Nature's Sunshine Products NSP

[CombinedNSP]

Sinus Infections - How to Avoid - Article

Editorial Comments in [brackets].

Avoid Sinus Infection. . . . . Naturally
By Murray Grossan, MD

Special from Bottom Line/Tomorrow
http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/blpnet/offers/sub_blt.html?sid=article

Believe it or not, sinus infection, which affects 37 million Americans each year, is more prevalent today than it was in the preantibiotic age! That's not to say that antibiotics aren't effective. When sinusitis (the technical name for a sinus infection) occurs, treatment with antibiotics is often essential to kill the infectious bacteria.

Decongestants can help relieve sinusitis symptoms. So can oral or topical steroids (to combat sinus inflammation) and antihistamines, if underlying allergies are involved. Increasingly, doctors are realizing that to successfully fight off sinus infection and prevent it from recurring, medication alone isn't enough. You also have to ensure that the mucous membranes lining your nasal and sinus passages are healthy and functioning properly.

SYMPTOMS
Sinusitis occurs when the mucous membranes in your nose and sinuses become irritated by a cold, allergy, pollutants or exposure to dry or cold air. This irritation causes the membranes to become inflamed. When this happens, the motion of the cilia (the tiny hairs that coat the mucous membranes and are responsible for moving mucus over their surfaces) slows down. At the same time, the irritation stimulates your mucous glands to secrete more mucus than usual to dilute the bacteria.

Result: Mucus gets trapped in the sinuses, where it can easily become infected because the swelling meant to dilute the bacteria now blocks the sinus openings, and prevents the body from washing away the bacteria. Symptoms of sinus infection include...
*Facial pressure around the eyes, cheeks and forehead.
*Cold symptoms lasting more than 10 days.
*Thick, green/yellow mucus.
*Postnasal drip, which occurs when excess mucus drips down the back of the throat.
*Pain in the upper molars.
*Fatigue and a flu-like achiness.

TREATMENT
The following natural treatments will help keep your cilia healthy and functioning and prevent mucus from building in your sinuses. If a sinus infection does occur, these same treatments will increase the effectiveness of antibiotics and other medications -- speeding healing and making a recurrence less likely.

1. Drink hot liquids. One of the best ways to unclog sinuses is to drink hot tea -- black, green, herbal or decaffeinated, it doesn't matter -- or hot chicken soup throughout the day. Drink enough so that your urine turns light in color. These hot liquids help moisturize your mucous membranes, speeding up the movement of your cilia and thus washing mucus out of your sinuses more quickly. Sorry, java lovers, but hot coffee isn't nearly as effective.
Note to travelers: The dry air on jet liners is particularly rough on the sinuses -- so when flying, carry tea bags with you and ask the flight attendant for hot water to make tea.

2. Apply warm compresses to your face. Do this three times a day for five minutes. A small towel soaked in warm water, then placed over your face below and between the eyes, will help increase the circulation in your sinuses, which will also help speed up the movement of your cilia.

3. Irrigate your sinuses. For 3,000 years, yoga practitioners have kept their sinuses healthy through the practice of sniffing a saltwater solution rapidly in and out of their nose at low pressure. Caution: Don't try this unless you have been taught how to do it.
Fortunately, for those of us who aren't yogis, a device called the Hydro Pulse Nasal and Sinus Irrigator will do this for you. The pulsating flow from the Hydro Pulse is so gentle that even five-year-olds use it.

An even simpler alternative is a Lavage irrigation bottle. Ideally, irrigation should be done using Ringer's solution, the solution used in hospitals for intravenous treatment, and sold over the counter in drugstores. Or you can use an isotonic saline solution (not too salty, just right) that does not contain benzalkonium. Benzalkonium is a preservative that can impair nasal function and kids complain that it burns. To make your own preservative-free saline solution, add one teaspoon of table salt to one pint of water.

If you're prone to sinus infections, I recommend irrigating your sinuses twice a day, especially during the cold winter months.

Ringer's solution, designed for irrigation use, is sold under the name Breathe-ease XL (it's also available as a nasal spray). To order the Hydro Pulse Nasal and Sinus Irrigator, a Lavage irrigation bottle or Breathe-ease products.

[Here are instructions for using a lavage from the 1/08/03 NSP Product Focus Call by Larrisa]
LAVAGE - NASAL IRRIGATION; Recommended for hard to fight nasal & sinus colds. Very effective, opens up breathing passage ways; stuffed-up nose with thick mucus (possible infection if mucous is yellow, green or brown), when herbs can't reach infection in nose because of the blockage.

Alternative to lavage: Sniff Goldenseal into nose.

Lavage recipe - Mix up a saline solution - fresh each time, 2-3x a day:
1 c. warm water
½ t. sea salt
pinch baking soda
¼ t. glycerine
Essential oils, 3-4 total drops

4 drops Lavender - fights the cold and relaxes you during the process *or* 3 drops Tea Tree - effective for killing viruses and colds; may sting a little bit; refreshing odor. *or* use a combination of the two.

Do one plain lavage first; then do with lavender next; then move up to tea tree.
Get a ceramic netti pot, or plastic irrigation pot - health food store or pharmacy.
Fill pot with your solution (mixed well before you put in pot). Stick spout up the nose, which makes a seal. Tilt head sideways; solution goes up one side of nose, and out the other side - which cleans everything out in its path. Lightly inhale to get the solution moving. Do this leaning
over a sink! Keep blowing your nose into the sink throughout the process - you'll feel a huge difference immediately.

(Others have told me they lay backwards on the bed with their head hanging over the edge, and drop the solutions into their nostrils with an eyedropper.)]

4. Clear your sinuses with aromatherapy. To help open up congested nasal passages and sinuses, drop some eucalyptus [or NSP Breath Free Essential Oils] into a bowl of hot water, then breathe the vapors. Other aromatherapy decongestants include horseradish (grate it and put it on a sandwich) and, if you're really brave, Japanese wasabi mustard. All of these therapies work best if used a couple of times a day, especially during the winter months.

5. Take breakfast in bed. When you sleep at night, your body temperature drops and your cilia movement slows down. By taking breakfast in bed along with a cup of hot tea, you'll give your cilia a chance to warm up and clear out the night's accumulated mucus before you start placing demands on your respiratory system.

6. Elevate your head when sleeping. Elevating your head with one or two pillows will help your sinuses and nasal passages stay open while you sleep. The more your head is elevated, the better the effect.

7. Dust proof your bedroom. Dust and dust mites can wreak havoc on your mucous membranes, especially when you're asleep and your cilia are at rest.
In your bedroom, avoid heavy drapes and wall-to-wall carpeting (which is a notorious dust-collector). Use throw rugs instead, and toss them in the washing machine at least every six weeks. Overall, make your bedroom as bare as possible, and dust all surfaces and behind furniture weekly. To further reduce dust in your bedroom, I recommend using a HEPA air purifier, and running it throughout the day. (Most people find the filter too noisy for nighttime use.)

8. Get plenty of rest. If your sinuses are acting up, you'll be amazed at how much improvement you'll see after taking the weekend off and spending it in bed. Be sure to get some mental rest at the same time. Turn off the phone and avoid the news. Instead, rent some funny videos, find a good book, lie back and enjoy. Relaxation can help the body heal.

First Printed: May 1, 2003
Bottom Line/Tomorrow interviewed Murray Grossan, MD, an otolaryngologist in private practice in Los Angeles. He is coauthor of The Sinus Cure – 7 Simple Steps to Relieve Sinusitis and Other Ear, Nose and Throat Conditions (Ballanine).
http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/blpnet/offers/sub_blt.html?sid=article
-Georgiana