Infections - Sinus, pneumonia, ear, strep

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Bobbie
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Infections - Sinus, pneumonia, ear, strep

Postby Bobbie » Wed Aug 10, 2005 12:09 pm

A potpourri of tips follows. Some are medical, some are natural. As usual, buyer beware. The subjects are arranged by date of submission so you will have to "look around."

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2002 by Bobbie

SINUS PROBLEMS

Most ENT's and allergists now recommend saline irrigation.

Recipe:

Use pickling or sea salt (has less additives than regular salt). Mix one to one/half tsp. salt to one cup of water and add a pinch of baking soda. Tap water is okay unless your water is bad -- then either boil the water and let it cool or use distilled water. I just use warm tap water after letting it run for a while. (You can mix up enough salt/soda for a couple of days at a time). Use either a rubber bulb syringe (can buy one in the baby's section) or an adapter for your waterpik (purchase from Osco or an allergy supply catalog; it's called a Grossan nasal adapter). If you use the waterpik, be sure it is on the lowest setting. Fill either the bulb syringe or the water pik reservoir with the saline mixture. Stand over the sink or in the shower. Aim the the stream of salt water as though you are trying to squirt the back of your head, not the top of your head. Leave your mouth open. Use the whole eight ounces of saline solution. Do one nostril for a while, and then move to the other until the solution is gone. Do this two to four times a day. Disinfect everything with rubbing alcohol when you are finished. (Run alcohol through the waterpik if you are using that method.)

NOTE: Also, disinfect waterpik with bleach solution now and then -- l part bleach/10 parts water.

Don't use waterpik for both oral and nasal use. Get separate ones.

If you are using a nasal steroid spray, such as Beconanse, Nasonex, or Nascort, do the saline irrigation first and then wait about a half hour or so before using the steroid spray.

"The saline solution decongests the nose and pulls fluid out of the membranes. It shrinks the membranes which improves nasal air flow and opens sinus passages. It also improves nasal drainage."(Quoted from a "handout" from my ENT.)

NOTE: My ENT is selling a kit (NeilMed Sinus Rinse) at his office for $10.00. He said it is also available at drug stores. Personally, I like this method best.

Other sinus tips:

Advil has anti-inflammatory properties and can help if you can tolerate it.
Sleep on three or four pillows or prop up the head of your bed with bricks.
Drink lots of water.
Sometimes hot herbal tea helps.
Chicken soup has been medically proven to have great decongestant properties with no side effects (unless you are allergic to chicken).
Breathe steam from a tea kettle or electric moisturizer.
Apply hot, damp washcloths to your sinuses. Sometimes, lying face-down on them helps drainage.

Take an antihistamine/decongestant (over the counter like Sudafed Plus) or prescription (such Allegra D or Claritan D), but I wouldn't use just an antihistamine. ENT's don't agree (of course) on whether an antihistamine/decongestant combination or a just a plain decongestant should be used because an antihistamine can "dry things up" too much. If allergies are involved, sometimes an antihistamine helps.

Take an expectorant such as guaifenesin. One of the best ones is an OTC med. now called Mucinex. You can buy it almost everywhere now -- Walgreen's, Osco, grocery stores. It's become very popular again, and most docs. are recommending it.

There's a book called [u]Sinus Survival[/u] by Dr. Robert S. Ivker that has some good tips. Check Dr. Weil's web site at http://www.drweil.com. Dr. Weil is a Harvard-trained MD, practices holistic medicine, and is an expert on plants including herbs. He wrote a book called "Spontaneous Healing" that lists many alternative medications.

I've noticed (and several ENT's have told me) that when a front moves in, and the weather changes, you can "feel" it in your sinuses.

X-rays (sometimes just a "Waters View" is enough) will sometimes diagnose a sinus infection, but a CAT scan is more definitive. Also, sinus cultures can be done.

Check out these hints with your doctor before you try them. If your problems persist, find a good ENT and seek his advice. Endoscopic sinus surgery can be an answer, but it isn't without risks.

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2003 by Bobbie

There are some alternative medications that you can try for sinus/bronchitis problems, but check with your doctor/pharmacist/dietician/ nutritionist first, especially if you have C. diff. The FDA does not have any control over supplements so you have to be careful.

