Chronic Sinusitis—Actually a Yeast Infection

Dear Readers, Although we have discussed some unusual viral and bacterial infections associated with the immune dysfunction of CFS/FMS, it is also associated with more of the day-to-day variety of infections. These include chronic sinusitis. In today's article we will talk about how to treat chronic sinusitis—whether or not you have CFS/FMS.

We have known for years that chronic sinusitis responds poorly to antibiotics, and now experts are recommending against antibiotics even for acute sinusitis (see research brief below, Antibiotics Useless for Sinus Infections). Nonetheless, this is what many doctors give—in part because they are not aware of alternatives. Sinusitis can't be ignored though, and 2 new studies this week (see research brief below, Sinus Surgery in Fibromyalgia (FMS) and Chronic Fatigue) showed that sinus surgery helps recovery from CFS. The good news is that we can get the same benefits without surgery—and the improvements will be more persistent!

In my experience, chronic sinusitis is predominantly caused by an underlying yeast/fungal infection. This may also be associated with "Biofilm infections." Both of these are resistant to antibiotics by mouth, but can be effectively treated with antifungals and nose sprays.

Chronic Sinusitis—Actually a Yeast Infection
Antibiotics turn short term sinus infections into chronic ones. To get to the root of sinus infections, and eliminate them, treat the underlying fungal/candida infections. In addition, as sinus infections likely exist in what are called "Biofilms," oral antibiotics don't work, but special sprays can be very effective.

Although we have discussed some unusual viral and bacterial infections associated with the immune dysfunction of CFS/FMS, these illnesses are also associated with more of the day-to-day variety of infections. These include chronic sinusitis. In today's article we will talk about how to treat chronic sinusitis—whether or not you have CFS/FMS.

We have known for years that chronic sinusitis responds poorly to antibiotics, and now experts are recommending against antibiotics even for acute sinusitis (see Antibiotics Useless for Sinus Infections). Nonetheless, this is all that many doctors give—in part because they are not aware of alternatives. Sinusitis can't be ignored though, and 2 new studies this week (see Sinus Surgery in Fibromyalgia (FMS) and Chronic Fatigue) showed that sinus surgery helps recovery from CFS. The good news is that we can get the same benefits without surgery—and the improvements will be more persistent!

As chronic sinusitis is predominantly caused by underlying yeast/fungal and biofilm infections, they are resistant to antibiotics by mouth, but can be effectively treated with antifungals and nose sprays.

How Do Fungal Infections Cause Sinusitis?
These infections cause a stuffy nose, eventually causing the nasal passages to swell shut. In the body, any time something gets blocked (e.g., an appendix, gallbladder, etc.), it results in a secondary bacterial infection—and the sinuses are no exception. When this happens, your nasal mucus turns yellow-green, and you go to the doctor in pain. She or he then gives you an antibiotic, which knocks out the bacterial infection and sometimes leaves you feeling better. Unfortunately, the antibiotic worsens the underlying yeast infection in your nose, causing more swelling and blockages and therefore more attacks of bacterial infections. This is why sinusitis in the U.S. usually becomes chronic. An interesting study reported in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings supports this thought.1 The report in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings noted that previously "fungus allergy was thought to be involved in less than 10 percent of cases... our studies indicate, in fact, fungus is likely the cause of nearly all of these problems and that it is not an allergic reaction but an immune reaction."1 In the study, researchers found that most people with chronic sinus infections had fungal growth in their sinuses. This research is interesting because more and more studies are showing that treating chronic sinusitis with antibiotics doesn't really do much and that shorter courses of treatment work just as well as the long courses. I find that conservative treatments (e.g., nasal rinses) are more effective than antibiotics for chronic sinusitis—but of course not enough by themselves.

In my experience, sinusitis (even chronic) usually respond dramatically to yeast treatment with Diflucan and a compounded nose spray that my patients love. It contains Bactroban and Xylitol, which kill the bacterial infections (and clinically appear to even fight biofilm infections), low dose cortisol to shrink the swelling and an antifungal. I recommend patients use 1 to 2 sprays in each nostril twice a day for 6-12 weeks while on the Diflucan. That is usually enough to knock out the sinusitis, although some patients like to stay on it long term or use it intermittently for recurrent infections. The spray is available by prescription and can be mailed from ITC Compounding Pharmacy (888-349-5453). Simply have your physician ask for the "Sinusitis Nose Spray." Another very helpful over the counter treatment for sinusitis is Argentyn 23 silver nose spray. In low doses, this mineral is an anti-infectious agent against both viral and bacterial infections, and liquid silver can even be used orally for many types of difficult-to-treat chronic infections. Silver also works well in combination with the prescription sinusitis nose spray, and I find the 2 of them to be a wonderful combination.

