It is Now Available!

Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! is now available!!! It was released into distribution on August 30, 2007. You can purchase it at Cold Tree Press by clicking on the following link: http://www.coldtreepress.com/catalog/book/187/

It should also be available to purchase from amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and booksamillion.com in about 2 weeks from now. I'm getting quite excited about marketing this book. And this marketing will be done aggressively. I will be pursuing all options to ensure this book receives maximum exposure to the press, and that public knowledge will hopefully improve ENS awareness everywhere.

New Empty Nose Website Launched

You can now visit my website, http://www.emptynosesyndrome.net/, where you will soon be able to purchase Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! This website was setup for the sole purpose of raising further awareness for this book and hence the cause of empty nose syndrome as well. I'm anticipating this book will enter distribution either at the end of this week or sometime next week.

A special feature of this site is I will be writing a free monthly newsletter on empty nose syndrome that includes treatment tips and news related to ENS. I would encourage anyone interested to please enter your e-mail address at the bottom of this new website. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

Press Release: Empty Nose Syndrome, No Laughing Matter. What it is, and what you can do about it!

Are you among the 1 in 5 Americans who suffer from sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, nasal congestion, postnasal drip, acid reflux or asthma? Having Nasal Surgery? Don’t You Become An Empty Nose Victim! details numerous treatment strategies that can improve your condition and perhaps prevent the need for surgery. Such holistic strategies include, but are not limited to:

1) Pulsatile nasal irrigation
2) Allergy medicine and injections
3) Exercise
4) Proper diet
5) Adequate sleep

It is critically important, though, that you are aware of one treatment that can make you worse - far worse. It is an overly aggressive nose surgery in which so much tissue (turbinates) is removed from the nose that there is nothing left. Symptoms of empty nose syndrome (ENS) include shortness of breath (despite a wide open nose), thick, sticky, viscous mucus, shallow sleep, along with high rates of depression - and, yes, even documented cases of suicide!

Having Nasal Surgery? Don’t You Become An Empty Nose Victim! offers an inspiring account of a nationally certified school psychologist who has lived with ENS for 10 years, a critique of the medical literature on nose surgery, politics surrounding empty nose (and why doctors do not understand it and have not taken it seriously), and key treatment strategies for it and other sinus conditions. Enthusiastically endorsed by top doctors familiar with empty nose, the audience for this book includes the lay person as well as the medical professional.

For further information, please visit my blog at http://emptynosesyndrome.blogspot.com/. For an interview or review copies, please contact me by email at webmaster@emptynosesyndrome.org

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Christopher Martin

Some are getting ready to read it....

Encouraging words from a high-profile individual:

Thank you for referring X. I spoke briefly with her—she said your book was fantastic...I thought the cover looked tremendous and bravo for writing this—it is an important service to patients, potential patients, and ENTs! I can hardly wait to buy a copy and read it all.

******************************
Walt Ballenberger, founder of www.postnasaldrip.net, a website for sinusitis sufferers like himself, sent the following notice to members of his site. Be sure to read Walt's review when it comes out. I will provide a link for you to read it when that time comes. Thanks, Walt.


Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become an Empty Nose Victim!, by Christopher Martin, will be released and available in 1-2 weeks.

If you are considering sinus surgery or even if you have had one, this book can provide valuable information about empty nose syndrome (ENS). This is a tragic condition caused by excessive cutting and removal of turbinates during sinus surgery. Chris has set up a blog for people to discuss the book at http://emptynosesyndrome.blogspot.com/

Take a look at the blog and check it out again after the book comes out. I’ll be reading it as soon as possible and will write a review and it will be available at http://www.postnasaldrip.net/.

Walt Ballenberger, founder of http://www.postnasaldrip.net/

What causes empty nose syndrome?

