Sinusitis? A cure, anyone?

[Just John]

I’ve noticed from several posts over a period of time that I’m not the only one here to suffer from sinus problems.

I never had any problems like this or any other allergies before seroconverting but since then I’ve had frequent recurrent bouts of sinusitis of varying severity. My ID Doc is non committal about the possible cause but I have a tendency to believe that it’s HIV related.

So far I’ve had various courses of antibiotics and / or steroid sprays but nothing seems to work permanently, my sense of smell has all but disappeared as a result and it gets me down at times particularly when it gets painful.

The ENT consultant at the hospital reckons that they’ve exhausted all the drug treatments and that surgery is now the way forward. I don’t really like the idea though and wonder if there are any other treatment options, or how other people cope with this.

John.

[Miss Philicia]

hmmm... well, this isn't going to help you any but I went through a bout of this back around 2000.  Went to a couple ENT people too, did the steroid sprays and even had my sinuses scanned... nothing.  Then after about a year it just went away.  I'd never had allergies or any issue with this before that time.

Anyway, just thought I'd comment.  I can't really give you any more information on whether to move on to surgery.  How long has this been going on so far?

[Just John]

I've been having problems on and off for about 7 years now, a scan last year shows that just about my entire sinus cavities are inflamed.

[Miss Philicia]

Well, since it's gone on that long I'm sure I'd go the knife route, but that's just me.  I don't see any reason that it would be HIV though.  These things can start later in life like anything.

Best of luck.  I'm sure it's horribly unenjoyable.

[libvet]

Well, I am going to go out on a limb on this one and suggest that you might try a neti pot or some other form of nasal irrigation.

Essentially, you rinse your sinus cavity with a saline solution to clean out the mucous and crap that might be causing your problem.

I am not a big fan of alternative remedies, but this one seems good to me and while it takes some getting used to (the initial feeling of drowning when you push water in one side of your nose and let it run out the other is particularly scary at first), it works well for me.

Oct. 13, 2003 (New Orleans) — Daily nasal irrigation with a hypertonic saline solution reduces not only the severity of symptoms in sinusitis, but the occurrence of acute exacerbations and the need for antibiotic therapy, researchers announced here at this year's scientific assembly of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

David Rabago, MD, from the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and colleagues presented results of a study of 76 patients with chronic sinusitis randomized to a regimen of daily nasal lavage with 135 cc of hypertonic saline solution (52 patients) or to a control group that managed symptoms as usual (24 patients). The study lasted for six months.

Patients in the intervention arm reported a significant improvement in quality of life, reduction in symptoms of sinusitis, reduction in antibiotic use, and a reduction in use of nasal sprays compared with control patients, Dr. Rabago told meeting attendees.

"Pouring water in your nose is not what you normally gravitate towards," Dr. Rabago commented, "but it seems to work for these patients."

After the initial phase of the study was completed, 54 patients, including control patients from phase 1 of the study, continued to use nasal lavage and were followed at 4, 8, and 12 months. There was no patient dropout, Dr. Rabago reported, and quality-of-life improvements were maintained throughout follow-up.

In phase 2, 65% of patients used nasal lavage when symptomatic and 35% used it on a daily basis. Approximately 10% of patients reported mild nasal burning, but 96% of subjects reported satisfaction with the technique and said they will continue to use it. Dr. Rabago described the patients as "enthusiastic."

Patients reported a 72% reduction in sinus infections, a 58% decrease in medication use, a 69% improvement in ability to breathe, and a 52% improvement in quality of life.

"Almost everyone you treat can benefit from this," Dr. Rabago said.

Bruce Gardner, MD, FAAFP, from Queen Anne Family Medicine and the University of Washington in Seattle, concurs. He told Medscape that he considers nasal saline lavage "an integral part of treating sinusitis, especially chronic sinusitis."

But he said that some patients are unable to integrate the technique into their healthcare regimen. "What you need is a positive result" when using a technique like saline irrigation of the nasal passages, Dr. Gardner said. "It is a technique that involves a learning curve and sometimes you just can't get past that...but it really does cut down on the need for other medications."

