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Asthma relief and
Sinus infections treatment. The Allergy Relief Center - Your BEST resource for information on asthma symptom, relief, treatment, and products. Includes info on sinus infection relief, symptoms, and treatment.
Q. It is the middle of the night and I wake up with my sinuses killing me- the best quick fix? I am not going to irrigate in the middle of the night. A. Prevent this before it happens. Do pulsatile irrigation and let papaya tablets dissolve in your mouth the day before. Let chewable papaya tablets one four times a day dissolve in your mouth between the cheek and gums [available in your local health food store for about $6:50 or from http://www.mothernature.com or http://www.greentree.com If you wake up place a chewable papaya tablet in your mouth and let it dissolve. You should be able to go back to sleep.
Q. I read that heart burn [digestive problems ]trigger sinus problems-is this why you recommend papaya enzyme tablets to reduce sinus swelling? A. No, this has nothing to do with heart burn or reflux of acid from the stomach. You can take papaya for digestion, but in that case you swallow it. This is a totally different deal. The chewable papaya for sinusitis is anti inflammatory, reduces swelling and thins the mucus, allowing the cilia to function. If it is a really painful sinus pain, the relief can be very dramatic.
Q. You talk about using slow acting niacin as a supplement how does that help? A. Slow release niacin is recommended where painful muscles are present. At a daily dose of 125 mg niacin is especially helpful in removing lactic acid from the area. Often the person doesn't know if the sinus pain / headache is from the neck referred to the sinus area or from the sinus area itself. Or could be from both. The niacin helps the neck pain.
Q. I have read that Urtica /Stinging Nettle is recommended in Germany for sinus trouble as it supposedly eases inflammation of sinus passages and boosts your body's production of bacteria killing white blood cells in as little as two days. Your comments? A. I haven't had personal experience with this.
Q. There are a number of new over the counter saline plus herbs/oils sprays such as Alkalol, Ayr, Ocean available. Can you comment on what you see to be the best of the bunch? A. Alkalol is an excellent mucus thinner that patients use in the WaterPik irrigator. AYR, Ocean, and the other saline sprays are OK for dry nose. After you finish the bottle you can mix your own as long as you replace it once a week.
Q. What do you think of Vancenese and Flonase as prescription nasal sprays? A. These are good products, dozens of good studies support their use. They are cortisone derivatives. They can, on long term use, cause erosion or ulceration and bleeding. If the doctor prescribes it I would certainly use it, but don't forget other "helpers" - dust proofing the bedroom, hot tea, avoid iced drinks, and other important items.
Q. What are the ingredients to avoid in over the counter nasal sprays-the ones that have the rebound effect and make you worse long term? A. Any of the Afrin type nose sprays can have rebound effect. This can be quite upsetting. First you use it every 12 hours, then you need it every 8 hours, eventually you need it every 2 hours. In addition, that much medication makes you nervous. If this occurs you need prescription medication to counteract the nose drops.
Q. Does Sudafed have a rebound effect? A. No
Q. When is the time for any sinus sufferer to say "Ok I have had it" and ask for antibiotics? A. If the discharge continues to be colored, and there is fever and general feeling sick, then is the time to consider antibiotics.
Q. When should you go for surgery? Do you see surgery as being over used as a recommendation? A. Surgery is indicated when regular treatment fails and x -rays show significant disease plus absent drainage channels. It never hurts to get a second opinion, then you can relax that you really do need the surgery. At least in our practice we don't overuse surgery since we spend considerable effort to avoid it, but sometimes there is no other way.
Q. How important is it to get the proportion of non iodized salt to the Water Pik well water exactly right? Or is it better to use a premixed saline solution? A. The jury is still out as to the best concentration of salt solution to use. Currently hypertonic saline (one example is ENTsol) does pull excess mucus out of swollen tissues and my patients appreciate the relief. Many patients do well on one teaspoon salt to a pint of water. We use non iodized because some persons are sensitive to the iodine. ENTsol is nice because there is no silica in the product and the acidity is balanced.
Q. In summary: What would be a good regimen of care for a problematic sinus ? A. Be very gentle when you blow. Use bed rest and warm applications to the sinus area when there are symptoms. Continue the pulsatile irrigation until the return is clear. This usually indicates return of function of the cilia. When there is sinus infection be sure to take in enough fluids so that your urine turns light. Do the procedures that restore the normal nasal cilia.
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