I have been reading on various websites where some people are questioning if allergies or sinusitis can lead to empty nose syndrome. The answer is a resounding no. Allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, postnasal drip, asthma, and acid reflux do not lead to empty nose. Only an aggressive turbinate surgery can. A CT scan and/or a thorough physical examination that details how much turbinate tissue is left, along with subjective patient reporting of symptoms, can provide a diagnosis of ENS. A cotton test, where a doctor places saline-moistened cotton in the nose, can also be used to determine whether it improves breathing or not, and consequently if the patient might have ENS. Unfortunately, there is such little understanding on empty nose syndrome that some people believe that a variety of conditions might cause empty nose - that's simply not true. This lack of knowledge and lack of readily available resources is part of the ambition for sharing my story.

The fact is only an overly aggressive nose surgery (of the turbinates) can lead to empty nose syndrome. Granted, a long-term sinus bacterial infection might lead to primary atrophic rhinitis but, given the increased antibiotic use and improved hygiene, this is rather rare in the Western World. What some people might be suffering from is in fact enlarged turbinates that are blocking breathing. Do I suffer from sinusitis and allergic rhinitis? Yes, I do, I have nasal and sinus inflammation, but this inflammation is not blocking breathing as it is with patients who have enlarged turbinates that largely block the airways. I have difficulties with breathing (among other nasal issues) because too much of the turbinates have been removed and my nasal airway is too wide open - a very hard concept for some doctors and patients to understand.

I believe that not all turbinate surgeries result in ENS. If they did, they would have ended long ago. But some do, and that's a point I hope every reader of this blog appreciates. And I further readily acknowledge a conservative turbinate surgery can be helpful, but I am a firm believer that all reasonable non-surgical treatments should be exhausted prior to undergoing surgery. It is just better practice to try to do everything possible before going under the knife. My experiences are proof of that.

Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! describes what non-surgical treatment ideas are beneficial for treating the nose, which might prevent the need for surgery in the first place. Many treatment strategies for empty nose, although it is a distinct and different problem, apply to sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and postnasal drip. It also critiques the medical literature on nose surgeries so that a patient can make an informed decision when and if they decide to pursue a turbinate surgery. I am not aware of any books that tackle the medical literature on turbinate surgeries and present the options in straightforward language, without vested interests of protecting surgery. Most books will just say if after you have tried various treatment strategies, then surgery might be a good option for you; here is how to prepare for it and what to expect. Conversely, Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! details which turbinate surgeries are safer than other ones based upon the literature, which ones might leave you most at risk for empty nose, and what important questions to ask your doctor before surgery. This newfound knowledge might intimidate your doctor, but an informed patient is all the more power to you. Hopefully your doctor will appreciate that you want to take more of an active role in your health. Because you are the one who needs to take control of your health. No one else will do that for you.

Does this book apply to you? If you made it to this blog, I bet it does!

Some who browse this blog might think "empty nose," I never heard of it, so Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! must not apply to me. If you are one of them, in my earnest attempt to prove you wrong, let me ask you the following questions:

1) Do you have allergies? If you are among the millions of Americans who answered yes, then let me inform you that so do I. In fact, if I had treated them properly, perhaps I could have prevented the need for surgery in the first place. Allergies lead to enlarged turbinates, which doctors resect. When doctors resect too much turbinate tissue, it can lead to ENS.

2) Do you have sinusitis? If you are among the millions of Americans who answered yes, then let me inform you that so do I. Sometimes turbinates are removed in conjunction with a sinus surgery to better access certain sinuses (e.g., ethmoid sinuses).

3) Do you have postnasal drip? If you are among the millions of Americans who answered yes, then let me inform you that so do I. If you do not treat postnasal drip properly, you could develop sinus infections. Strategies in this book are proven to effectively treat postnasal drip. And not only are these strategies doctor-endorsed, these strategies come directly from a patient who has many of these conditions!

4) Do you have acid reflux? If you are among the millions of Americans who answered yes, then let me inform you that so do I. And my acid reflux either gets better or worse, depending on the treatments I do for my nose. Strategies in this book can effectively treat acid reflux.

5) Do you have asthma? OK, I admit, you got me on this one, because thankfully I do not have asthma. Many ENS sufferers do have asthma, though. But I do have allergies. And 60% of asthma patients have what is called "allergy-induced" asthma.