AAFP 2003 Scientific Assembly: Family Practice Research Presentations. Presented Oct. 4, 2003.

Reviewed by Gary D. Vogin, MD

[fearless]

hey John,

I was going to suggest irrigation with a saline solution, too. If that doesn't work, then surgery is probably the only other option.
sometimes these things just seem to go away by themselves, too.

[Jeff64]

snort or use a syringe of salt water.
It really helps!

I teaspoon of salt in a cup of water.
Soothing....


Jeff

[bimazek]

first... the average american gets three bacterial sinus infections per year.  sometimes they last longer sometimes shorter, so unless there is many bad effects, it could be just normal.  you have got to figure out if it is bacterial or viral or fungal

i support the use of saline spray, also if you live near any ocean the best thing is just to swim in the ocean the salt water will cure just about any sinus problem... take it from a surfer it works

but back to your problem

get

Tea Tree Oil, it comes in a tiny little bottle
use it in your mouth before bed and in morning just a few drops hold it in your mouth swish for 3 min. then swallow, it is a natural anti viral anti fungal, the AUssies use it for everything and it works

when i wake up in night with stuffy nose i use it in my mouth and it works

also get some

Alkalol

it is a muscous solvent

use that some times instead of the saline spray when nose is very thick

many questions

do you have fever?    can you breathe thru your nose sometimes?   you probably have something growing in your mouth.  Make sure all dental teeth are fine no caveties

does it clear up when you are in a hot shower or steam room

do you do poppers obviously this is a big no no even if you are in same room with them they damage they cause cancer

[penguin]

John -

I think when the inflammation/infection cycle has got to such a chronic stage, all the pills, sprays & potions in the world cease to have any lasting benefit. In my case, after enduring a decade of misery (truly, i was The Sudafed Girl) I finally had endoscopic surgery to widen the sinus openings and remove damaged tissue & polyps. The difference this made, in terms of number of infections/pain etc has been amazing.. my only regret was not having had this done earlier!

If you've not already done so, it might also be worth having a full allergy screening done. I take oral antihistamines & use something like flixonase/beconase daily at times of the year when my allergen triggers are worse - the difference, post-surgery, is that this is actually able to reduce the inflammation before it becomes such a severe problem.

good luck  - kate

[dixieman]

warm salt water with a dash of baking soda mixed in.... the baking soda alleviates the swelling and keeps the salt water from craking the interior of the nasal linings... I live in the swamps of hell... alabama and it works down here... never use full strength teal tree oil... only diluted... try mixing it with water as stated... great gargle.. good luck!

[frenchpat]

The nasal irrigation definitely yes,

tea tree oil, like lavender oil, is not caustic enough to damage your skin and is a very effective anti fungal and desinfectant for wounds, but be cautious if using ANY essential oil internaly. By all means consult with an aromatherapist before swallowing any.

I would add to that inhalations.There are some ready made concoctions or you could make a blend using a few drops of each essential oil mixed in just boiled water. Inhale slowly as the stuff can be very potent. For want of anything better lying around I've had good results doing inhalations with diluted Vicks ointment.

Before you go under the knife you may want to try reflexology as well.

as an aside: do you consume a lot of dairy products?

hope this helps

Pat

[Robert]

I'd stay away from the surgery.  My brother and father both went that route and it was disaster.  There was no immediate relief because of the pain of the surgery.  Within a year, the infection reoccurred and the symptoms returned.

I recommend the saline rinse.  It's simple and it works.

robert

[aztecan]

Just to add my two cents worth here, I also go for the saline irrigation. It really works wonders for me.

HUGS,

Mark

[Just John]

Thanks to everybody who’s replied some of this might be useful to me.

Philly, I came to the conclusion that it’s related because it only started after my seroconversion after which I seemed to suffer an endless succession of minor infections related to the ENT passages.

Livbet, what the hell’s a Neti Pot??, I’ve tried the saline irrigation and it does help but only temporarily and is pretty unpleasant in itself.

Bimazek and Frenchpat, I might try the Tea Tree and the Alkolol, if I can get it in the UK. I have, and do use inhalations but like the irrigation this only gives a temporary and partial relief.