Besides the annoyance of your nose constantly running, sinusitis causes other problems. Work by Dr. Alexander Chester has shown that chronic nasal congestion can actually trigger chronic fatigue, and 2 new studies actually treat CFS/FMS with sinus surgery (see Sinus Surgery in Fibromyalgia (FMS) and Chronic Fatigue). In addition, having a chronic infection in your nose can also drag your energy down. A fringe benefit of treating yeast overgrowth with Diflucan is that, especially when combined with the nose spray above, it frequently eliminates chronic sinusitis! As one more fringe benefit, it also often eliminates spastic colon/irritable bowel syndrome as well.

For those few patients with persistent chronic sinusitis despite treatment, I recommend the book Sinus Survival by Robert S. Ivker, a physician whose heart embodies what it means to be a healer. Dr. Ivker's website also has many helpful tools and resources.

So How Do I Treat My Sinusitis?
As any physician is taught in medical school, the key to eliminating a localized infection is not antibiotics, but rather to drain it or wash it away. The billions of bacteria you wash down the sink save your immune system a lot of work.

 1. If you have a sinus infection, start with nasal rinses. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a cup of lukewarm water. If you like, you can add a pinch of baking soda to the solution if it is irritating to make it gentler. Some folks simply use lukewarm tap water alone to keep it simpler and quicker. Inhale some of the solution (about 1-3 inches up into your nose), one nostril at a time. Do this either by using a baby nose bulb or an eyedropper while lying down, or by sniffing the solution out of the palm of your hand while standing by a sink. Then gently blow your nose, being careful not to hurt your ears. Repeat the same process with the other nostril. Continue to repeat with each nostril until the nose is clear. Rinse your nasal passages at least twice a day until the infection improves. Each rinsing will wash away about 90% of the infection and make it much easier for your body to heal. Gargling with salt water, mixed as described above for the nasal rinse, also helps a sore throat. For an acute infection, the rinses may be all you need. I also add Vitamin C (in the vitamin powder) and the natural immune stimulant ProBoost, (1 packet dissolved under your tongue 3 times a day till the infection is gone—should be in every one's medicine cabinet) to speed healing from most infections. 
  
 2. Remember that the sinusitis may simply be a reflection of an underlying body wide yeast overgrowth—especially if you also have spastic colon/irritable bowel. Encourage your physician to prescribe the medication Diflucan 200 mg a day for 6 weeks. Unfortunately, because of yeast infections being considered "Holistic," many physicians refuse to prescribe Diflucan, citing fears of liver inflammation. Experience has shown that you are more likely to get liver inflammation from Tylenol, and Diflucan in this way has been used safely in tens of thousands of patients. (As an aside, if you have a toenail fungal infection, then the doctor would be happy to prescribe Lamisil, an antifungal with similar liver issues—but unfortunately not effective against yeast in the sinuses or bowels—welcome to medical politics!) Most holistic physicians (see the American Board of Holistic Medicine) are familiar with using antifungals, as are physicians at the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers. 
  
 3. In addition to Diflucan and avoiding sweets (which feed yeast), add the natural antifungals Anti-Yeast and Probiotic Pearls each at a dose of 2 capsules/pearls twice a day for 3-5 months to restore the healthy bacterial balance in your body. 
  
 4. Use the Silver nasal spray 5-10 sprays in each nostril three times a day for 7-14 days until the sinusitis resolves, and then 2 sprays in each nostril 2x day till the bottle is used up to help suppress the underlying infection even further. Even better if combined with #5 below.
  
 5. Sinusitis Nose Spray (Rx)—by prescription from ITC Pharmacy (888-349-5453). The prescription spray contains Sporanox, Xylitol, Bactroban and Beclamethasone to eliminate both bacterial and fungal infections. It is excellent! Use 1-2 sprays of the prescription spray in each nostril twice a day for 6-12 weeks and then as needed.

