Grossan
Pulsatile Nasal Irrigation System
If you are like
most of us, just the idea of nasal irrigation, borders on repulsive,
reminding of you of half drowning in the swimming pool as a kid.
So, your first response to nasal irrigation may be to say "no
way"! That was certainly our initial reaction and we procrastinated
a full five days before searing sinus pain prompted this reviewer
to open the package and set up the WaterPik system and use the Grossan
nasal irrigator attachment.
Setting up attachment
was literally a snap, the WaterPik for the uninitiated and clueless
is more of a challenge but hardly difficult. A teaspoon of non-iodized
salt added to the water well, and two minutes later we were in business.
Lukewarm [body heat] water temperature was the most comfortable
and about three minutes later it was all over.
At the risk of grossing you out, what happens is you stick the attachment
up your nose, it pulsates the water gently up one nostril and the
water runs out the other,[you should be hanging over the sink to
do this].
So were our fears founded? Absolutely not! The process is really
innocuous. This reviewer cannot say like some people she found the
process pleasant , however more important, she found instant relief
from her facial pain that was bordering on the unbearable and had
a pain free night's sleep. Lest you look on this as a one-shot miracle
cure, we hasten to add Dr. Grossan recommends using it daily until
symptoms abate showing that the nasal cilia are functioning normally
again.
[see our interview with him this issue of Allergy Consumer Review
and read more about why this remarkable little product works].
Order the Nasal Irrigator System today.
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Hunter
Humidifiers - our best pick
Don't you just
hate humidifiers?
They break down at the drop of a hat, are awkward to refill, are
a royal pain to clean, and before you know what your bedroom resembles
a steam bath. Are they helpful to the sinus sufferer? Absolutely,
if you use them properly. The sinus sufferer needs relief from overly
dry air. Will you get years of trouble free use from them? None
of ours seem to last too long.
With those caveats
in mind we will review a humidifier brand that we consider to be
the best of the bunch we have tested so far. It is the Hunter
Humidifier Plus line of humidifiers. What Hunter has going
for it, is that somebody put some intelligence into the shape of
the water reservoir so that you can fill it up from the bathtub
and not have to walk downstairs to the kitchen sink. It also has
[depending on the model] a way that you can regulate the flow of
moist air into the room .Best of all, it is the only system we know
which only requires you to clean it once per season, because of
its patented Permawick system. Now, in case you don't know, it is
imperative to clean a normal humidifier out with vinegar and water
preferably on a daily basis ,other wise you have all sorts of mold
and bacteria growing in a heartbeat, completely obliterating any
possible benefits of a humidifier. In fact, do not even think of
using these kinds of humidifiers if you are not prepared to clean
them.
Being inherently lazy, and balking at the idea of running to the
bathroom just before lights out, going through a long cleansing
rigmarole, in addition to refilling a humidifier [we never notice
until the last minute that it needs a refill],we find that the Hunter
suits us best. This is despite we think the cool mist type of humidifier
has a slightly "clammy" feel to it, and a warm mist feels
better[especially in winter].
We found that the Hunter
works best if you have it on continuously . It could take several
hours to bring the room up to the desired level of humidity. Incidentally
,a warm mist humidifier will probably bring the room up to the right
level of humidity much faster- than a cool mist ,in as little as
two or three hours, So if the idea of continually running an electric
appliance in your house while you are out gives you pause to hesitate[yes
we did have one-not a Hunter, burst into flames once]you should
buy the warm mist kind of humidifier and clean the darn thing out
religiously.
For our taste, we like to humidify the bedroom with a closed door
for a few hours and then open the door for a while before bedtime
to get rid of the clammy feeling and not have it running all night.
We gave the Hunter series a four star rating. We used to give it
five stars but down graded it recently when it stopped working after
one season. Despite this we went right out and bought another one
, although it didn't pass our stringent durability expectations.
Models for the Hunter line range in size from 2 gallons,2 1/2 gallons,
and 3 gallon capacity. The top of the line model provides automatic
shutoff, a refill light and an adjustable thermostat, features we
regard as highly desirable and worth the extra money.
The Hunter Line
of Humidifiers cost between $79.95 and $99.95 and can be ordered
from the Allergy
Buyers Club.