I’ve tried Quercetin (a bioflavanoid) that is supposed to help with sinus and other resp. problems. It’s usually combined with Bromelain (the substance in pineapple) and Vit. C, but I get a brand that has only the Quercetin and Bromelain and then add my own Vit. C as too much Vit. C can be hard on your GI tract. (I’ve been trying a new type – Ester-C – that is supposed to be easier on your GI tract.) I’ve also tried Astragalus and Echinacea (but not at the same time), which are supposed to stimulate the immune system. Look them up on the Internet and always check with your doctor/pharmacist/dietician/nutritionist before trying anything new. (There are several cautions about taking Echinacea.) Also, some of these supplements can cause other problems so be aware and be careful.

I want to stress that I am not recommending that you try these supplements. I am not a doctor and do not have medical training. Several of these products seem to have helped me, however. If you do try anything, be sure you use supplements made by a reputable manufacturer and try them very slowly and one at a time.

For more information, go into some of the medical sites. http://www.webmed.com.

REMEMBER -- BE CAUTIOUS. ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR OWN PHYSICIAN.

Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2003 by Bobbie

I don't boil the water for saline irrigation but use warm water from the tap after letting it run for a while. I recently did this in bathroom of an airplane while flying with a cold. It was definitely a new but not erotic experience. I was so miserable, however, that I would have done everything. (Sprayed the sink afterwards with Lysol.) It's probably best to boil the water or use distilled water, however.

You can use a nasal decongestant such as Afrin 24 hr. for three to four days. (I get the extra moisure one.) Do not use longer, however, because it can have a rebound effect. Use it before the saline irrigation.

For pain, you can alternate Tylenol and Advil every two hours. (Advil is harder on the stomach but has a slight anti-inflammatory effect.) Again, check with your own doctor before using any medications. Be aware that both oral and nasal decongestants can increase blood pressure.

BRONCHITIS AND EAR INFECTIONS

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 by Bobbie
By michelle on Monday, March 07, 2006

My husband is from England and when our girls were first born, his mother told us that all she ever did for her boys ear infections when they were young was heat up a tbsp of olive oil and pour it into the ear then put a cotton ball in....non-medical advice but that's all we've ever done with our girls too. They are 10, 5 and 3 and have probably had 20-30 ear infections combined and the olive oil always worked.

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 by Bobbie
Bronchitis & Ear Infections - Antibiotics Often Unnecessary

Study Shows Antibiotic No Better Than Vitamin C For Bronchitis
May 9, 2002
A story from a London newpaper reported antibiotics commonly given for acute bronchitis are no better than low-dose vitamin C. The study was reported in the medical journal [i]Lancelet.[/i] Most cases of bronchitis are viral and not bacterial and thus antibiotics are not necessary until the infection becomes bacterial. Sometimes (but not always), a sputum culture will help determine this.

I can't list the entire article because of copyright laws, but this is a paraphrase of the article.

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 12:34 am by Bobbie

A story about ear infections in an Atlanta newspaper on March 1, 2004

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- A new study warns parents of cranky children with ear infections that antibiotics may no longer be what the doctor orders.

Between 5 million and 6 million children under age 5 suffer ear infections each year. Antibiotics are prescribed in many of those visits. About 10 million prescriptions each year are written for ear infections in children of all ages.

About half of all antibiotics prescribed to preschool children are for ear infections. Health officials believe if they can reduce child antibiotic use for such infections, they can stop the rise of antibiotic-resistant germs created by overuse of the drugs. The study recommends antibiotics be used only if the infection is truly acute otitis media and not every abnormal-appearing ear.

Again, I can't quote the entire article because of copyright laws. Check with your child's ped. to see if he/she uses the new guidelines. Several studies have shown children recover from ear infections in approx. the same amount of time with or without antibitocs. Again, this is a medical judgment call, and if the infection is serious (as determined by a doc.), an antibiotic might be necessary. If you are in doubt, take your child to an ENT.
Last edited by Bobbie on Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:48 am, edited 16 times in total.
Reason: updating

Bobbie
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Postby Bobbie » Sat Oct 29, 2005 11:46 pm

Millie provided this info. on a possible aid for resp. infections. Thanks, Millie.

Some swear by zinc lozenges to prevent respiratory infection. I haven't used the zinc lozenges, but last year started using Zicam. It really worked for both my husband and I if we took it immediately when cold symptoms began, but no guarantee that it works for all. We used the nasal gel, and they have a couple of other forms, also I just heard of a new one the other day. You can find out more by going to http://www.zicam.com/site/products/cold_flash.html , read more about it, ask your doctor and decide it you want to try it.
Last edited by Bobbie on Wed Apr 26, 2006 11:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

Bobbie
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Postby Bobbie » Sun Oct 30, 2005 12:02 am

Both Millie and Marsha have mentioned this product. Check out this site.

http://www.airbornehealth.com

NOTE: Some of the products mentioned above are remedies not regulated by the FDA. Don't know how many studies are behind them. USE WITH CAUTION.

