Many people seek natural sinus relief because they react poorly to the ingredients in antihistamine medications. Pseudoephedrine, a decongestant drug commonly found in cold and allergy medicines may cause a sudden rise in blood pressure or a racing heartbeat. Other medications used to treat sinus problem cause drowsiness, making them difficult to take during the day. Natural sinus relief provides freedom from sinus pressure, pain and problems without side effects.
An Interview with Cheryl Myers
LovetoKnow spoke with Cheryl Myers, R.N., Vice President of Health Sciences for Enzymatic Therapy, Inc. The company manufactures natural medicines, nutritional supplements, vitamins and herbal extracts. It was the first company to introduce Ginkgo biloba, glucosamine sulfate, and botanical standardization to the United States health market. A popular voice in the health and dietary supplements field, Cheryl is passionate about natural health, herbs and supplements.
Before heading out to a natural health conference, Cheryl took a few minutes to speak with LovetoKnow regarding natural sinus relief. Cheryl discussed two products, SinuCheck and Seasonal Freedom. The plant-based ingredients in each product provide safe, effective relief from allergies and sinus problems.
Sinus Problems
Although there are sinus cavities in other parts of the body, the ones most people refer to when they complain about sinus pain are the ones in the head. Located near the forehead, eyes and nose, the sinuses may become inflamed. The accompanying facial pain, headache and pressure may be debilitating. Natural sinus relief, whether from herbs, herbal supplements, or alternate therapies, provides fast and safe relief from common sinus problems.
What causes sinus problems?
Many sinus problems are caused by allergies. An allergy is when your body responds to an innocuous substance as if it were dangerous. Your body makes a mistake and has an exaggerated immune response to a substance like dust, pollen, pet dander or mold. A huge number of people have allergies. Some studies estimate that 50 million people in the United States have allergies, but I think that number underestimates the true scope of the problem, since many people never go to a doctor to have an allergy confirmed.
Other things that can cause sinus problems are bouts with the common cold, viruses, and any exposure to particles that the body tries to expel through the respiratory system.
What happens during an allergy attack, and how does it affect the sinuses?
During an allergic reaction, the body releases histamines. Histamines cause blood vessels to get bigger. This causes redness, swelling and other effects of allergies. If an allergen enters the nose, say as dust, the body produces mucous to trap the allergen. Tiny hair like structures called cilia sweep the mucous towards the openings of the sinuses. The cilia then sweep the mucous out through an opening, such as the nose. It's not just gravity that makes your nose drip when you have a cold or allergy. It's the cilia hard at work in the body pushing the mucous out to clear away the offending particles.
So why does sinus pain occur?
Remember that during an allergic reaction, histamines make tissues swell. The sinuses are lined with tissues, and when these swell, the openings of the sinuses get smaller. Mucous traps the pollen, dust or pet dander, and cilia continue to sweep it towards the sinus openings. However, if they're swollen they get smaller, and the mucous can't pass through them effectively. The cilia continue sweeping out the mucous but it struggles to leave. This causes the feelings of pain and pressure. Mucous can also get thicker, and as it gets thicker, it builds up.
Herbs and Other Natural Sinus Relief
What herbal products do you recommend for sinus relief?
SinuCheck, made by Enzymatic Therapies Inc., is a safe and natural product that provides natural sinus relief. SinuCheck's main ingredient is cineole, a highly concentrated extract from the eucalyptus leaf. Unlike aromatherapy, which uses herbs such as lavender and eucalyptus for their pleasant smell, cineole is taken internally. The scientific research on cineole's effectiveness is excellent. Several randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled studies, the gold standard of research, point to its effectiveness. In fact, studies on cineole have been published in highly respected journals, including Laryngoscope.
How does SinuCheck relieve sinus problems?
SinuCheck performs two actions. It quiets the inflammation, and it opens the sinuses up to allow mucous to flow. Another unusual and important feature in SinuCheck is that it increases the cilia beat frequency. This means the cilia beat more quickly, and push the mucous out of the sinuses faster. So SinuCheck not only opens the sinus doorways, it pushes the mucous out faster, clearing out the pressure and headache faster.
How is cineole different from the common herbal treatment for sinus problems, eucalyptus?
Eucalyptus should not be taken internally, as it's quite caustic when ingested. Cineole, on the other hand, is a highly concentrated extract of eucalyptus. Cineole can be taken safely by anyone. It has virtually no side effects or contraindications. The only caution is that you should not crush or chew the tablets. It won't harm you, but it probably won't taste very good.
Other Alternate Remedies to Treat Sinus Problems
Since allergies frequently cause sinus problems, are there are natural products that can be used to treat allergies?
Yes, there's a product called Seasonal Freedom that treats allergies holistically. Seasonal Freedom contains a blend of four herbs. Clinical studies on each of the four herbs demonstrate they affect separate parts of the allergy puzzle. Studies demonstrate that ginseng, one component of Seasonal Freedom, modulates the histamine effect, while olive, another herb in Seasonal Freedom, may inhibit the release of inflammatory compounds. Taken together in one capsule, Seasonal Freedom treats all the ways the body responds to an allergen with very effective herbs.
What other natural sinus remedies do you recommend?
There are several simple things you can do to get relief from sinus problems. Position is important. If you have a sinus headache or sinus pain and pressure, trying sleeping with your head elevated.
Heat and moisture are very important. Breathing warm steam, such as in a shower or bath, is a tried and true alternate therapy that opens the sinus passages to relieve pressure.
Drink lots of water. Everyone tells you to drink a lot of water when you have a cold or flu, but sometimes it's not explained well why you should drink plenty of water. Keep in mind that thick, heavy mucous and swollen sinus passages create pressure and pain. The body attempts to thin the mucous to make it easier to pass out through the sinuses. By drinking lots of water, you are making moisture available to the body so it can thin the mucous.