6) If you are considering nose surgery or have empty nose syndrome, then this book most certainly applies to you! :) Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! includes a review of medical literature on nose surgeries from a patient who has no vested interests.

However, if you still do not believe this book applies to you, then I should ask if you have family and friends who have sinus problems or know someone considering or who has had nose surgery. If you answered "no" to those questions, then I concede this book perhaps does not apply to you. But nevertheless, I still extend an invitation for you to read my story anyway because it addresses an unspoken, undeniably tragic, real-life medical issue that is in need of further attention.

I thank you for your interest! I'm already very excited about the enthusiastic comments I have received about Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become an Empty Nose Victim! from people who answered "no" to questions 1 -6 and could not book this book down. I can't wait to share my experiences and ideas with you....

Review by an ENS Sufferer

I received the following comments from an ENS sufferer whose surgery of 3 months ago led to ENS:

I have read through the book and have found it really helpful. Chris' story is inspiring.. how he has suffered with ENS for so long and manages to still have a positive outlook. I think it covers a lot of important information, both technical and emotional. It is a book that many people could read -- sufferers of ENS, friends and family, people thinking about getting surgery. It has helped me to gain a better understanding of what to expect, what turbinates are, their functions in the body, and how to better live with this serious condition. Oh! I wish I was informed like this before the surgery.

A Valuable Sinus Self-help Resource

Have you had nose surgery, but

now find that you are

experiencing:


1) Shortness of breath (despite a wide

open nose)?


2) Chronic nasal dryness?


3) Thick, sticky mucus?


4) Does the air you inhale seem too

cold or dry?


5) Have you felt anxious or even

depressed over it?


If you have had nose surgery and could answer "yes" to any of the above, then there is the possibility you might have empty nose syndrome....Read on...

Based upon living with empty nose syndrome for 10 years, a nationally certified school psychologist (N.C.S.P.) has written a valuable sinus self-help resource for patients as well as the medical community, which will cost you less than a lunch at McDonald's....

Symptoms of ENS include shortness of breath (despite a wide open nose), nasal dryness, throat irritation, thick, sticky mucus, and sometimes chronic sinusitis. Many with ENS are depressed. Some have even committed suicide. Endorsed by well-known doctors familiar with ENS, Chris offers a genuine message to the reader and hope for the injured patient through:

1) His personal triumph in coping with ENS. There is room for hope as Chris shares his personal story.
2) A critique of turbinate surgeries for anyone considering nasal surgery. After reviewing the medical literature, Chris has strived to inform and empower YOU, the patient considering nose surgery, to know which turbinate surgeries are more effective than other ones and which ones might leave you at higher risk for empty nose syndrome. Doctors will always tell you their particularly surgeries are safe and effective, whether it be laser, cautery or a resection procedure, but as a patient Chris has no vested interests -- he will tell you flatly which ones are safest, which ones will leave you most at risk for empty nose syndrome, and what questions to ask based upon the literature.
3) An inside look at the politics of ENS. (Never-before explored!)
4) Best treatments for ENS, many of which also apply to sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, postnasal drip (PND), GERD, and asthma. More than 40 pages of the book is devoted to treatment strategies. Did you know that by effectively treating the nose, you might be able to treat or prevent other problems as well? Did you know that many of the strategies for treating the nose and sinuses also apply to other conditions, such as even acid reflux and asthma? Yes, they do! And this resource lays out why it is so important to treat the nose effectively, how these are all inter-connected, and most importantly, exactly what you can do about it....based upon Chris' experiences as a patient with many of these conditions.

Now, read what well-known doctors, an expert indexer, and empty nose sufferers have said about this book below in this blog or view the Table of Contents, which also includes quotes from the book, by going to the February section of this blog.

Read on....

Expert Indexer Signs On...

Just recently, it was determined that Margy Olmstead, an expert indexer from Oak Grove Indexing Services at http://www.oakgroveindex.com/, will be creating the index for this book. Margy informed me that she sometimes does indexes for Health Communications, Inc., which is a top publisher of health information today.