Bobbie
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Diagnostic Testing for Resp. & Other Illnesses

Postby Bobbie » Sun Dec 04, 2005 1:47 am

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 7:39 pm

By Bobbie on February 08, 2003

Mary submitted this information about diagnostic cultures (to help determine whether an infection is viral or bacterial) Thanks, Mary.

I just visited with a friend of mine who is a med tech and has worked in several labs. She said she doesn't put much faith in the isolated test, either and again stated that repeat tests give an indication of when one is "out of line".

I wasn't looking at your message when I visited with her and was thinking you'd asked about sputum tests (you asked about throat cultures). Anyway, for those who need to do a sputum test one thing she mentioned about that is the importance of the sputum coming from the lungs and not just in the throat.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT CULTURES BE DONE CORRECTLY. IF YOU DON'T THINK THE PERSON WHO TOOK YOUR CULTURE DID SO CORRECTLY, SPEAK UP. THE RESULTS OF THE CULTURE COULD DETERMINE IF YOU REALLY NEED AN ANTIBIOTIC OR NOT.


Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2003
Zuzu contributed this info.

Regarding if they can find specific antibiotics to specific bacteria - yes, they most certainly can. The reason it is not routinely done is that most Abx are broad spectrum - Drs. have learned what microbes usually cause what infections and what Abx kills those microbes. If you have a sinus infection, it is usually caused by a certain group of bacteria and those are usually killed by a certain group of Abx.

Some Abx are narrower than others (Macrobid is narrower than Cipro, for example.) No Abx that I know of is narrow enough to be specific to one bacteria.

Ears popping when you swallow usually means you are trying to equalize pressure between your ears, nose and your throat. It happends a lot when your nose is congested.

I highly recommend the saline rinses, also. Sounds gross but works great.

Hope this helps.

ZuZu, the former Medical Technologist

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Postby Bobbie » Wed Apr 26, 2006 11:56 am

Amy (Delamy) posted this hyperlink about saline irrigation. Thx., Amy.

http://allergies.about.com/cs/treatment/a/aa040802a.htm

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Antibiotics Necessary To Treat Children's Ear Infections?

Postby Bobbie » Fri Sep 22, 2006 2:17 pm

From the Sept. 12 broadcast of CBS news. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/ ... rchStories

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Postby Bobbie » Thu Mar 15, 2007 9:52 pm

Sheila gave us this info. Thx.
Here's a great article on Strep with information on antibiotics used (compare to FAQ list of the one's you don't want to use!) as well as at-home treatments. Strep symptoms usually go away in 4 to 5 days but the fear of rheumatic fever if the strep continues untreated is the reason antibiotics are given.

http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/At ... throat.jsp

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Postby Bobbie » Sat Apr 07, 2007 4:10 pm

Sheila contributed this. Thx.

You might want to read this on echinacea. It can be good for some, if not taken more than 5 to 7 days. There are some warnings and side effects reported with it, also some can have allergies to it.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drug ... nacea.html

scroll down to Side Effects & Warnings and also read Interactions sections.

Moderator' Note: Echinacea is one of "those" alternatative meds. that no one seems to agree about --- ever. I had a profile done recently by pharmacists at UMKC & they recommended trying it. Suppose it is in the "can't hurt; might help" category -- except for those who might have side effects.

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Postby Bobbie » Sat Apr 14, 2007 5:09 pm

STREP

labgirl posted this about strep tests.

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007

Just as a side note about the rapid strep test that was repeated in the office after 2 weeks... anyone who is tested again after finishing antibiotics 2 weeks later should NEVER have the rapid test done in the office- it will almost always be positive even if the strep is gone. The doctor should have done a throat culture . The package inserts on rapid strep tests state that any follow-up test should not be done within 6 weeks of a positive rapid test, but should be followed up with a throat culture.

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SINUS INFECTIONS

Postby Bobbie » Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:23 pm

jskvt & Christina contributed the following info. about sinus infections.

jskvt
Speaking as someone who has battled sinusitis for decades, over 90% of sinus infections are caused by viruses and antibiotics aren't necessary or helpful. All reputable medical websites will confirm this fact. A great way to prevent them from turning into bacterial infections is to use a neti pot or the Hydropulse irrigation system, which is a motorized version that does the same thing -- namel, it irrigates your sinuses. Any good ENT can tell you more about these and other ways to flush out the nose; they've become very mainstream techniques in battling (and beating) sinus infections. My ENT is one of the best in New York City and had me buy the $100 Hydropulse, and I've had 100% success in fending off sinus infections after colds in the 15 months using it. Safe for kids, too -- it's just warm water and a little kosher salt that you're flushing through your nose. Doctors (at least ones here) don't want to prescribe antibiotics these days either, they are becoming acutely aware of the over-prescribing problems.