More
Info...
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Humidity
Monitor
Monitor your
bedroom with a humidity monitor. These are available
in our store. For a sinus sufferer you need to keep your bedroom
humidity somewhere between 20-30 percent. This will help your sinuses
from drying out at night, part of the cause of that nightly sinus
pain. That is also dry enough not to cause mold or dust mite problems.
Traveling and staying in an overly dry hotel room? Spread some wet
towels about the room, or a large dish of fresh water to help provide
moisture to the room.
http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/thermometer-hygrometer.html
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Sinus
Survival
Many Allergy
Consumer Review readers have asked about what we think of the book
"Sinus Survival" or have asked for one good read on the
topic. So, here is our answer.
"Sinus
Survival"- A Gold Mine of Information
The book, "Sinus Survival" by Robert Ivker DO. is a veritable
gold mine of information to the sinus, asthma or allergy sufferer
who wants to heal their body by natural methods. Dr Ivker believes
the reason at the core of the proliferation of sinusitis, is the
increase in outdoor air pollution and the decrease of indoor air
quality in our homes. Dr Ivker goes into great detail as to the
reasoning behind his recommendations. He believes in an extensive
vitamin and mineral supplementation program [listed in his book]
plus the following core elements:
- Sleep 7
to 9 hours. More when you have an infection.
- Daily use
of a negative ion air cleaner of hepa filter.
- Daily use
a humidifier during dry periods due to air-conditioning or the
heating season.
- Use a saline
mist spray daily or several times a day.
- Use nasal
irrigation[his top suggestion]using a netipot or nasal irrigator.
- Cut down
on sugar, dairy, caffeine, and alcohol in the diet and increase
fruit, vegetables, whole grains and fiber.
- Aerobic
exercise for prevention preferably outdoors except on highly polluted
days. Moderate walking when you have an infection.
- Drink filtered
water ½ oz per lb of body weight (ie a 200 lbs person needs
100 ozs of water[12 to 13 big glasses daily].
- Use steam
as needed.
Allergy Buyers
Club members can purchase this book from Amazon.com
for $12.95.
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Nasal
Sprays
We get asked
all the time what we think of nasal sprays. Some of you swear by
them. Others of you say they do not make much of a dent on your
symptoms. The important thing to remember is nasal sprays are for
symptom relief ,they do not provide a cure.
Nasal Spray
and Nasal Wash Roundup:
Nasal sprays can be helpful but you have to be careful about which
ones you use, some of the sprays have a rebound effect and you end
up needing to use them more and more frequently to alleviate the
congestion.
Our experience has shown that these nasal sprays are a useful tool
in the kit bag of a sinus sufferer but they don't provide "a
cure" and they are not the whole solution. Thinking that all
you need to do is take a couple of sniffs from a nasal spray per
day is wishful thinking. Oh, that it was so easy. Some of the nasal
sprays recommended by doctors are as follows:
Vancenese:
Provides 120 metered sprays,and contains Belomethsaone dipropinate,monhydrate.
Available by prescription only. Recommended by Dr Carol Englender,Newton
MA. Does provide definite relief for allergies and sinusitis and
is non drying. Some users may suffer nosebleeds after using it a
few times and choose to avoid it, but this is very rare.
Flonase:
Available by prescription only, approved by Dr Murray Grossan who
does caution that prolonged use may reduce its effectiveness and
should not be used at the expense of reducing allergens in your
environment. There are many clinical studies showing it to be an
effective product.
Nasalcrom:
Provides 200 metered sprays and contains Cromolyn sodium.Pricing
varies by size. Available over the counter price under 10 dollars.
Recommended by Dr Carol Englender. Nasalcrom used to be available
by Prescription only. It is non drying and gives some definite relief
during the allergy and sinus season.
Sinus Survival Spray: developed by Dr Robert Ivker , is a completely
natural product. It contains saline solution, goldenseal , aloe
vera , grapefruit seed extract. Given the recent research from The
Mayo Clinic on the presence of fungi in the nostrils of sinus sufferers
the ingredient of grape-seed extract, an anti fungal seems like
a useful ingredient You can order two bottles for $20 from Klabin
Marketing at 1-800-933-9440.