Margy wrote to me: I have looked at your book and am delighted to provide it with an index. You have written a valuable book for ENS sufferers and the medical community. In later correspondence, she wrote: I have said this before, but I am really impressed with your book and hope Cold Tree can give it great distribution. As you know audiences for the book will include both lay people who are considering surgery or treatment and the medical community hence the index must be accessible to both. Given these considerations, I will include a peer review to be certain I give this fine, informative book the index it deserves!

I am certain she will do an exceptional job for this book and I look forward to working with her, as I am confident her efforts will enhance the final product.

What Top Doctors Had to Say....

“Chris Martin's book is a must-read for anyone with nasal problems so they, too, can understand ENS and avoid becoming an ENS patient. His up-to-date information can empower the patient to best therapies.”

-Murray Grossan, M.D., Author of The Sinus Cure and inventor of the Grossan HydroPulse Nasal-Sinus Irrigation System

“I applaud Chris’ attempt to bring this critically important issue to the public’s attention. If one person can be saved from the devastation this surgery can cause, he will have performed a great service.”

-Wellington S. Tichenor, M.D., Creator of award-winning website http://www.sinuses.com/, and wrote the introduction for this book

"Chris is addressing a tremendously important issue in otolaryngology. Empty nose syndrome is a real entity that requires further investigation. Although Chris' book is written for the general public, I truly hope my colleagues in ENT will read this book and take it to heart.

-Steven M. Houser, M.D., ENT specialist, MetroHealth Medical Center and the Cleveland Nasal, Sinus and Sleep Center, assistant professor, Case Western Reserve, and wrote the foreword for this book

June Update

Update...
I have been continuing to work on the book with Cold Tree Press, and am still anticipating a publication date around August 11th, 2007. The senior designer at Cold Tree has produced a cover page (which you will notice to the right). She has also started the initial formatting of the interior of the book. It is quite exhilarating to see these efforts over the past year come to fruition. It is about time empty nose will be taken seriously!

On the marketing front...
Locally, I have talked with a small bookstore owner and they have offered for me to do a book signing. I have also requested to write a piece for my local newspaper (circulation 60,000), which I am confident will happen. On a personal level, I have also been able to get family, friends and colleagues interested in reading the book. This book will be available on many different websites, such as Allergy Buyer's club, Dr. Tichenor's website, Dr. Grossan's website, as well as Barnes N' Noble's and Amazon's websites. All these developments are encouraging to me. Once the book is out, I will pursue further marketing in numerous media outlets to ensure the voice of empty nose is heard loud and clear, never to be forgotten!

What about its critics?
I anticipate this book will have its critics, because empty nose is considered a controversial topic and I do not shy away from discussing the politics of it all; rather, I view discussing politics of empty nose as providing the reader with necessary context and documenting history on empty nose syndrome. And the fact is I have truth on my side (that I present in a fair, but firm manner). And personal experience. I am attempting to reveal that truth and that is what scares the critic the most. Truths such as:

1) doctors have largely ignored ENS
2) there may be millions suffering from ENS
3) ENS is a tremendously important problem in need of far greater attention

To that end, I sincerely hope and pray this book will have its intended effect. Please stay tuned.

Publication Soon

I am pleased to announce that I have submitted the book, Having Nasal Surgery? Don’t You Become an Empty Nose Victim!, for publication. Cold Tree Press (http://www.coldtreepress.com) has notified me that it takes on average 90 days from the date of submission until publication, as they strive to make their books in the best possible condition for the market. That means this book will be published sometime in the summer, perhaps by August 11th. I will keep you posted as this date approaches.

Cold Tree Press is one of the top self-publishers in America and this company is selective regarding the manuscripts they publish. I feel fortunate to be working with such a talented publishing company. As you can see above, they have already created a great cover design for this book and I look forward to continued working with them on it.

