Sinusitis
Our sinuses are hollow, mucus-lined areas in the front of our skull that have narrow drainage holes that can easily become blocked. Sinusitis is caused by inflammation of the lining of the nasal sinuses due to mucus congestion or an obstruction of some kind, which can be a result of an infection (such as a nasty flu or head cold) or due to an allergy.
Signs and symptoms
- Nasal congestion (sometimes with alternating discharge and dryness)
- Headaches - frontal
- Pain, tenderness, redness and swelling around the sinus area
- Toothache
- Postnasal drip
- Non-productive cough
- Fever and chills
- Unpleasant taste in mouth
- Itchy throat
Causes
- Allergies - including hay fever, animal dander, house duct, dairy and gluten [wheat, rye, barley and oats].
- Acute viral respiratory infection
- Bacterial infection
- Fungal infection
- Dental infection
Medic Alert
A high fever, persistent headache and purulent nasal discharge may be signs of intracranial (within the skull) or orbital wall (around the eye) complications. If you are experiencing these symptoms for several days please visit your Doctor or medical centre.
Naturopathic recommendations
RES-V® PLUS – assists in cases of sinusitis by supporting immune function and the body’s natural response to inflammation. Take 1-3 capsules daily.
Each individual ingredients works to:
Resveratrol (from Japanese knotweed) positively influence the body’s inflammatory processes and supports the immune system.
Pine Bark: support the body’s natural responses to allergens and inflammation
Turmeric: assists the body as an anti-viral agent and to support inflammation
Green Tea: assists with infections and supports immune function
Red grape skin extract: antioxidant and naturally supports inflammation
Other Herbal medicine and supplements
Eyebright, Echinacea, Elderflower, Eyebright, Olive leaf and Astragalus support the immune system and assist with sinus problems.
Acidophilus and Bifidus — are good bacteria that help to keep the digestive system healthy, particularly if you have taken antibiotics as a treatment for secondary bacterial infection.
Vitamin C — enhances white blood cell activity and immune support.
Citrus bioflavonoids - assist with infections, inflammation and allergy reactions.
Zinc — requirements are increased during infections.
Lifestyle recommendations
Limit sugar consumption as this depresses immune system function.
Avoid — airborne irritants such as tobacco smoke, fumes, strong odours such as perfumes or cleaning products.
Eliminate common food allergens such as milk, gluten (wheat, rye, oats and barley), eggs, citrus, corn and peanut butter until a more definite diagnosis can be made.
Dairy products — can produce excess mucous as does egg whites. Reduce dairy until symptoms subside.
Steam inhalations using essential oils of Eucalyptus, peppermint, bergamot or Lavender. Add 2-3 drops of each in a bowl of hot water and inhale the steam to help clear the sinuses.
Hay Fever
Hay fever occurs when the immune system overreacts to an inhaled allergen (something that causes an immune reaction and releases histamine (a substance that dilates blood vessels) and other inflammatory chemicals that lead to the familiar and unpleasant symptoms typical of hay fever.
Interestingly, hay fever is not caused by hay and is not normally accompanied by a fever...It is also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis – the medical term for irritation and inflammation of the nose. Symptoms can mimic those of the common cold, but will linger…and linger, thus providing the clue that an allergic reaction is occurring. While it can develop at any time of life, about one third of sufferers develops their first symptoms before the age of ten, and may also suffer from other allergic-type problems such as eczema or asthma.
Signs and symptoms
- Watery itchy eyes
- Red sore eyes
- Mucous congestion in the sinuses, nasal passages and airways
- Sore throat
- Streaming nose
- Itchy skin
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Headache
- Fatigue
Causes
- Spring seasonal hay fever-is usually due to tree pollens
- Summer seasonal hay fever-is usually due to summer grass and weeds
- Perennial allergic rhinitis-if hay fever symptoms last all year around this may be due to animal dander (hair or fur), dust, mould spores, chemical or food sensitivities as well as pollens etc.
- Family predisposition
- Repeated exposure to an allergen
Medic alert
See the Doctor if you have wheezing or difficulty breathing, if you have signs of an infection such as fever, thick, discoloured nasal discharge or sputum, persistent headache or muscle aches.