Ayr:
Available over the counter for $3.49 .Ingredients isotonic saline
solution,plus anti bacterial /anti fungal preservatives. Ayr is
good for keeping the sinuses moist in dry environments.
Ocean:
Available over the counter for under $5. Ocean is good for keeping
the sinuses moist in dry environments.
Alkolol:
A 16oz bottle for about $2:65,which you dilute to half strength
is the biggest bargain around. Alkolol is an effective mucus thinner
and used very effectively in the Grossan Nasal Irrigator System.You
can always use it as a nasal spray at half strength. see
our review later in this newsletter
Marine Matrix Nasal Wash:
Recommended by Dr Christine Northrup. This is composed of a 2 bottle
set of isotonic and hypertonic solutions. These are sea water and
pure spring waters that match and fortify your own intracellular
fluids that you would normally have available to irrigate your nasal
passages. Use in the Grossan nasal irrigator system or failing that
a Netipot.
Order the nasal wash from Grain and Salt Society for $15.95 plus
shipping and handling at 1-800-867-7258.
Top
Interview
with Murray Grossan MD, ENT specialist
Dr Grossan is
one of the USA's leading medical experts on Sinusitis. Dr Grossan
is the creator of the pulsatile nasal irrigator attachment to Waterpik™,
an award winning medical device and subject of numerous research
studies over the past 20 years.
We spent some time interviewing Dr Grossan about all the things
that puzzled us about sinusitis. We think that some of his answers
will surprise you.
Q. What are the main causes
of sinus disease?
A. The main causes of sinus
disease are blowing nose too hard, not clearing up the first infection,
getting chilled , not resting, and drinking iced drinks. This may
start out a mild infection but with heavy "macho" blowing,
the pus is spread all around the nose and ear. With the allergy
sufferer, after sneezing and exhaustion, without rest, the sinus
infection may become chronic. Weather can make a sinus condition
worse, but it is not be a cause. In menstruation and pregnancy there
may be swelling of the membranes, but this is not the cause of the
sinusitis.
Most sinus problems show slow nasal cilia. These are the microscopic
hairs that beat to move the bacteria out of the nose into the throat
where they are swallowed and the stomach takes them out. By using
saline with a special attachment that fits on the standard pulsating
dental irrigator device such as a Water Pik " the cilia are
pulsed at a rate of 20 pulses per second at a special pressure that
is just right. Thick mucus is removed so that the cilia return to
normal rate of beating. If the pressure is too high you can put
pus into the ear or other parts of the sinuses. There is a chemical
called ICAM - 1 that is the entry way for the common cold virus.
Pulsatile irrigation is ideal for removal of this so that the cold
virus can't enter.
IgE is the chemical that the allergy products - dust, pollen - combine
with to make the allergy symptoms. This is also removed by pulsatile
irrigation.
The flow of the saline past the sinus openings displaces out the
pus in the sinus. There are at least 30 medical journal articles
that recommend this treatment for both sinusitis and allergen control.
Q. Why is a nasal irrigator more effective
than saline nose drops?
A. The saline drops don't pulse
the cilia back to normal, don't flow past the sinus openings to
displace the pus and may contain preservatives that irritate
the nose.
Q. How often should you use
the nasal irrigator?
A. The sinus irrigator should
be used daily if there are symptoms ,or if the common cold or allergy
season is bad. If there are no symptoms, this means the cilia are
working OK and you don't need the irrigation.
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. The recent Mayo Clinic research
findings talked about finding fungi in the nostrils of sinus sufferers.
Could one add an anti fungal such as grape seed extract to the saline
solution for better results?
A. I see no objection to adding
grape seed extract to the irrigation. It will take me some time
to evaluate the result of this addition.
Q. After using your nasal
irrigator I have the urge to blow my nose-is this a good thing to
do? Does it clean out the nostrils of bacteria, allergens etc. or
does blowing my nose dry it out again?
A. After you irrigate, your
sinuses contain the saline solution. This solution has displaced
the mucus, bacteria, etc. that was in the sinus. Usually the cilia
start to move as a result of the pulsation and this is why 20 or
more minutes later the saline comes out. This is very desirable.
It shows the saline went where you want it to go .
