Sinus Infections May Be Fungal, vs. Bacterial

In searching for natural cures for toenail fungus, I read on Dr. Mercola's site that many people had success using "Vicks Vaporub" (which contains eucalyptus, menthol, and camphor). Related to that I saw another article recommending topical use of lavender oil. I've used the Vicks on my toenails and the lavender oil on my thumbnail. In just a couple of days, I've seen noticeable results.

As a result of that search, I also discovered a related article "Fungus May Be Causing Your Sinus Infections" (_http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/04/07/sinus-infections-part-two.aspx). This was of special interest to me because I'd seen my chronic nasal congestion dramatically subside after conquering a MRSA bacterial infection (which colonizes in the nasal passages) as a result of eliminating all wheat, and nearly all sugar and dairy (which my Chinese medicine doctor suspected was also causing allergic inflammation and mucous).

BUT this wonderful clear breathing only lasted 1-2 weeks and then the worst congestion I've ever had set in. It was also during this time that I began trying to do EE, which was greatly impeded due to the nasal congestion. It was quite frustrating to believe in this great program, but not really be able to practice it well.

Anyway, that Mercola article went on to say that antibiotics (i.e. bacteria killers) make fungus worse (due to eliminating any competition for the fungus, I assumed). Though I hadn't taken antibiotics, I had killed off the MRSA bacteria, so I theorized perhaps that would explain the return of my congestion due to the proliferation of fungus.

Further, one of his recommendations was using essential oils. So, recalling the efficacy of lavender oil in treating nail fungus, I began spraying pure organic lavender oil deeply into my nasal cavity (1 spray each side) several times a day. It burned a little for a few seconds, but mainly filled my nose with one of my favorite fragrances. Within the first hour, I noticed a relief from congestion. Withing 24 hours, I had no congestion. I've continued using the spray about once a day to be thorough, but haven't had ANY congestion or drainage since then (1 week now).

It's a wonderful discovery for me, especially because doing EE is no longer a laborious chore, but now it's something I look forward to enjoying!

Excepts from the Mercola article cited above:
...Researchers have found that most cases of chronic sinusitis are not caused by infection but are actually an immune disorder caused by fungus. In a 1999 study, the researchers discovered that fungal organisms were present in the mucus of 96 percent of patients who had surgery for chronic sinusitis, and inflammatory cells were clumped around the fungi, which meant the condition was an immune disorder caused by fungus...

Similarly, a past study found that humming...[or perhaps, EE?] which facilitated the exchange of air from sinuses into nasal passages, which could lower the risk of sinus infections if done routinely.

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That sounds pretty cool! Another one to add to the list of things that work!

Wonderful news, JGeropoulas! Thanks for sharing it. Could you also post this on the EE forum, so that more people can benefit from your finding? Some members have written to us in the past about sinus infections, asking how to practice EE. Your experience can certainly help them. :D

Thanks JGeropoulas. I'll have to pass this along to my girlfriend who has had sinus problems most of her life. She's seeing good results from a neti pot so far but is still a bit blocked up from time to time.

Wonderful post and Also Another factor in fungal sinus infection is allergy to fungus. Sometimes those with fungal sinus infection are allergic to the fungus causing the infection. In these cases the infection is treated with medicine and controlled by cleaning the surrounding areas of all allergens known to produce allergic reactions in the patient.

Tried the lavender oil spray for a quite severe sinus congestion I had a couple of weeks ago and it made me feel so sick. When the taste made it's way from my nasal passage down the back of my throat I had to throw up. Love the scent of lavender but the taste made me sick.

Well, onward and upward to find another solution.

Yesterday I made and appointment to see a naturopath that my GP recommended ,saying 'she's not all by the book' which sounded hopefull. Having just read Sherry Rodgers' book DOD I requested the tests which were in the book but it would cost me over $1 000 to have them all done. I think I will do a couple at a time to get to the bottom of my health issue.