Empty Nose Sufferers on the ENS Book

Although the book will not be out until August 11, I have been communicating with a patietn who had a nose surgery just 3 months ago and is now experiencing full-blown ENS symptoms. I knew she was suffering quite a bit, so I shared my adobe pdf of the book with her. Below is what she wrote after she read the the book:

I have read through the book and have found it really helpful. Chris' story is inspiring.. how he has suffered with ENS for so long and manages to still have a positive outlook. I think it covers a lot of important information, both technical and emotional. It is a book that many people could read -- sufferers of ENS, friends and family, people thinking about getting surgery. It has helped me to gain a better understanding of what to expect, what turbinates are, their functions in the body, and how to better live with this serious condition. Oh! I wish I was informed like this before the surgery. I would definitely suggest this book to my friends and family so that they have a better understanding of what ENS is and what it entails. There are so many people every year who get butchered by doctors who for one reason or another do not inform their patients properly of the procedure and possible side effects. This is a problem in many areas of medicine. Chris' book is a reminder not to go blindly into surgery but also to live bravely with things one cannot change.

I wish to thank this patient for her kind comments. I really hope her condition improves and her prognosis is good. And I hope the readers of this blog will find her comments useful.

The interest from members of the empty nose syndrome forum at (http://www.emptynosesyndrome.org/) is encouraging to me. This is a great website for ENS patients to come together and support each other. (I read posts on the ENS forum on a daily basis.) This website contains a lively discussion forum, a section where Dr. Houser answers questions, and a tutorial on the nose and turbinates. A half-hour audio tape of Dr. Eugene Kern’s lecture on empty nose syndrome is also available.

I thought it would be helpful to post some of their thoughts they have publicly posted on the ENS forum in support of this book:

Forum Member "3":

Very impressive! You should get the 21st century genius award.

Forum Member "TT":

I think it’s great to put a face on ENS. I'll keep a close eye on your blog. I wish you the best of luck. Your children are adorable.

Great work on the site!!

Excellent job! The fact that there is now a book written entirely about this disorder really legitimizes the cause. Otherwise it remains just a footnote in a technical journal.

I love the name of your book. "Nasal Surgery?" Really windens up the audience to anyone having nasal surgery over just people that found out they have ENS. I hope you're able to get a wide distribution into mainstream stores across the country. It is important to get the word out.

Forum Member "Simon81":

Wow, looks good Chris. Nice Job.

Forum Member "Sp1d3rdan":

Chris, Great work! You should give them away at Medical Schools so that the latest group of ENTs are aware of this.

Forum Member "Andrew":

Looks great. Best of luck and thank you for doing this!!

Forum Member "Tom":

Great cover, looks very nice. I can't wait to read it.

Forum Member "Matt":

Howdy Chris, Thanks for all the effort. I look forward to reading it! Best, Matt

Forum Member "MF":

Chris, You really have to be commended. Working this hard on a book that can not really help your self that much, yet can save hundreds or thousands of people the distress we all experience, is a noble and selfless act. Bravo!

Forum Member "Jdog":

Looking forward to the book Chris!!

....I'm excited for the book! It should be pre-requsite reading by the doctor before you agree to surgery.

Dr. Tichenor on the ENS Book

I am very happy to announce support from Dr. Wellington Tichenor. Dr. Tichenor wrote the Introduction to the book. He is a medical specialist in sinusitis who does not perform surgery, but primarily treats patients who have not responded well to surgery, such as ENS patients. Dr. Tichenor is a leader in both prevention and treatment of ENS. His website, http://www.sinuses.com, has won numerous awards for outstanding content.

Here is Dr. Tichenor’s back cover endorsement:

“I applaud Chris’ attempt to bring this critically important issue to the public’s attention. If one person can be saved from the devastation this surgery can cause, he will have performed a great service.”

April 2007 Reflections on Writing the ENS book

Writing a book is a lengthy, time-consuming process but it is also very rewarding, and I cannot wait to craft this ENS book into a finished product. Not only do I hope the book will help others, I also find writing to be a therapeutic process for myself as I have come to understand ENS on a deep level which,in turn, has enabled me to better understand and treat my own condition.