Q. I noticed you don't recommend
steam inhalation for sinus relief why? I have always found when
I have a cold, a steam inhalation with eucalyptus was helpful.
A. Steam inhalation does bring
circulation to the area, but hot steam can inactivate the cilia
and if the nose has swollen membranes, the steam keeps the moisture
in the tissue from evaporating.
Q. Would it be helpful to
take saline spray to the workplace to keep one's sinuses moist in
the dry air-conditioning at work?
A. Good Idea! Saline spray is
very helpful for dry sinuses and to moisten the membranes.
Q. So, would using a saline
spray several times daily be a good preventative measure for sinus
sufferers to keep their sinuses moist? It seems a really cheap,
and easy thing to do?
A. Yes, daily saline spray can
be helpful to prevent sinus problems.
Q. What do you consider to
be the optimal humidity for a sinus sufferer in their bedroom at
night?
A. The optimal humidity is about
20 percent.
Q. What is the best compromise
between fresh air/open windows [more moisture] and avoiding allergens
entering the bedroom?
A. Simple answer! Close the
windows in allergy season. The plants pollinate at 5 a.m. If the
windows are open the pollen hits the nose. For allergy sufferers
the body thermostat doesn't work well and any chilling starts the
cascade of sneezing, etc.
Q. Some sinus sufferers seem
to have the worst time at night, waking up with pain over the eyes
and nose. Why is that?
A. The reason why sinus sufferers
feel worse at night, and awaken with pain is that during sleep,
the cilia "sleep", so dust, pollens accumulate giving
maximum
swelling.
Q. For the early morning
sinus sufferer I see you recommend lemon tea on wakening? Why?
A. For the allergy sufferer
the thermostat is off kilter. Instead of getting up out of bed and
starting the day, the allergic/ sinus patient erroneously warms
up his body by sneezing and hacking. This does warm the body but
it starts a cascade that is undesirable. By drinking hot tea before
getting out of bed the body is warmed and there is no need to sneeze.
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 Mothernature.com
or 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. 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.
Editor's note:
I found this interview very illuminating, I hope you did too. For
more information contact Dr Murray Grossan at ENT-consult.com.
You can purchase the pulsatile irrigator and irrigator combination
for $74 at Sinus-relief.com.
The irrigator alone is available for $16.95.
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Feeling
the start of sinus pressure?
Starting to
feel more sinus
pressure in the mornings, increased congestion, or a slight
headache? Don't delay until your sinuses are very painful and a
major infection is in full bloom. Swing into action with our 10
point prevention program!
The Allergy
Consumer Review: 10 Point Sinus
Prevention Program
1. Start daily
nasal irrigation with the Grossan pulsatile nasal irrigation system.
Chances are high that you can head off that sinus infection.
2. Use a natural saline spray several times daily to keep the sinuses
moist.
3. Don't drink iced drinks[including drinks like iced tea and soda!]
4. Get plenty of rest.
5. Exercise outdoors to increase your circulation.
6. Let Papaya Enzymes dissolve in your mouth between your cheek
and gum 4x daily to reduce swelling.
7. Make sure you are getting enough moisture in your bedroom at
night .Use a humidifier if necessary.
8. Take plenty of hot showers and inhale steam. Use hot compresses
to relieve swelling and help circulation.
9. If you are an allergy sufferer and it is allergy season give
your sinuses a break. Close those windows at night the peak time
for allergens is between 5 and 10 a.m.
10. Sleep in an allergen free bedroom if you suffer from allergies,
and reduce the stress on your sinuses. Use hepa air filters, hepa
vacuums and dust mite covers to help keep allergens under control.
Top
Allergy-Free
Bedroom
Ok, it is allergy
season and you want to sleep in a dust-free, allergen-free bedroom
to prevent sinus flare-ups. What can you do to clean your bedroom?
Where is the best place to start? Give your sinuses a rest and do
not make them work so hard on your behalf.
- Clear out
your bedroom of all surplus objects. Aim for that "Spartan"
bare look.
- Eliminate
all the dust with a good quality Hepa
Vacuum Cleaner. This means using special tools to get
into those hard to reach places such as tops of pictures, door
headers, corners, blinds, lampshades, underneath the bed or furniture.
