuses mentions zicam, which is the oral spray form of zinc. The authors note while zinc has been shown to reduce the duration of a cold, particularly when used at the onset of symptoms, it must be sprayed into the nose every four hours for one to two weeks to be effective. A word of caution, though, which also should be highlighted, is that spraying high concentrations of zicam in the nose can lead to burning and destruction of olfactory epithelium, the nerve cells responsible for smell. Consequently, some users of zicam have permanently lost their sense of smell.

This book definitely has much useful information on sinusitis from a highly reputable source. It is a great reference book for sinus sufferers.

Chris Martin, author of Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim!

This book is well organized and describes sinus problems from minor to major. Several tables summarize treatment, medications, symtoms, etc. Although fairly technical (that's a good thing) the authors didn't 'talk down' to the layman. I found it very helpful and insightful. The book describes many self-treatments in a very orderly fashion.

This book was written in a style that is very informative as a self help book. Dr. Metson breaks down the complexity of the problems that can occur in sinuses and explains them in a way that is an eye opener. If nothing else, this book can begin to unravel some of the mystery involved, as it has done for me. It's the best explanation I've found to date. But it doesn't stop there. Many chapters are dedicated to self help tips on improving ones sinus condition, something that can make all the difference. I would like to mention that some of the suggestions provided may need to be modified depending on the individual. For example, I had to experiment with the formula for sinus irrigation to get it right for me. But then again, it would take a volume of data to cover every individual situation. This book is a worth every penny, and I won't be lending out my copy to anyone. The next time I see a doctor, I will be more informed and active in the treatment decision making. If you have sinus problems, do yourself the favor and pick up a copy.

As someone whose had sinus issues due to allergies since the teenage years, I've spent years researching & reading, though never really reading a formal book on the subject. This book is a good place to start if you know nothing about sinus issues. For someone who generally stays on top of news & information about sinus issues and curing/preventing sinus infections, the main things I found useful in the book were:

1. Commentary on the fact that antihistamines like Allegra/claritin thicken mucus and make it more difficult for your body to wash out the bacterialized mucus.
2. Some more specific information about why it is so critical to keep swelling down in the nasal passages to prevent "the cycle" from repeating
3. The fact that it is now common for antibiotic rounds to go 90 days or more to fully rid one of sinus infections
4. A focus on the fact that chronic sinus issues cause people to feel about their life the same anguish that people feel when they have diseases typically considered "more serious"

While nothing groundbreaking, the book gave me the idea to back off on the "allergy medicines" and only go with the nasal steriod sprays. I have had significant improvement in the last month compared to the last few years, due to no thick congestion in the head. Any person who can pick up on one or two things in the book that make a difference would make the book worth it.

My doctor husband, whose specialty is Internal Medicine, and I have been fans and devoted readers of Harvard Medical School's Health Letter for 30 years! This book lives up to my expectations, and actually exceeds them,in the clear and understandable explanation of the various kinds of problems sinuses can give us. Amazing to find it on Amazon when I clicked to order it from Harvard's catalog. Worth a lot more than what I paid for it!! Thanks Havard. Thanks Amazon.

I had my sinusitis for many years, but never exactly know what type of sinusitis I belong to, every doctor I visited had a differnt view about it, many of them conflicting statements, it basically make me feel the sinusitis is hard to cure, since doctors even don't have a clear picture of it. By reading this book, and get Dr. Ralph's expert idea about sinusitis type, and conbined with my understanding of my symptom, Now I have a much better view about my sinustitis, and don't need to go to many doctors to get consensus any more :).

Thanks amazon for recommending the book when I purchase the Neilmeid products!