For more information, see "Treating Infections Without Antibiotics." An upcoming newsletter article will discuss treating Candida in more detail, and this issue is also discussed at length in my book "From Fatigued to Fantastic!"

References

1S. Naylor, "Role of Fungi in Allergic Fungal Sinusitis and Chronic Rhinosinusitis," Mayo Clinic Proceedings 75 (5) (May 2000): 540-541.

[http://www.endfatigue.com/health_articles_r-s/Sinusitis-actually_a_yeast_infection.html]

Antibiotics Useless for Sinus Infections, but Doctors Keep Prescribing them Anyway
Below is an article from Natural News.

Although many health researchers and professionals have recommended that doctors stop prescribing antibiotics for sinus infections, the practice is still widespread. A new study found that a third of all doctor's visits for upper respiratory infections in the United States end in a diagnosis of rhinosinusitis, or nasal/sinus inflammation. Approximately 80% of these patients are prescribed antibiotics. But most rhinosinusitis infections are caused by viruses, which are not affected by antibiotics. In the Lancet study, researchers found that for every 15 adult rhinosinusitis patients treated with antibiotics, only one would receive any benefit from the drug. Antibiotics were equally ineffective regardless of the patients' age or the length or severity of their symptoms. "Antibiotics offer little benefit for patients with acute rhinosinusitis-like complaints," the researchers wrote. "Antibiotics are not justified even if a patient reports symptoms for longer than 7-10 days." In addition to placing patients at risk of side effects, the unnecessary use of antibiotics contributes to the development of drug-resistant bacterial strains. According to Donald A. Leopold, chairman of the department of otolaryngology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, many doctors prescribe antibiotics simply because they can't think of anything more effective to use.

[http://www.endfatigue.com/health_articles_r-s/Sinusitis-antibiotics_useless_for_sinus_infections.html]

 

Avoiding and Treating Infections without Antibiotics
Many people do not realize how many things they can do before resorting to using an antibiotic to clear an infection. There is much you can do to prevent infections. In addition, there is a trick you can do to eliminate most respiratory infections in 1 day if you act quickly! If you feel you are coming down with a respiratory infection such as a cold or the flu, I recommend that you try the following:

�?Take natural thymic hormone. This is available as a product called ProBoost, which is a VERY effective immune stimulant. I RECOMMEND THAT IT BE IN EVERYONE'S MEDICINE CABINET! Taken at the first sign of a respiratory infection, it usually nips the infection in the bud, eliminating it in 12-36 hours. Dissolve the contents of one packet under your tongue three times a day and let it absorb there (any that is swallowed is destroyed). A recent study in CFIDS patients with markedly elevated Epstein-Barr antibody levels showed a dramatic drop in the antibody levels after 12 weeks of treatment with thymic hormone. Many physicians are finding that thymic hormone has been very helpful for CFIDS/FMS patients with persistent viral, yeast, bowel, or other infections. I have found that using it for 1-3 days at the onset of an infection can shorten the length of the infection dramatically, and most often stops it on the first day.

�?Take 1,000 milligrams of olive leaf extract three times a day for three to seven days. Although not as effective as thymic hormone, olive leaf extract seems to be helpful against viral respiratory infections and, perhaps, yeast infections. It seems most helpful in fighting the common cold. In my experience, it has been very helpful for about half the people who try it—the cold is gone in twenty-four to thirty-six hours. If it causes nausea, cut the dose in half. It can be taken with the ProBoost.

�?Take 1,000 milligrams of echinacea a day. This is an herbal immune stimulant that can enhance your body's defenses. Use a standardized extract.

�?Take 1,000 to 8,000 milligrams of vitamin C a day—enough to get diarrhea, then cut back to comfortable level.

�?Suck on a zinc lozenge five to eight times a day. Make sure that the lozenges have at least 10 to 20 milligrams of zinc per lozenge. Less than this will not be effective. Zinc lozenges have been known to speed the time it takes to recover from a sore throat by about 40 percent. General Nutrition Centers sells a very good one.

�?Drink plenty of water and hot caffeine-free tea (or hot water with lemon) and rest! Hot liquids loosen the mucus and make it easier to cough up. When you spit it out, that represents many billions of bacteria or viruses your body no longer has to kill in hand to hand combat!

