Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Sinus Infection Treatment- Without Antibiotics?

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A gentleman named Jason H. recounted to me recently how he managed to treat a sinus infection without the use of antibiotics. Jason has a long history of 15 years of chronic sinus problems, and he has undergone 4 sinus surgeries. He is happy about his last operation to remove polyps and fix a deviated septum, and he has also begun using pulsating nasal irrigation with the Grossan Hydro Pulse? device. Nonetheless, he recently managed to come down with another sinus infection. Concerned that he has taken too many antibiotics in his life, he decided to attack the problem using the nasal irrigator. At this point a disclaimer is in order. Neither Jason nor the author of this article are doctors or medical professionals, we are both just sinus sufferers. As such neither of us is qualified to offer medical advice. I would personally urge anyone with a sinus infection, particularly those with chronic problems, to see an ENT specialist.

In any case Jason used his nasal irrigation system 6 times on the day he realized he had an infection, which is a lot, but the next day he felt a lot better. He continued to use the system once or twice a day thereafter, as he normally would, and after three or four days he felt like he was completely over the problem. It was the first time he had ever dealt with a sinus infection without resorting to the use of antibiotics.

I personally know it is possible for the body to heal itself with sinus infections although the process can be long and painful. When I was much younger I used to say ?when I get a cold it is really a lulu?, and I would typically be sick for 2 to 3 weeks. It wasn?t unusual for me to be bedridden for 2-4 days with severe headaches and nasal discharge and tearing in the eyes during that period as well. Of course colds don?t last that long, and I now know that what I was experiencing was a sinus infection.

Clearly the body will eventually heal itself, but the healing process can be much faster using proper medications, such as antibiotics in this case. However, I too began to wonder if I was taking too many antibiotics after a number of years. At present I?m pleased to say that my nasal irrigator keeps the amount of antibiotics I use down to a low number.

The main benefit of pulsating nasal irrigation is for prevention, however, rather than treatment of sinus infections that have already taken hold, as Jason used it. I?m personally coming to the conclusion that this procedure would benefit almost everybody. I used to be a person who would become sick fairly regularly, but now I almost never become ill. I?ve gone over 1 ? years without a cold or sinus infection, and it only happened on that occasion because I was exhausted before a long overseas flight. At that point I simply could not hold the infection off. I sometimes hear about people who don?t have chronic sinusitis and who come down with colds, and this tends to surprise me. I used to be the one who got sick all the time, but now that is almost never the case. If I do feel a cold coming on I?ll use my nasal irrigator two or even three times a day for 1-2 days (I normally use it twice a day in any case). If I feel a possible infection coming on I?ll also take 5 mg of prednisone, and I normally also use a steroid spray, flonase, although there are a number of such products on the market. For about five years now this regimen has worked well for me. One needs to be careful with prednisone, however, as it can cause harmful side-effects. I use it sparingly, and my doctor says it is not an issue.

Once again, I would recommend that most people seek advice from their doctor when they begin to fall ill. People like Jason and I, who have long histories battling sinus infection, can tell when we have one, but that is not the case for most people. There is no doubt, however, that pulsating nasal irrigation with a saline solution is a huge help, and I?m convinced it would help lower the number of colds caught by most people, even those who do not have chronic sinus problems. And it can be used even for treatment of a sinus infection, as Jason did, although it might be best to try this under a doctor?s supervision.

Walt Ballenberger is founder of http://www.postnasaldrip.net a resource web site for sinusitis sufferers like himself. For a free report entitled ?Sinus Treatment Success Stories?, visit http://www.postnasaldrip.net and click on the Free Report link. This resource can be of significant help to chronic sinus sufferers.

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Monday, November 17, 2008

Sinusitis and Biofilms - An Introduction - Part 1

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Why is it that some sinusitis sufferers do not respond to normal treatments, medications and surgical procedures and continue to come down with sinus infections regardless of the treatment they have been given? One answer to this question appears to be an atypical immune reaction to fungus, and topical anti-fungal therapies heave been developed by Mayo Clinic researchers. Another possible answer to this question has surfaced in the past couple of years: biofilms. This article is meant to be a brief introduction to biofilms and how they might be a factor in recurring sinus infections.

Definition, Description and Medical Implications of Biofilms

What are biofilms and how to they resist normal treatments for sinusitis such as antibiotics? ?Biofilms are composed of microbal communities that are attached to an environmental surface. The microorganisms usually encase themselves in an extra-cellular polysaccharide or slime matrix?. In other words, biofilms are a collection of bacteria and other microbes that encase themselves in a sort of slime. It is apparently the slime material that protects the bacteria from being destroyed by antibiotics, for example. Biofilms have been shown to play a major part in other medical conditions involving chronic infections, such as cystic fibrosis, Legionnaire?s Disease, and otitis media, the most common type of acute ear infection in children in the U.S., among others. In addition, they can also form on medical implanted products such as stents, implants, catheters, and other devices. They appear to destroy cilia when present in sinusitis patients, and the loss of cilia is detrimental to the normal drainage system of nasal passages, so this is a serious issue since destroyed cilia cannot be replaced.