Naturopathic recommendations
RES-V® PLUS - the ingredients in RES-V PLUS® support hay fever in the following ways
Resveratrol: helps normalise the body’s inflammatory processes.
Pine Bark: support the body’s natural responses to allergens and inflammation
Turmeric: assists the body with inflammation
Red grape skin extract: antioxidant and naturally supports inflammation
Green Tea: assists with infections and impaired immune function
Other herbal medicine and supplements
Vitamin C – a natural antihistamine that should be taken in divided doses throughout the day
Bromelain (a supplement sourced from pineapple) – reduces inflammation. Take daily between meals.
Quercetin – a bioflavonoid that stabilises the membranes of mast cells – meaning less hayfever-causing histamine is released. Bioflavonoids are essential for the absorption of Vitamin C, and have an anti-inflammatory effect on the sinus cavity.
Vitamin E – studies show vitamin E can help relieve symptoms, especially when taken in conjunction with other forms of treatment.
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) - is beneficial for controlling the nasal congestion that can develop during an attack of hayfever. Some reports say that within half an hour of taking B5 a stuffy nose may clear. Take B5 daily along with a vitamin B complex supplement.
Essential oils that can be used in oil burners, steam inhalations or dabbed on a handkerchief include Roman or German Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Lavender, Rosemary, Tea tree or Sandalwood.
Other herbal recommendations
(See a naturopath or medical herbalist to get these herbs or look for an anti-allergy formula in a health shop or pharmacy containing these herbs).
Perilla — helps the immune system cope with allergic reactions. Japanese studies show that over a 2-3 month period, use of Perilla improved allergic symptoms including seasonal pollinosis, allergic rhinitis, recurrent sneezing, watery and itchy nose and eyes, and facial itching.
Boswellia — naturally helps inflamed tissues without side effects by inhibiting leukotriene formation - a hormone-like chemical which is involved with inflammatory processes particularly associated with the respiratory tract.
Elder — is a herb that is helpful for inflamed bronchial and sinus mucous membranes and assists blocked noses and catarrhal deafness.
Eyebright — is indicated for eye irritation, redness, nasal catarrh and profuse watery flow, sinusitis, chronic sneezing, hayfever, middle ear conditions and sore throats.
Fenugreek — is a warming expectorant herb to help move out phlegm from the upper and lower respiratory areas, and to help coughs and bronchitis.
Chinese skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) - is used for for all allergy reactions, including asthma, sinusitis, eczema and hay fever.
Lifestyle recommendations
Try to stay away from things that give you hay fever! Let someone else mow the lawn and tend the garden.
Keep windows and doors shut and stay inside at the most at risk high pollen time, this is often early morning -5am-10am.
Try wearing glasses and a hat to cover your hair when you are outside.
Keep car windows up when driving through grassy areas etc.
Try and keep dust to a minimum around your home and work area.
Don't hang sheets and blankets outside to dry. Pollen can adhere to them.
Have a shower and wash your hair after exposure to pollens – remember pollens can reside on men’s facial hair too. If you are allergic, ensure your partners beard or moustache has had a recent wash and comb! Wash your hands frequently, especially before touching your eyes.
Foods to include - Eat more garlic! Garlic works by raising your immunity, which helps your body fight the tendency to pollen allergy.
Eat high quality yoghurt daily – but avoid other dairy products as these are mucus forming.
Hives (Urticaria)
This skin condition is an allergic reaction that is non-contagious and may disappear as quickly as it appears, or may linger on for months or years.
Signs and symptoms
Welts or bumps, called wheals
Wheals are itchy, surrounded by redness, and are limited to the outer surface of the skin
Often change size, shape and location.
In some instances, hives are accompanied by more serious allergic symptoms such as headache
Dizziness
Joint pain
Wheezing
Shortness of breath
Swelling in the throat. Swelling in the throat can obstruct breathing and requires emergency treatment.
Symptoms may not occur all the time. They may come and go with no apparent trigger. For some people certain conditions such as heat, exertion or stress can make symptoms worse.
Causes
Hives occur when the body releases histamine in response to some type of allergen (a substance that causes an allergic reaction). Generally speaking drug reactions are the leading cause of hives in adult; while certain foods, food additives or some type of infection ((bacteria, virus, Candida or parasites) most commonly affect children.
