Issue Date: March 23, 2008
Alleviating allergies
By Dr. Tedd Mitchell
Sinus rinse systems can bring relief.
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About 15 years ago, a patient told me how he treated his sinus problem. Because it was ragweed season when I saw him and my own allergies were flaring up, my interest was piqued. He was using a sinus rinse system -- also known as nasal rinses and nasal irrigation systems.
A year-round allergy sufferer, he chose to try a saline rinse to "flush" his nasal passages and sinuses daily. Leaning over the sink, he would insert a bulb syringe into one nostril and release the solution into his nose, letting let it flow through the passageways and drain out of the other nostril. He found that if he did this regularly, his symptoms improved significantly. He still needed to take allergy medicine, but the daily rinse made it work more effectively, and he no longer tended to get sinus infections twice a year.
Since then, I have seen more patients turn to nasal rinses as an additional way to treat their allergies. I also have begun doing it myself, and the results have been encouraging. Although it's not a miracle cure, a sinus rinse system could improve how you feel and perhaps reduce your need for medications and antibiotics for infections.
Some of these systems use a gel, and others require a liquid saline solution. Talk to your doctor about the best approach for you.
Tedd Mitchell, M.D., presidentof Dallas' Cooper Clinic, writes HealthSmart every week.
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