Q: What is REST?

A: REST™, or “Respiratory Suite Treatment” is a soothing, natural in-office treatment that provides immediate and lasting sinus relief. We like to think of it as a “Spa treatment for your nose.”

Q: Who performs the treatment? What are their qualifications?

A: The physicians of Nova Sinus Center are graduates of accredited naturopathic medical schools and are specially trained in the procedures used in this therapy.

Read more about:  Dr. Frank Aversano / Dr. Jake Felice / Dr. Jana Hagen / Dr. Karen H. La

Q: What can I expect during my 20-minute treatment?

A: Clients are escorted to a serene treatment space and seated comfortably in a massage chair. After a 20-minute consult and gentle exam of the nose and sinuses, clients are invited to place their face into a covered, cushioned face cradle. While enjoying relaxing music, nebulized (fine mist) vapors are inhaled using a mask that covers the nose and mouth. These vapors are designed to open the upper airways and produce a soothing effect on the nose and sinus passages. Next, specially designed sterile swabs are soaked in microbicidal botanical oils and gently placed into the nasal passages. Soothing all-natural lubricants are used to ensure easy swab placement. After the 4 swabs are in place (2 per nostril), clients report a non-painful “fullness” that quickly disappears. What does it smell like? Clients report that the aroma is deeply “calming” and “refreshing.” The microbicidal swabs remain in place for 5 minutes allowing for forward nasal and sinus drainage from the nostrils. Nasal flow often includes pathogens (viruses, bacteria), allergens (grasses, pollens, trees, molds), and particulates (dust, pollution). Nasal secretions are captured on a drainage plate and examined for signs of illness. During the last few minutes of drainage, nasal-specific trigger points on the head and neck are stimulated to further enhance drainage and offer a relaxing finish. After swab removal, clients report an immediate sense of relief often remarking on the glorious feeling of “coolness” and “weightlessness” in the nasal passages.

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Q: Why do I need a REST?

A: If you have any type of sinus problem, nasal allergy, runny nose, congestion, sneezing, sniffling, or snoring, you need to “Give your nose a REST.” The nasal passages are constructed as a series of turns and spirals. Bacteria, viruses, allergens, molds, and pollens often get caught in there, causing nose and sinus problems. Years of untreated organism growth often leads to distressing chronic sinusitis. Before finding us, clients are routinely treated with drug therapies that become ineffective over time and just “cover up” the underlying problem.

Read: Antibiotics are not justified

Antibiotics can’t reach inside the turns and spirals effectively, and irrigations (neti pot and saline sprays) have a tendency to “push” organisms and allergens deeper. The REST “unwinds” inflammation where it lives by seeping deeply into the turns and spirals to defeat symptom-causing organisms and allergens.

Read: Biofilms: a sticky situation

Q: How often do I need a REST?

A: Like taking a course of antibiotics, REST treatments are most effective as an initial series followed by maintenance treatments. To defeat longstanding bacterial overgrowth, we advise an initial series of 4 treatments. Your clinician may advise 2 RESTS per week for 2 weeks or 1 REST per week for 4 weeks, depending on the severity of your symptoms. After the initial series, 1 maintenance REST per month usually keeps the organism, particulates (dust), and allergen count low enough to maintain a symptom-reduced quality of life.

Read: Getting your Sinus Ninja treatments is easy with our discount program

Q: Is a REST series permanent?

A: Health is an ongoing journey. Sinus health is no exception. Clients report that treatments “hold” for many days to several weeks. As physicians concerned with getting to the underlying cause of the problem however, we are committed to helping the client understand the importance of identifying and eliminating allergens, especially food allergies. Note that blood testing for hidden food allergies is optional and available at Nova Sinus Center. Alternatively, your clinician may ask you to do a 3-7 day trial of eliminating the most common food allergens (one food at each treatment visit for 4 weeks).

With monthly REST treatments and simple lifestyle changes, Nova Sinus Center has helped 100′s of patients find a permanent, natural solution to their sinus trouble.

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Q: Are the physicians of Nova Sinus Center following “standard of care” practices?

A: Yes. MD’s in family practice will treat sinusitis independently (without referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist) using drug therapies first. Like other family practice doctors, we treat independently but use REST and lifestyle changes as first-line strategies. Like antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs, REST seeks to accomplish two things: (1) reduce the number of pathogens in the nose and sinuses, and (2) reduce inflammation. These are the twin “standard of care” goals when treating acute and chronic sinusitis. In addition to doing this more naturally and less invasively, REST offers the added therapeutic potential of opening the sinus ostia (outflows). Unlike drugs, REST also increases the sweeping motion of tiny hairlike projections (cilia) in the nose and sinuses. If, after a reasonable amount of journeying and time it becomes necessary to use drug therapies, you and your physician at Nova Sinus Center can discuss next steps.

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Q: Why not just use medicines like Benadryl®, Astelin®, Claritin®, Zyrtec®, Allegra®, Afrin®, Singulair®, Flonase®, Xyzal®, Phenergan®, Nasonex®, and others?

A: Clients know that chronic use of antihistamines, decongestants, and leukotriene inhibitors leave them feeling “wired and tired” and just cover up the problem. Nasal steroid sprays are addicting (create lifelong dependence) and often cause nosebleeds, crusting, and nasal dryness. In contrast, REST is hydrating and actually prevents crusting when steroid sprays are in use. To be sure, the lifetime cost of buying over-the-counter and prescription medications far exceeds the cost of the REST program.

Read: Comparing the cost of sinus treatments

REST allows the sinuses to drain, truly “unwinding” inflammation where it lives. After a series of REST treatments, many of our clients report they no longer need (or need much less of) their over-the-counter or prescription medications. Food allergy elimination further enhances relief by getting rid of allergic complexes in the nose and sinuses.

Read: Blood testing for hidden food allergy

Q: What if drugs and surgery are necessary?

A: The physicians of Nova Sinus Center treat acute and chronic sinus problems with the least invasive methods first – REST 4 and 6 series, food allergy elimination, and natural pharmacy. Antibiotics are offered only in especially resistant cases and when the outcome is deemed favorable.

Read: Antibiotics are not justified

In cases of advanced (non-emergent) sinusitis or bothersome nasal allergy, your clinician at Nova Sinus Center may offer the option of short-term drug therapy. While this often provides short term relief to make life manageable, medications are prescribed in conjunction with a REST-4 or REST-6 series. The rationale is to stop the immediate symptoms while addressing the underlying causes (biofilm adhesion, hidden food allergies, etc). Nasal steroid sprays and other drug therapies create a lifelong pharmaceutic dependence and are not in alignment with our mission and purpose.

Monthly REST treatments offer a detoxifying, self-reliant approach to treating chronic sinus trouble. Think: “It’s not what goes into the body that heals. It’s what comes out.”

Nova Sinus Center works closely with otolaryngologists – ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists – in the greater Seattle area. In cases where the sinuses are unable to drain effectively due to anatomical variants or progressive disease, your clinician may advise a referral for surgical consult. The rationale of the REST program is to try the least invasive, most natural intervention before progressing routinely to medications and surgical revision of the nose and sinuses. The REST program has a better than average success rate. And, it represents the cutting-edge in complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) for sinus problems. In fact, 8 out 10 clients report a significant improvement or reversal of their nose and sinus trouble. And, they so so without the metabolic burden of drugs or the potential complications of surgery.

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© 2010 Frank Aversano, ND / Nova Sinus Center, LLC  Trademarks