Penguin, I’ve had some limited allergy screening but as Antihistamines don’t make much difference either it wasn’t considered worthwhile pursuing this line.
I’ve also been recommended the endoscopic surgery but quite frankly the thought of it terrifies me. I’m minded to try some of the other potions for a little while longer.

Thanks again, John.

[bimazek]

first thing is never never use spray antihistamines. that just puts you on an addictive cycle and in 24 hrs nose is plugged, no sprays but saline and alkolol, i had surgury was not much help

best to go thru withdrawl from the sparys if you are habituated to them

will take a few days to a week

use saline

have you tried flonase

[RapidRod]

When I get it. I go to the ENT for a washout. It makes me ill to think about it, but it works. Just have Kleenex around for the next 3 or 4 hours or maybe just several towels.

[AustinWesley]

Thanks to everybody who’s replied some of this might be useful to me.

Philly, I came to the conclusion that it’s related because it only started after my seroconversion after which I seemed to suffer an endless succession of minor infections related to the ENT passages.

Livbet, what the hell’s a Neti Pot??, I’ve tried the saline irrigation and it does help but only temporarily and is pretty unpleasant in itself.

Bimazek and Frenchpat, I might try the Tea Tree and the Alkolol, if I can get it in the UK. I have, and do use inhalations but like the irrigation this only gives a temporary and partial relief.

Penguin, I’ve had some limited allergy screening but as Antihistamines don’t make much difference either it wasn’t considered worthwhile pursuing this line.
I’ve also been recommended the endoscopic surgery but quite frankly the thought of it terrifies me. I’m minded to try some of the other potions for a little while longer.

Thanks again, John.

Hey John,

If the xrays show your sinus cavities to be inflamed or filled with polyps about the only thing you can do is the surgery.  I have now had 2.  One about 10 yrs ago for the actual sinus surgery.   And for a long time I was fine.

However, after becoming positive I noticed my allergies were much worse.  I went again to an ENT and had a deviated septum corrected last October.   It turned out because one side was blocked it was causing fluid to build up and was making things worse.

I tried all the over the counter crap and even prescription stuff and some worked temporarily, but ultimately failed. 

If the ENT recommends surgery make sure they correct it all at once so you don't have to go back again.   If you have those polyps in your sinus cavities there are no magic potions to get rid of them.  Surgery is about the only option.

On the plus side though now I can breath great. 

Good luck!

Wesley

[libvet]

Livbet, what the hell’s a Neti Pot??, I’ve tried the saline irrigation and it does help but only temporarily and is pretty unpleasant in itself.

A neti pot is a device used for irrigation. It's basically a container that is designed for it that just uses gravity to do it's thing (looks kind of like one of those lamps you'd get a genie out of).

There are also some "squeeze bottle" types that seem a bit more efficient than just pouring water in one side of the nose and letting it run out the other.

The thing is, you have to use nasal irrigation as part of your normal hygiene to get real benefits from it (sorta like brushing your teeth). You might get some temporary relief from using it during a flare up of sinusitis, but for many people, regular use dramatically cuts down on the number of flare ups they get.

I'm not at all opposed to surgery, but I'd do that as a last resort.

[Jeffreyj]

Try Alavert...worked like a charm....OTC I believe.

[Just John]

Livbet, thanks for that, I might visit the pharmacy and see if they have one.

RapidRod, I took advice from other people and tried a DIY washout a couple of times today, I've nearly drowned myself, choked to death, coughed until I'm hoarse, I'm sure I'll get pneumonia from the amount of water still in my lungs and the bathroom needs cleaning 

AustinWesley, I don't have polyps but the scan shows a general inflammation over just about the entire sinus cavities, oh and err, he also said I had a deviated septum but I took that to mean that it was just like the rest of me

[BT65]

Try putting a few drops of hot sauce in a small glass of water and downing it.  That gets my sinuses running and brings relief.  Just a thought.

[SASA39]

http://webhealth.com/wiki/Sinusitis
A very good text.......................
                                             Al