Medic alert
Swelling of the throat or shortness of breath require immediate medical attention
If the hives are occurring almost for longer than 6 weeks the condition is classified as chronic. It is important to isolate the cause or causes (foods, medications, autoimmune conditions) via tests from a your doctor, and to eliminate any underlying disease that may be contributing to the hives.
Naturopathic recommendations
Res-V® Plus – the ingredients in Res-V® Plus support the body’s natural response to hives in the following ways:
Resveratrol (from Japanese knotweed) - helps normalise the body’s inflammatory processes.
Pine Bark: support the body’s natural responses to allergens and inflammation
Turmeric: assists the body with inflammation
Red grape skin extract: antioxidant and naturally supports inflammation
Green Tea: assists with infections and impaired immune function
Other herbal and supplement recommendations
Vitamin C – can assist with lowering histamine levels. Takes in regular doses throughout the day.
Quercetin – a bioflavonoid that helps limit the manufacture and release of histamine, and therefore the progression of an allergic reaction.
Vitamin B12 –orally each day, or see a practitioner for a weekly injection.
Dietary factors
Recognition and control of the factors causing the hives is imperative. A visit to a naturopath can assist with isolating offending foods etc and with implementing an elimination diet, and relevant supplements that will be helpful.
Common offending foods are
- Milk
- Fish
- Meat
- Eggs
- Beans
- Nuts
Medications - Antibiotics, including penicillin and other related medications are common causes of hives, as well as aspirin, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Regular use of these medications can affect the integrity of a person’s digestive tract and increase the likelihood of allergens being absorbed into the bloodstream.
Lifestyle tips
If you're experiencing mild hives, these tips may help relieve your symptoms:
Avoid irritating affected areas with perfumes, cleaning products etc.
Cool the affected area with a shower, fan, cool cloth or soothing lotion.
Wear loose, light clothing.
Try and avoid or minimise vigorous activity, which can release more irritants into your skin.
Headaches and Migraines
Headaches are an extremely common health complaint that present with a wide variation of symptoms and a multitude of causes. The most common classifications of head pain include migraine without aura (approx 85% of people), migraine with aura (approx. 15%), tension-type headache, cluster headache or chronic daily headache (CDH).
Signs and symptoms
Migraine without aura – unilateral, pulsating pain that may be moderate to severe and is exacerbated by movement. It may start on one side of the head and move to the other side. Often the person will experience nausea, vomiting, swelling of the face, photophobia and sensitivity to noises.
Migraine with aura – Similar symptoms to those mentioned above, with the addition of visual disturbances including seeing zigzag lines, flashing lights or other visual hallucinations, temporary blind spots, sensitivity to bright light, blurred vision and eye pain. These visual disturbances (aura) may occur anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours before the onset of the headache.
Tension-type – These are the most common types of headaches and often will not even interfere with a person’s normal daily activities. Symptoms normally include a dull ache that feels as though a person has a tight hatband around their head, or may affect behind the shoulder. There is no nausea, vomiting or problem with physical activity.
Causes
Essentially the causes of migraine headaches are poorly understood, however they seem to involve various nerve pathways and chemicals in the brain. The changes affect blood flow in the brain and surrounding membranes.
Some hypotheses as to their causes include
Migraine without aura
Bright lights
Loud noises
Physical or mental stress
Biochemical changes
Alcohol
Smoking or exposure to cigarette smoke
Low blood sugar (missing meals)
Genetic predisposition – often several members of a family will experience migraines.
Hormonal - migraines will often occur during ovulation or when a woman has her period. Hormonal headaches seem to be brought on by low estrogen levels, which typically occur around menstruation and menopause. Low estrogen also lowers our levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin; low serotonin levels are commonly seen in migraine sufferers.
Nutrient deficiency –inadequate levels of B complex, magnesium and calcium
Reduced cerebral blood flow
Allergic reactions – foods (see naturopathic recommendations), food additives, medications, pollens etc
Migraine with aura –Doctors have long believed that decreased blood flow to brain cells (and consequently a decrease in oxygen supply) may cause aura, however they now also believe that over-excitement of the brain cells may also be a cause. One theory is that the brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine play a role. Something goes awry in the way these chemicals regulate brain function, which in turn may cause the brain and the body’s immune system to overreact.
