Will Humming Help Ease Your Sinus Problems?

A study from Sweden suggests that humming “may reduce the risk of sinusitis.” They found that humming lets people exhale significantly more air from their nasal passages than during other types of exhalations, an advantage that appears to lower frequent hummers’ risk of sinus infections.

Here is an excerpt from the study:“The paranasal sinuses are major producers of nitric oxide (NO). We hypothesized that oscillating airflow produced by humming would enhance sinus ventilation and thereby increase nasal NO levels. Ten healthy subjects took part in the study. Nasal NO was measured with a chemiluminescence technique during humming and quiet single-breath exhalations at a fixed flow rate. NO increased 15-fold during humming compared with quiet exhalation. In a two-compartment model of the nose and sinus, oscillating airflow caused a dramatic increase in gas exchange between the cavities. Obstruction of the sinus ostium is a central event in the pathogenesis of sinusitis. Nasal NO measurements during humming may be a useful noninvasive test of sinus NO production and ostial patency. In addition, any therapeutic effects of the improved sinus ventilation caused by humming should be investigated.”

I just read this advice and am curious. If you suffer from sinusitis or other nasal problems give this a try and share your experience with a comment here. We can share thumbs up or down on this tip.