Posted on Thu, May 27, 2010
By Charles Gant MD
QUESTION: My wife has been suffering from recurring sinus
infections and it seems the cause is yeast. Can you suggest a remedy? The only thing we get from the doctors is another round of steroids and antibiotics which hasn't worked.
ANSWER: I love answering this question. Helping my patients cure chronic sinusitis is one of the most gratifying clinical experiences, because the treatment is so effective.
See the article in Science Daily entitled: Mayo Clinic Study Implicates Fungus As Cause Of Chronic Sinusitis . Ever since the reports emerged in the 90's that chronic sinusitis is caused by fungus, I have enjoyed seeing hundreds of patients get completely well via antifungal antibiotic treatment. The chronic fungal fluid is a perfect growth medium for an occasional bacterial infection, which is potentially much more serious and requires antibacterial antibiotics. Bacteria can move around freely and invade rapidly, whereas fungi are like little plants and attach their roots into tissues, so they are relatively stationary. But they are more difficult to eradicate once they are dug in.
At first we accomplished these stellar clinical results with typical oral antifungals used to treat fungal toenails and other chronic yeast infections, like Sporonox and Nizoral. But early in the last decade, the topical nasal lavage equipment (see: http://www.hydromedonline.com/ ) emerged, which allowed us to avoid completely the systemic potential problems of oral antifungals. So basically, patients need to buy this water-pic like device online, and then I prescribe amphotericin and nizoral from a compounder, who mails it to you as a liquid solution, which you then pulse a dose in each nostril (one at a time) - sounds gross, but who wants to live with infections and mycotoxins forever! - using it once a day at bedtime, when gravity helps distribute the antifungals as you lie down, and use it for 6 to 8 weeks.
Relapsing symptoms are rare, but if that happens just do another round, and that's it. The solution does not get appreciably absorbed when the antifungals are delivered this way, so the "first do no harm" edict is satisfied! Antifungals can be hard on the liver, so we have satisfied the three criteria for a great treatment.
Safety, efficacy and relatively inexpensive.
Charles Gant MD, PhD is an author, lecturer, and integrative doctor at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, an
integrative medicine and dental clinic serving Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. His specialties include natural options for ADHD, substance abuse disorders (drug, alcohol, nicotine addiction), and mood disorders (depression, anxiety).
Posted on Mon, Apr 19, 2010
Barbara Solomon MD
Did you know that this year there is a much higher pollen count than previous years due to the very cold winter that we have just experienced?
Most people know that a stuffy nose, cough, or headache can be caused by a cold. But did you know that a stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, headache and burning of the nose can be caused by allergy?
Other Symptoms that May be Allergies
Seasonal allergies and other allergies can cause symptoms elsewhere in your body like joint pain, stomach pain, diarrhea, fatigue, depression, and difficulty with concentration.
Allergy can affect any area of your body and is especially uncomfortable if it affects several areas at once.
How do you tell a cold from allergy? The symptoms are much the same. With a cold the mucous discharge may be thicker, more yellow in appearance due to increase white blood cells needed to fight infection. With allergy symptoms the discharge may be more profuse, runnier, in order to attempt to wash the pollen or other allergy from the nasal mucous membranes or throat.
Allergies cause inflammation that can locate in any area of the body. Pollens may enter the nose, or through post nasal drainage be swallowed and go into the intestine or into the body's many crevices, and thereby create inflammation in the most unusual places thought to be inaccessible to the outside of the body.
There are pain free methods of allergy testing and treatment that are non-invasive and effective. My patients are so pleased to find the root cause of their problems and have their allergy symptoms reduced or eliminated.
Dr. Barbara Solomon is an integrative doctor at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, an integrative medicine and dental center serving the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia metropolitan area. She specializes in allergy testing and treatment and environmental medicine.
Posted on Wed, Dec 16, 2009
by Dr. Barbara Solomon
Have you had fatigue for the last two months or on and off during the year?
Do you have a rash, fatigue or sinus problems that suddenly occurred after moving into a new home?
Do you have headaches that are unexplained?
Do you have unexplained intestinal or vaginal issues?
Do you have sinus or throat problems reoccurring that are not infectious?
Think of allergies.
Do you have skin rash (eczema, hives, psoriasis), nasal, or lung problems (asthma) that occur in the spring and fall?
Think of pollen allergies.
If you have symptoms all year long think of dust or mold allergies.
Have you been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)?
Mold and food allergies could be the cause. Even arthritis can be aggravated by food sensitivities and mold allergies.
When we think of allergies we generally think only of sneezes, hives, or watery eyes. In fact, allergies may cause a vast range of symptoms from fatigue and depression to constipation and headaches. Allergies can affect every major body system.
The unique comprehensive allergy testing and treatment strategy at NIHA addresses both the immune response and the autonomic nervous system response to the allergen.
Have you been avoiding visiting an allergy doctor because you or your child hates needles?
We understand!
Dr. Barbara Solomon, an integrative doctor, has been using NEEDLE FREE, non-invasive allergy testing and treatment for over 12 years. Her patients are so pleased to find the cause of their problems and to finally be relieved of their allergy symptoms.
To schedule a consultation or read more see the NIHA health program for Allergy Testing and Treatment.
Barbara Solomon MD is an integrative doctor at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, an integrative medical and dental center serving the Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia metropolitan area. She specializes in Allergy and Environmental Medicine, multiple chemical sensitivities and finding the root cause of difficult cases.