Non-medical Implications of Biofilms

Biofilms are not just associated with medical conditions, however. In fact biofilms are ubiquitous and can form under the right conditions on almost any kind of surface, including metals, rock, and of course human tissue. Two common examples of biofilms are pond scum and dental plaque. Detrimental biofilms are the cause of billions of dollars in damaged products and equipment systems in such fields as food processing, water treatment and metal-working. The also cause damage by clogging household drains and water pipes. Their effects are not always harmful, however, for example when they attach to the roots of certain plants they seem to aid the transfer of nutrients from the soil to the plant. Also, they are used in sewage treatment facilities to help treat sewage water before it is released to the environment, and they are utilized in treating contaminated ground water as well.

Walt Ballenberger is founder of http://www.postnasaldrip.net a resource web site for sinusitis sufferers like himself. For a free report entitled ?Sinus Treatment Success Stories?, visit http://www.postnasaldrip.net and click on the Free Report link. This resource can be of significant help to chronic sinus sufferers.

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Monday, November 10, 2008

7 Tips for Treating a Sinus Infection

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The primary function of the sinuses is to filter pollutants and bacteria from the air through the small hairs and mucus within the sinus cavities. In normal situations this works fine however swelling and infection can impair this function as a result of a cold or allergy. Such sinus infection (sinusitis) results in symptoms such as pain around the nose and eyes, a high temperature and headache and makes the sufferer feel generally unwell.

Although sinusitis may have you feeling miserable, there are several steps you can take to help relieve the symptoms of sinus infection such as:

1) Steam Inhalation - The pain of sinus infection occurs when mucus drainage system fails to drain adequately. Placing your head over a bowl of steaming water a few times a day will help to get things moving again and give some relief.

2) Home Humidifiers - An ideal way to prevent sinus dryness is by using a personal humidifier that can be purchased from drug stores. By maintaining the moisture within the nasal passages the sinuses can drain correctly and reduce potential problems occurring.

3) Sinus Flush - Flushing the sinuses out several times a day is recommended when experiencing sinus infection. Commercial saline nasal sprays are ideal or alternatively 300ml of water mixed with a teaspoon of salt and pinch of baking soda as a flushing solution also works well.

4) Maintain Fluid Levels - Drinking plenty of clear fluids will assist in keeping the mucus runny and able to drain from the sinus cavities. Some herbal teas such as sage, anise and fenugreek are also good at maintaining mucus drainage from the sinus cavity.

5) Stop Smoking - Smoking has the effect of inflaming and irritating the airways in the sinuses and lungs which exacerbates sinus problems. Kicking the habit will do wonders for persistent sinus infections as the cigarette smoke has the effect of increasing mucus production prolonging the infection and making it difficult to cure completely.

6) Massage and Heat - Massaging the sinuses will help to improve the blood-flow through the sinus area and bring some relief. Applying a hot pack or wash cloth soaked in hot water will also help to loosen mucus and improve blood-flow to relieve sinus pain also.

7) Think before Using Nasal Spray - Overuse of nasal spray medication can sometimes do more harm than good. Repeated use can cause nasal linings to shrink followed by swelling even more and the cycle starts again to prolong the infection.

More often than not the best remedies are the simple ones and following the tips outlined above will help to relieve the symptoms of sinus infection and reduce its severity. By choosing all-natural treatments and taking steps to reduce the number of contributing factors in the cause of sinus infection you will see an improvement in the symptoms and significant savings as apposed to store bought drugs.

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Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Chronic Sinus Headaches, Or Could It Be Something Else?

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Many people believe they suffer from chronic sinus headaches because they frequently suffer from sever pain around their sinus areas in their face and head. It is possible to have chronic sinus headaches however the condition is rare and can only be diagnosed by a doctor.

A chronic sinus headache would not be as painful as the more common acute sinus headache which occurs during a sinus infection. When sinuses are clogged bacteria can grow in the nasal passages creating an infection of the nasal passages commonly known as a sinus infection.

The headache associated with a sinus infection is quite severe and common treatments such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen will not help the pain. Chronic sinus headaches and acute sinus headaches will often require antibiotics to kill the infection as well as medications to alleviate the sinus pain.

Migraine Headaches

Many self-diagnosed chronic sinus headache suffers could actually be suffering from migraine headaches, the pain occurs in much the same places in the face and head. However, the cause of migraine headaches are varied and rarely are related to an illness.

Some people who believe they suffer from chronic sinus headaches believe the change in weather or pollution such as chemical smells or smoke are the cause of their sinus headache. In fact, these are triggers of migraine headaches.

If an allergy does exist it would not cause a sinus headache, because with allergies such as pollen, dander, or dust which cause nasal drainage. The fact that there is drainage omits the possibility of chronic sinus headache occurrences.

Moreover, many people take over the counter medications for sinus headaches such as sinus relief medicines, allergy medicines, or other pain relieving medication. However, these medications often will have no effect on the headache.

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are also often thought to be pain masquerading as chronic sinus headaches. Tension headaches can cause pain in the temples and across the forehead. Because of this many people do mistake tension headaches for chronic sinus headaches.

Many tension headaches are accompanied by pain in the neck and shoulders. Sometimes the pain is right at the base of the head. Because there are also glands here, this can confuse many people into believing that they are suffering from chronic sinus headaches instead of tension headaches.

A doctor can perform tests to determine if a person has chronic sinus headaches. If someone believes they have chronic sinus headaches they should immediately contact a physician as medial treatment is necessary to relieve the pain and kill the infection.

Ann Marier has written articles on general health issues providing helpful tips and advice. Read all about her latest articles on types of headache and how to stop headaches by identifying the causes.

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