My primary hours of working on this book have been between 9 PM and 2 AM so I can spend time with family during the day. In the meantime, I also work a full-time job as a school psychologist.

I recall reading that the average author of a non-fiction book spends about 480 hours, or 2 years, writing it and I believe it. There is more to writing a book than just writing itself. In my book experiences, I have come upon various challenges and opportunities: researching and fully understanding scientific issues (particularly unfamiliar ones), securing copyrights for quotes of more than one word, having artists develop quality sketches, researching publishing options, numerous phone conversations, and then having it reviewed from medical and lay edit perspectives; and the book is revised numerous times to incorporate this ongoing feedback. In retrospect, I think the hardest part of writing this book was explaining the medical details, which took NUMEROUS revisions. I found myself even late in the editing stages revising medical details. In addition to being a layperson, which I made clear in the disclaimer, compounding the issue is explaining a medical topic like ENS that is complex and not well-understood. Thankfully, feedback from various doctors has helped me write a book that I believe is medically accurate. I have certainly strived for the highest level of accuracy, and patience has been to this book’s benefit.

I have had ENS for 10 years now. I first thought about writing this book 3 years ago, when I first discovered I had ENS. I started to write, but little came out as I still didn’t understand my condition that well. It was not until the past year, through the help of Dr. Houser, the empty nose website and discussions with fellow ENS sufferers, when I finally put A-B-C-D together and was able to write the book from start-to-finish. When all is said and done, this book will have been a 1-year project. It is 41,581 words in length, which means it will likely be between 150-200 pages. It will come in paperback form.

As much as I am going to work hard to promote it once it is out -- and I have been assured it will be listed on numerous high-traffic websites (Dr. Grossan believes sales are assured)-- I am also thankful to be bringing it to a close so I can focus on family and friends more.

Thus far, I have had my book reviewed by 4 ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists and 3 lay persons. My chief editor, a good friend of mine with an English degree, spent nearly 2 months editing it to a "t" and he did an amazing job; his efforts will significantly enhance the finished product.

*Dr. Eugene Kern, Past President of the American Rhinologic Society and International Rhinologic Society who coined the term "empty nose syndrome," read my book and was quite positive about it. He remarked that my story was "compelling." Like the other doctors, he gave me many ideas on how I could improve the medical aspect of it and considerations to address.

*Dr. Murray Grossan also offered numerous ideas on how to enhance the book and his contribution has been invaluable. He is a true champion of the ENS cause and it has been a great pleasure corresponding with him regularly about the book. He also has a great sense of humor. His revised and updated version of The Sinus Cure just came out on April 10. Page 269 has a nice summary of empty nose syndrome.

*And of course, Dr. Steven Houser was the doctor who gave me the ambition to write it and has offered immense support as well.

In attempt to raise awareness for the ENS book, Walt Ballenberger, founder of the Postnasal Drip Website, has offered book commentary on the following links (interestingly, my book managed to get onto "women's fitness" links);

www.postnasaldrip.net/Blog/

ezinearticles.com/?Pulsatile-Irrigation,-ENS,-and-Other-Sinus-Issues--A-Discussion--Part-1&id=466841">

articles411.com/article.php?id=44414&act=print

abc.eznettools.net/.../bbtopic.cgi?

SUID=X305810&&topic=Empty_Nose_Syndrome&&category=3

www.womens-interests.com/health-and-fitness/page_18.html

www.refinance-mortgage-search.info/walt.htm

www.thepharmaweb.com/healthcare/Pulsatile%20Irrigation,%20ENS,%20and%20Other%20Sinus%20Ossies-%20A%20Disc...

bobbie.lovestoblog.info/index.php/archives/date/2007/02/26/

Walt has not read the book yet, but he plans to buy it once it is out. In these comments, he remarked I am a "driving force" behind the ENS symposium at http://www.emptynosesyndrome.org, but I have informed him I am not, just an ENS sufferer who wants to help others suffering from the same condition. I just do not wish to take credit where it is not due.