Iv'e been on the USD since about january this year and although I have head tremendous improvement in every aspect (arthritis, spondylosis, hayfever/sinusitis, lethargy, sleeplessness, and many more) the sinus congestion still keeps coming up. Oddly enough I get the worst attacks since I have started doing the EE daily. Some days I have to stop and just go to POTS asking 'what can I do about this'. Well, this is what I've decided ;to get the tests done.

The results may give me more of an idea of identifying the toxins and deficiencies and their locations. I think that a more conscise diagnosis of the situation would help me put up a better fight. It would be great to know what is triggering the ol' sneezer. It may not be all physical but it's a quest in the right direction.

External attacks ?? and resistance of the predator ?? have certainly crossed my mind, but one hurdle at a time because I really want the knowledge to be firm and not just speculation.

Will post as soon as I have some results on this.

Thanks, JGeropolis, I'll give that a go and see what happens. :)

Trevrizent said:

Thanks, JGeropolis, I'll give that a go and see what happens. :)

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Same here, thanks for sharing it JGeropoulas !

Ailén said:

Wonderful news, JGeropoulas! Thanks for sharing it. Could you also post this on the EE forum, so that more people can benefit from your finding? Some members have written to us in the past about sinus infections, asking how to practice EE. Your experience can certainly help them. :D

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I just got around to checking back on this post. I'm glad the information was helpful to so many.

Here's another very effective tool I've since discovered via my Chinese massage therapist. In fact,it looks like these links are taken from the same book I saw in his waiting room:

For occasional relief or to speed up natural drainage (e.g. when you get up in the morning): _http://www.chinese-holistic-health-exercises.com/free-face-exercises.html

As good as those pressure points are, one which is most effective for me is not mentioned. It's on the side of the bridge of the nose (labeled "bitong" on this diagram, which is linked from the first link): _http://www.chinese-holistic-health-exercises.com/support-files/facial-acupressure-chart.pdf

I'll post it all of this on the EE Forum now.

Stellar said:

Tried the lavender oil spray for a quite severe sinus congestion I had a couple of weeks ago and it made me feel so sick. When the taste made it's way from my nasal passage down the back of my throat I had to throw up. Love the scent of lavender but the taste made me sick.

Well, onward and upward to find another solution.

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I tried a saline solution (warm water and a teaspoon of salt) with drops of lavender essential oil, then sprayed it up my nose three times daily for 4 days. It just irritated my nose and made me sneeze alot! I persisted doing that for four days in case the sneezing and running nose were part of the clean-out of bacteria.

I concluded that my sinus issues aren't bacterial, so this protocol didn't work for me.

Hello JGeropoulas,

Many thanks for this information! My husband and I both have had a sinusitis for almost two months now, and weren't sure what to do about it besides taking lots of Vitamin C to keep it at a bearable level... I'll try the lavender oil in a bowl of hot water and report back on the results. Maybe the lavender oil is more tolerable that way than spraying it into the nose directly?

Thanks again for sharing

Kniall said:

I tried a saline solution (warm water and a teaspoon of salt) with drops of lavender essential oil, then sprayed it up my nose three times daily for 4 days. It just irritated my nose and made me sneeze alot! I persisted doing that for four days in case the sneezing and running nose were part of the clean-out of bacteria.

I concluded that my sinus issues aren't bacterial, so this protocol didn't work for me.

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That was my experience too. :)

I love lavender, it is my favorite plant.

One year I had a very strong sinusitis. The doctor gave me antibiotics. I asked myself: what my grandmother will take against a sinusitis? An antibiotic? No way! So I went to a naturalist and she told me to try this: put green clay on your sinus, and some drops of lemon in your nose. I tell you: it was the worst sinusitis I have ever had in my life, a nervous sinusitis I am sure. So I tried and it worked. Green clay and lemon. Some headaches are caused by sinus, too. You can try lemon.

I believe in clay, it work for me for various problems. I have always clay (green) near me. Clay is anti-inflamatory also.

But the idea of lavender is beautiful. I will try it. Some oils are just for massages, others you can take it in your body. I think if the oil of lavender is too strong you can diluted with water.