�?Take Oscillococcinum, a homeopathic remedy available at most health food stores and some supermarkets, if you have flu-like symptoms such as chills, fever, achiness and/or malaise. It speeds healing and eases discomfort. It is best taken early in the infection—as soon as you have any symptoms.

�?If you have a sinus infection, try nasal rinses. Dissolve ¼ teaspoon of salt in a cup of lukewarm water. Inhale some of the solution about one inch up into your nose, one nostril at a time. Do this either by using a baby nose bulb or an eyedropper while lying down, or by sniffing the solution out of the palm of your hand while standing by a sink. Then gently blow your nose, being careful not to hurt your ears. Repeat the same process with the other nostril. Continue to repeat with each nostril until the nose is clear. Rinse your nasal passages at least twice a day until the infection improves. Each rinsing will wash away about 90% of the infection and make it much easier for your body to heal.

�?Take herbals such as willow bark, Boswellia (also known as Frankincense) and cherry (all 3 are in the End Pain or Pain Formula products) 1-2 tabs 3 times a day as needed for muscle aches and fever (only use in adults). Use Cepacol or Chloraseptic mouthwash as a gargle for a sore throat. Gargling with salt water, mixed as described above for the nasal rinse, also helps a sore throat. If you use acetaminophen frequently, you should also take 500 milligrams of supplemental N-acetylcysteine (NAC) each day so you don't deplete your glutathione levels.

�?Try using a humidifier or vaporizer in your bedroom. You can also make a steam room by running a hot shower in your bathroom and then breathing in the steam. Or try using a steam inhaler.

�?For chronic sinusitis, treating the yeast overgrowth and using a special prescription nose spray will usually eliminate it. Using antibiotics may sometimes help in the short term (though not better than placebo in controlled studies) and worsens the sinusitis in the long run. How to eliminate Chronic Sinusitis (and the underlying Candida that causes it) is discussed at length in my book "From Fatigued to Fantastic!".

�?Be sure to get at least 8 hours sleep a night, as this markedly increases immune function. Also, take at least 500 milligrams of vitamin C a day for prevention.

If, despite these measures, nasal and lung mucus is yellow after seven to fourteen days, or if you are feeling worse after three to four days, you may have to consider taking a course of antibiotics. If you do, you should take the herbal mix "Anti-Yeast" while on the antibiotic and Probiotics such as Acidophilus Pearls after the antibiotic is done. Erythromycin antibiotics such as azithromycin (Zithromax) and clarithromycin (Biaxin) are usually preferable to penicillin antibiotics. Interestingly, my patients have sometimes found that all their CFIDS symptoms (not just the cold) improve while they are taking an erythromycin or tetracycline antibiotic. If that happens, I recommend a twelve-week course of 500 milligrams of Biaxin or 100 milligrams of doxycycline twice a day. If you feel better on the antibiotic (take the thymic hormone "ProBoost", echinacea, and the antifungal "Anti-Yeast" in conjunction with it), keep repeating six-week courses until the symptoms stay gone. I would also check for Lyme disease using a blood or urine test. And for most of my patients who repeatedly get respiratory infections that take forever to go away, I consider an empiric trial of prescription hydrocortisone (Cortef) at a dosage of 7 1/2 milligrams in the morning and 5 milligrams at noon for two to three months.

As a preventive for respiratory infections, the flu vaccine is a double-edged sword for people with CFIDS/FMS. In some CFIDS/FMS patients, it can cause mild flu-like symptoms for a few days. In rare cases, it can cause a severe flare-up of symptoms. Still, unless you are one of the 10 percent of CFIDS/FMS patients who feel worse after the flu shot or other vaccinations, I would get a flu shot. Better yet, the Flu Mist nasal spray may be even safer in those with CFS/FMS. For most people, the benefits of the flu vaccine can significantly outweigh the risk. Interestingly, a recent Scandinavian study showed that having frequent vaccinations against Staphylococcus bacteria significantly improved symptoms in fibromyalgia patients. The researchers felt that it helped by stimulating the immune system.

Taking at least 500 milligrams of vitamin C a day is also a very good idea. And dress warmly. A cold breeze blowing across your muscles or neck can make fibromyalgia symptoms flare up.

[http://www.endfatigue.com/health_articles_f-n/Infections-avoiding_and_treating_without_antibiotics.html]

Other articles here:   Sinus, Sinusitis      and    Sinus Infection