Sinusitis FAQ

Post Nasal Drip

Question:

  Chronic post-nasal drip MAY be an indicator of a chronic sinus infection.  It may also indicate chronically elevated serum histamine levels, which *seem* like alergy, yet can result soley from chronic dehydration.<<     Comment: nonsense.  This is the usual "nose-blowing" that you get from people who think they’ve found something simple which is the cure for nearly all diseases.  In this case, drinking a lot of water.      Chronic post-nasal drip *usually* is abbetted by chronic, unconscious "sniffling": That is to say, that if there is some runny mucus verging on exiting via the nostril, that many people simply inhale through the nose, to keep it from running out. This (culturally-re-enforced) habit can lead to dire consequences..<<    This "habit" is a natural response to nasal discharge, and whether culturally reinforced or not, is certainly biological. Any dog or cat owner has watched an animal sneeze and sniff with an upper respiratory tract infection and runny nose (like bordatella in dogs).   And the sniffing isn’t because the animals don’t have a Kleenex or hanky handy.  Rather, it seems that nature conserves water and protein by swallowing mouth and nose secretions whenever possible.  You swallow your saliva for the same reason.     such as: Auto-immune disease: (excessive swollowed mucus sensitizes the immune system to our own individual proteins-we become allergic to ourselves!)<<    More nonsense.  Ingested proteins tend to DE-sensitize the immune system, and that’s the only reason we all don’t die of massive allergies from all the foreign proteins (both plant and animal) in a normal diet.  In addition, there is a fair amount of protein in the half gallon of saliva you swallow each day, and also in the cells of your gut which slough off each day, and are digested.  If all of this caused self-allergies, you’d be dead already.    Digestive disorders: (Gastric acid production rises to cope with swallowed mucus)<<    Nonsense.  Extra gastric acid is produced in response to eating foodstuffs.  Mucus qualifies as having some food value as protein, but the amount of extra acid caused by swallowing a goober is nothing compared with that needed for a tofu-burger or peanut-butter sandwich.   The idea that your stomach suffers because of a little swallowed mucus is totally laughable, and is the product of neurotic, not a rational, mind.    Chronic sinus infections AND chronic respiratory allergy: (By not allowing the cleansing mucus to run out of the nostril, the substances which it carries out are put back in, thereby defeating one of the main ‘immune gatekeeper’ functions of the body)<<    Gastric acid kills germs quite well, and indeed that is its main purpose (people digest food without it, without difficulty).    There ARE people who worry about "mucus,"  but they are, as noted, generally neurotics.  They are obcessives who worry all the time about germs, about "toxins," and about food "rotting" in their stomachs if they don’t eat it just right.  They cannot enjoy life, because they obsess all the time about fluoride in their water, aspartame in their soda, fillings in their mouths, milk in their milk, and build-ups of horrid impactions in their colons.  These are the people who wash their hands 100 times a day, and when they aren’t washing their outsides, are usually to be found somewhere giving themselves an enema.  I feel sorry for them, but the problem is not in what they do or don’t eat, but rather in how they think.  As Freud would have told you, it isn’t mucus that’s the big health problem in our society– it’s anxiety.  Those who complain about one usually ought to be treated for the other.                                   Steve Harris, M.D.

Response:

Does anyone out there no a cure for  a post nasal drip? I have tried eliminating all milk products. no help I don’t eat any wheat products or fruit . Allergy tests showed nothing in one case and that I was allergic (or sensative to everything in another). Other than the drip I am a perfectly healthy 71 year old and am able to engage in all types of sports.   I would appreciate any help

Response:

Does anyone out there no a cure for  a post nasal drip? I have tried eliminating all milk products. no help I don’t eat any wheat products or fruit . Allergy tests showed nothing in one case and that I was allergic (or sensative to everything in another). Other than the drip I am a perfectly healthy 71 year old and am able to engage in all types of sports.   I would appreciate any help

MY REPLY::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::         Chronic post-nasal drip MAY be an indicator of a chronic sinus infection.         It may also indicate chronically elevated serum histamine levels, which *seem* like alergy, yet can result soley from chronic dehydration.         Chronic post-nasal drip *usually* is abbetted by chronic, unconscious "sniffling": That is to say, that if there is some runny mucus verging on exiting via the nostril, that many people simply inhale through the nose, to keep it from running out. This (culturally- re-enforced) habit can lead to dire consequences, such as: Auto-immune disease: (excessive swollowed mucus sensitizes the immune system to our own individual proteins-we become allergic to ourselves!) Digestive disorders: (Gastric acid production rises to cope with swallowed mucus) Chronic sinus infections AND chronic respiratory allergy: (By not allowing the cleansing mucus to run out of the nostril, the substances which it carries out are put back in, thereby defeating one of the main ‘immune gatekeeper’ functions of the body) SO: Drink abundant water, see a qualified health practitioner for diagnosis of possible chronic sinus infection, and, don’t SNIFF! Email for reading list: Not MLM!! NO products sold!! —