Thanks for the tip.

JGeropoulas said:

Further, one of his recommendations was using essential oils. So, recalling the efficacy of lavender oil in treating nail fungus, I began spraying pure organic lavender oil deeply into my nasal cavity (1 spray each side) several times a day. It burned a little for a few seconds, but mainly filled my nose with one of my favorite fragrances. Within the first hour, I noticed a relief from congestion. Withing 24 hours, I had no congestion. I've continued using the spray about once a day to be thorough, but haven't had ANY congestion or drainage since then (1 week now).

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I had problem with synuses for over 20 years, tried everything in today's medicine: from antibiotics to sea water inhalation (I'm apnea diver and did lot of sea water inhalation, sea water inhalation did a minor relief but it last for 1-2 days and than everything was the same). After the last year ultrasound of my sinuses it was obvious that situation is getting worst than ever, and even influencing on problems with hearing and ear's pressure, on the end had the oil treatment 3 months ago. I was recommended by my own doctor (in lack of success of other treatments) to do "Sinuses rinse" by certain osteo specialist in Bosnia and Herzegovina (since this kind of treatment are not jet implemented in Croatia, what a pity). To tell you the truth, treatment was everything but pleasure, huge syringe spraying deep in my nostrils, 1/2 litre of pure mixtures of: cypress, lavender and sage oils, of course my health insurance did not want to pay for that and had to organize everything by myself, after all why should "HEALTH" insurance pay for something that could actually cure me :(. The treatment last for 30 minutes (seems like forewer) it was pretty painful and had lot of drainage from the newly opened sinuses for almost a month, but the real thing is that right now I can smell the flowers, the food, the sea the air again...,...

I strongly recommend everyone with sinusitis to be brave and go trough the process of cleaning sinuses with anti fungicide oils, because the results are amazing, it is so nice to be able to enjoy in spring air after 2 decades :).

Thanks JGeropoulas, great topic.

I'm not sure if I have sinusitis exactly - but whatever it is, it's really making me feel miserable. I have some essential lavender oil so I will try out some inhaling that in hot water.

About a month ago - my sense of smell went haywire. Smells around the house seemed very strong to me, and were making me feel nauseous, for example, my husband cleaned one of the cats litter trays with washing-up liquid in the bathroom, and I couldn't go in there it smelt so strongly for me, but it was fine for him. Also I made a stew, with enough for 2 days - the second day when I went to re-heat it, walking into the kitchen I was overpowered by the smell of rotten meat, but it should have been fine! My husbands deodorant was also intolerable to me.

The smell sensitivity died down after about 2 weeks. I did go to my doctor about it however, as I read that it was a common symptom of pregnancy - but I doubted this was the reason as I was still bleeding from a long period (however lightly). I had 2 negative pregnancy tests, and the doctor decided to do some blood tests - also to follow up on some tests I had had done earlier in the year.
They came back normal, except for a significant vitamin D deficiency.

So I started to take some more vitamins, and get some more sun!

Then the beginning of last week (Monday) I began to feel very dizzy, light-headed, nauseous and headachey (which is still continuing today, Saturday). I went back to the doctor, to see if he had any ideas and to ask if it might be related to the smell sensitivity I had. He took a look in my ears and said they were pressurised, and that my balance was off so despite not feeling congested it was likely a cold virus of some sort clogging my sinus.

He told me to get some nasal spray and do some steam inhalation (which I thought was a better suggestion than antibiotics at least).

I had gotten some Olbas Oil (this was on thursday) but no joy yet - although my nose is getting a little stuffy, and feels a little raw when breathing near strong smells or the oil.

Ingredients for Olbas Oil are :

Cajuput oil 18.5% , Clove Oil 0.1% , Eucalyptus Oil 35.45% , Juniperberry Oil 2.7% , Levomenthol 4.1% , Methyl Salicylate 3.7%, Mint Oil, Partly Dementholised 35.34%.

I'll do a search to see if there are any comments/recommendations regarding these ingredients - supposedly pure plant oils.