Christina
When my son had his severe sinus issues at one point he had to inhale antibiotics through a nebulizer. So yes, it can be done. We had to purchase the nebulizer which we still have and the antibiotics were sent from a compounding pharmacy out in California. I believe it is called The Sinus Pharmacy (it was awhile ago so I may be wrong). The nebulizer had an attachment that he held under his nose and he had to inhale the steam which contained the liquid antibiotic. The antibiotics had to be kept in the freezer and then thawed prior to using them. I wonder how this would impact C-diff, if it would be the same as oral or IV as far as risk.

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Postby Bobbie » Tue Jan 06, 2009 2:57 pm

Roy submitted this hyperlink. Great article/

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFlu ... id=5678283

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Don't Know About This

Postby Bobbie » Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:44 am

Worth a try. Better than antibiotics! They used to suggest this when I was a kid. Vicks has camphor in it & some "authorities" say not to use on children. Proceed with caution. BUT sometimes the old remedies are the best.

Vicks Vapo Rub
and it works...

During a lecture on Essential Oils, they told us how the foot soles can
absorb oils. Their example: Put garlic on your feet and within 20 minutes
you can 'taste' it.

Some of us have used Vicks Vapo rub for years for everything from chapped lips to sore toes and many body parts in between. But I've never heard of this. And don't laugh, it works 100% of the time, although the scientists who discovered it aren't sure why. To stop night time coughing in a child (or adult as we found out personally), put Vicks Vapo rub generously on the bottom of the feet at bedtime, then cover with socks. Even persistent, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about 5 minutes and stay stopped for many, many hours of relief. Works 100% of the time and is more effective in children than even very strong prescription cough medicines. In addition it is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly.

Just happened to tune in A.M. Radio and picked up this guy talking about why cough medicines in kids often do more harm than good, due to the chemical makeup of these strong drugs so, I listened. It was a surprise finding and found to be more effective than prescribed medicines for children at bedtime, in addition to have a soothing and calming effect on sick children who then went on to sleep soundly.

My wife tried it on herself when she had a very deep constant and persistent cough a few weeks ago and it worked 100%! She said that it felt like a warm blanket had enveloped her, coughing stopped in a few minutes and believe me, this was a deep, (incredibl y annoying!) every few seconds uncontrollable cough, and she slept cough-free for hours every night that she used it.

If you have grandchildren, pass this on. If you end up sick, try it yourself
and you will be absolutely amazed at how it works.

Checked this out on Snopes. See following hyperlink:
http://www.snopes.com/medical/homecure/vaporub.asp

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New Way to Perform Saline Irrigation

Postby Bobbie » Sat Feb 20, 2010 4:58 am

Many ENT's are now recommending a plastic bottle irrigation method that comes in a kit with packets of salt. You can make your own saline mixture once the packets are gone (see "recipe" in earlier posts) or buy refills. Follow the instructions in the kit for use and disinfecting. There is a toll-free # on the kit you can call with questions.

Most "drug" stores such as CVS, Walgreen's, and even some grocery stores carry these kits.

Other people prefer the "neti pot" method (see earlier posts) or use a water pump method.

Check with your doc. before using any procedure.

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SINUS INFECTIONS

Postby Bobbie » Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:01 pm

mray contributed this hyperlink re. sinus infections. Thx.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/307/7/685.short

Note conclusion of study.

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PNEUMONIA

Postby Bobbie » Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:54 am

Pneumonia is best diagnosed by a chest X-ray - 4 views: front back, and both sides. Pneumonia can be viral or bacterial. A sputum test can help diagnose the difference but is often difficult to do and interpret. Pneumonia is usually treated with antibiotics. Try to get your physician to determine what bacteria is causing your pneumonia and chose the narrowest spectrum antibiotic possible (yet still effective) to treat it.

Be sure your blood oxygen level (taken by a finger cuff) is in the right range. In l999, a doctor I'd gone to for years let me walk out of his office with a very low blood oxygen level. (I wondered why I could barely walk but was too sick to think about it.) Because he knew my history and was afraid of prescribing antibiotics, the docctor put me on an extra strong dosage of prednisone - which caused my acid reflux to become worse. I eventually wound up in the hospital on Levaquin and with my second bout of C. diff.


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