Response:

+ +Does anyone out there no a cure for  a post nasal drip? I have tried +eliminating all milk products. no help I don’t eat any wheat products or +fruit . +Allergy tests showed nothing in one case and that I was allergic (or +sensative to everything in another). Other than the drip I am a perfectly +healthy 71 year old and am able to engage in all types of sports.   I +would appreciate any help + Now Chuck….quit bragging (:-) Yea the scientific community would have declared you dead a long time ago, based on factoid statistics…all very expensive and self perpetuating. Now, for the case at hand…… Your body is trying to get rid of something in the mucosals (fancy huh?)[that's science for ya!]. Other than improving your immune system, your best bet is to gargle (alternatly) with… – h2o2 (5050) – 1-2 drops of tea tree oil – warm-hot salt water – any mouthwash containing witchhazel (astringent) – brushfloss often and of couse the standard disclaimer…….if your condition persists==consults your physician [to avoid critical diseases] hope that helps a tad regards tom c.

Response:

She should take quercetin bromelain for allefor allergies and get a homeopathic preparation for sinusitis.Call 619-481-5363 for a free report. JB.

Response:

A friend asked me to post this request, and all replies can be left here or emailed to me and I will pass them along to her. She needs something that will help a serious post nasal drip that will be safe to use while breastfeeding.  Her post nasal drip is so serious that she is considering giving up nursing her three month old baby because she is always feeling sick.  Anything: homeopathic, herbal, ANYTHING would be appreciated, thanks! Sarah

Response:

| | She needs something that will help a serious post nasal drip that will be | safe to use while breastfeeding.  Her post nasal drip is so serious that | she is considering giving up nursing her three month old baby because she | is always feeling sick.  Anything: homeopathic, herbal, ANYTHING would be | appreciated, thanks! | | Sarah I am sorry, this is not for an answer.  I have a serious post nasal drip myself.  Doctor tried every antihystamine.  But that did not seem to work. So I gave up curing it.    One ENT doctor told me that I have a turbinate in the nasal cavity.  What is "turbinate"?  English is not my mother-tongue.  So I looked up a dictionary. But the explanation is not easy to understand. Also, I also would like to have the answer for a real cure for a nasty perenial post nasal drip.  So please post. Thanks a lot.         Hugh

Response:

| | She needs something that will help a serious post nasal drip that will be | safe to use while breastfeeding.  Her post nasal drip is so serious that | she is considering giving up nursing her three month old baby because she | is always feeling sick.  Anything: homeopathic, herbal, ANYTHING would be | appreciated, thanks!

on alt.folklore.herbs, someone discussed neti pots briefly as a way of cleansing the nasal passages, but there is a more effective treatment that might be considered.   A very, very mild solution of hydrogen peroxide and warm water (maybe 4 or 5 drops of 3% solution peroxide or 1 or 2 of 35% in about 4 oz. of water) could be rinsed through the nose using a neti pot — or perhaps an eye dropper dripped into the nose.  increasing daily the number of drops by 1 will improve the cleansing but don’t go overboard.  this is non-toxic and effective.   Furthermore, however, one might consider using food quality hydrogen peroxide solutions taken internally (also non-toxic) in very, very mild solution again. This will eliminate toxins from the body in about one month with the added benefit of reducing the nasal drip over time.  also fine for breastfeeding mothers.  if you want more information, e-mail me, and i’ll send a text file of instructions.

Response:

A friend asked me to post this request, and all replies can be left here or emailed to me and I will pass them along to her. She needs something that will help a serious post nasal drip that will be safe to use while breastfeeding.  Her post nasal drip is so serious that she is considering giving up nursing her three month old baby because she is always feeling sick.  Anything: homeopathic, herbal, ANYTHING would be appreciated, thanks! Sarah

Homeopathic medicine is generally considered safe during breastfeeding, so if your friend usually uses something that works for her she could use it now.  Nasal sprays will work on the drip problem without as much medicine going into her bloodstream & thus the milk.  Some women can take decongestants, like Sudafed; for some it dries them up too much.  She should check with her doctor on that.  La Leche League is also a good place to check. Carolyn Brown (mother to Katie, 4 YO and David 6 mo.)

Response:

   I have a turbinate in the nasal cavity.  What is "turbinate"?  English    is not my mother-tongue.  So I looked up a dictionary. But the explanation    is not easy to understand. The turbinates, or nasal conchae, are shelf-like structures that come off the ethmoid bone in your skull and are covered with mucous membranes. There are three of them [superior, middle and inferior] on either side of the nasal cavity [a total of six] each taking a scroll-like form to increase the membrane surface area upon which the air breathed-in is warmed and moistened. The down-side of this increased area for some, is that it provides more surface upon which allergic reactions can occur. Decongestants can reduce the allergic membrane swelling, antihistamines [especially the cortisone nasal sprays] are effective in diminishing membrane reactivity, and in some cases, surgery is performed to remove some of a turbinate to simply decrease the size of the reactive area. JB.

Response:

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