Use the vacuum twice weekly. Do not use a cloth dusting rag, it
just redistributes the dust and aggravates your allergies.
- Take out
as much carpeting and as many draperies as you can possibly stand,
they are a prime harbinger of dust mites.
- Wash your
bedclothes weekly in 140° degree water[turn up your water
heater setting]it kills dust mites.
- Use a fine
filtration material at point of entry to your bedroom for force
air heating systems.
- Have your
duct work professionally cleaned.
- Don't forget
to change the filters for your Room
Air-conditioner.
- Change the
filters on your furnace once per month. Use the pleated disposable
kind or better
Electrostatic Filters.
- Close your
closet door.
- Cover your
bed with Dust
Mite Covers, and vacuum the bedding on a weekly basis.
- Use a Vapor
Steam Cleaner on your bedding to assist in killing dust
mites between washes.
- Use a high
quality Hepa
Air Filter to filter out allergens. Find one that will
do the job at low frequency so that you do not have to live with
noise of a filter at high speed.
[Several good
air cleaners can be found at the Allergy
Buyers Club online shopping section]
For a more extensive
discussion of the "allergy free bedroom" look out for
the next issue of Allergy Consumer Review.
Top
New
Product: "Alkolol"
There is fairly
new over the counter product called Alkalol recommended by Andrew
L Rubman ND , and Dr. Robert Ivker D.O. which costs about $2.53
for a 16 oz bottle. Your Pharmacist can order this for you if they
do not stock it. It is a bargain compared to the usual ½
ounce nasal sprays. We just filled up an old spray bottle for handy
use. Alkalol contains alcohol,thymol,eucalyptol,menthol,camphor,benzoin,Potassium
Alum,Potassium Chlorate;Sodium Bicarbondate;Sodium Chloride:Oils
of Sweet Birch,Spearmint,Pine and Cinnamon.
Dr. Rubman say says that by using Alkalol twice daily, an existing
sinus infection can clear up as quickly as three days. Dr. Rubman
recommends combining Alkalol with 1200mgs of Urtica[stinging nettle
herb] on a daily basis for sinus infection relief. Using this combination
he says you should see relief in as little as three hours.
Dr. Ivker recommends using a half - half saline solution to Alkalol
in sinus irrigation. Dr Ivker prefers using a "Neti Pot"
than the Pulsatile attachment for sinus irrigation, seeing it as
gentler than the Grossan method. He does, however, agree that of
all the methods he recommends, nasal irrigation is the most effective
for curing chronic sinusitis.
Our assessment of Alkolol?
It gave our sinuses one heck of a jolt and gave us immediate clearance.
It did burn a little bit at full strength [because of the alcohol]
so we recommend diluting it to half-strength.
Dr Rubman explains that the alcohol wipes out the bacteria and the
four essential oils open up the sinuses. Our persoanl opinion is
that the saline nasal sprays which are often combined with herbs
and essential oils are kinder on the system. We think an alcohol
based system should be used judiciously.
Herbal Remedy Urtica /Stinging Nettle
Dr. Andrew Rubman says that Stinging Nettle or Urtica is a popular
sinus remedy in Germany . Studies in Europe have shown that the
herb reduces the inflammation of the sinus passages and boosts the
body's production of bacteria killing white blood cells within two
days. According to Dr Rubman, it also helps to reduce sensitivity
to air borne irritants and helps produce thinner ,healthier mucus.Dr
Grossan confirms that Alkolol is useful in thinning Mucus and also
recommends its use in his nasal irrigation system.
Studies suggest that half the dose of Urtica is useful in the prevention
of sinus infections. Take half the dose at breakfast, 300mgs, and
300mgs in the evening. Dr Rubman suggests it keeps the mucus flowing
so bacteria are flushed out before they cause trouble.
You can get Urtica At your local health food store or order from
Mothernature.com.
You can also buy Urtica/Stinging Nettle from Greentree.com.
Humidity and Humidistats, Sinus Care, Allergy-free Bedroom - Allergy Consumer Review - Issue #2
|
With
some 34 million of us predicted to get a full blown sinus
infection this Fall , we are devoting this issue of Allergy
Consumer Review to the alleviation of sinus pain.
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