Tension-type – as with migraines, the exact cause of tension headches is unclear. One possibility is that they often occur after a period of sustained tension or stress in the muscles of the scalp, neck and shoulders, or that they may even be a form of migraine. Other possible causative factors include the overuse of analgesic-type medications, caffeine, oromandibular dysfunction, psychogenic stress, anxiety or depression.
Other causes may include - head injuries, external pressure, brain abscesses and cancerous tumours, nerve excitation or damage, structural trauma (cervical spondylosis, cerebral haemorrhage), stroke, high blood pressure, excessive exercise, meningitis.
Medic alert – see a health professional if you experience any of the following:
- Speech, vision, balance, movement, sensation, and other neurological problems, particularly if the person has NOT had these symptoms with previous headaches.
- If headaches or migraines persist
- If previously effective treatments are no longer helpful
- Loss of consciousness
- A change in headache pattern
- Headaches that are more severe when lying down
- A headache that starts extremely abruptly
Naturopathic recommendations
RES-V® PLUS – the ingredients in Res-V® Plus can assist with migraines and headaches in the following ways
Resveratrol (from Japanese Knotweed) – supports cerebral circulation and assists with arterial relaxation.
Turmeric – assists with inflammation
Pine bark – works with inflammation, allergic response and blood flow.
Red grape skin extract – antioxidant and assists with inflammation.
Green tea – antioxidant, naturally assists inflammation.
assists with improving circulation to the head and with the natural management of inflammation.
Other herbal medicine and supplements
Magnesium - oral magnesium has been shown to reduce both the duration and intensity of migraine attacks, and the reliance on medications to control migraines.
Calcium — Deficiencies of calcium and magnesium are common with anxiety and may lead to muscle cramps, anxiety and depression.
B complex vitamins — are required for adrenal function and vitamin B deficiencies may trigger headaches and migraines. Take as directed.
5HTP - a serotonin precursor that is made naturally by the body, but also is sourced from the plant Griffonia simplifonia. 5 HTP helps normalise serotonin levels and increases the bodies own natural pain relievers, our endorphins. .
M.S.M. (Methyl Sulfanyl Methane) — is a naturally occurring plant sulphur. MSM has been clinically shown to be an anti-inflammatory agent. Pain can be influenced by weather and humidity, as the outside pressure drops, cells in the body swell and press on nerves, which can cause pain. MSM helps to equalize this pressure, thereby reducing pain. MSM is fine for people who are allergic to sulfar drugs to take.
White Willow — helps relieve mild headaches due to the natural salicin it contains. White willow is the natural forerunner of aspirin, reducing pain by inhibiting inflammatory chemicals (prostaglandins).
Feverfew — A recent survey found that 70 of 270 migraine sufferers who had eaten feverfew daily for prolonged periods claimed that the herb decreased the frequency and or intensity of their attacks. Many had been unresponsive to orthodox medicine. Feverfew must be taken everyday to have an effect. Add 1-2 leaves in a sandwich or take.
Ginger – has anti-inflammatory and anti-platelet effects, which can play a role in the improvement of the frequency and severity of migraines. The form of ginger used is up to the individual.
Lifestyle recommendations
Avoid possible allergy foods. Foods commonly associated with migraine include: Fermented products like red wine, beer and pickled products, aged cheese, processed meats containing nitrates (bacon, hot dogs, salami, cured meats), smoked fish, foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG), chicken livers, chocolate, nuts, peanut butter, avocado, some types of beans, wheat, wheat germ, soy and corn.
Exercise - Exercise 3-6 times weekly for 20-40minutes per session to encourage circulation and to assist with stress release.
Relaxation - regularly perform relaxation exercises (deep breathing, meditation, prayer, visualization, etc.) for ten to fifteen minutes each day.
External applications - Apply a cool pack to neck or any area where there is pain.
Essential oils - lavender, rosemary and peppermint are useful for headaches and migraines. Use a few drops in steam and inhale or add a drop to the temple or scalp area taking care to avoid the eyes or add a few drops to a cotton ball and place under the pillow covers.
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