Study Implicates Fungus As Cause Of Chronic Sinusitis

[Guest guest]

Study Implicates Fungus As Cause Of Chronic Sinusitis

Mercola.com

 

 

Mayo Clinic researchers say they have found the cause of most chronic

sinus infections -- an immune system response to fungus. They say

this discovery opens the door to the first effective treatment for

this problem, the most common chronic disease in the United States.

An estimated 37 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic

sinusitis, an inflammation of the membranes of the nose and sinus

cavity. Its incidence has been increasing steadily over the last

decade. Common symptoms are runny nose, nasal congestion, loss of

smell and headaches. Frequently, the chronic inflammation leads to

polyps, small growths in the nasal passages that hinder breathing.

 

Fungus allergy was thought to be involved in less than 10 percent of

cases. The new studies indicate that, in fact, fungus is likely the

cause of nearly all of these problems. And it is not an allergic

reaction, but an immune reaction. The disease process in sinus

patients, in sensitive individuals, the body's immune system sends

eosinophils to attack fungi and the eosinophils irritate the

membranes in the nose. As long as fungi remain, so will the

irritation.

 

Antibiotics and over-the-counter decongestants are widely used to

treat chronic sinusitis. In most cases, antibiotics are not effective

for chronic sinusitis because they target bacteria, not fungi. The

over-the-counter drugs may offer some relief of symptoms, but they

have no effect on the inflammation. Thousands of kinds of single-cell

fungi (molds and yeasts) are found everywhere in the world. Fungal

spores (the reproductive part of the organism) become airborne like

pollen. Some people develop allergies to fungi. The new evidence from

the Mayo study suggests that many people also develop a different

kind of immune system response.

 

Mayo Clinic Proceedings September 1999

 

COMMENT: I believe that another major tragedy in medicine, nearly as

bad as the million gallbladders that are removed every year, are the

tens of thousands of unnecessary sinus surgeries. That surgery rarely

works, and I strongly discourage nearly everyone from having it done.

I have had a fair amount of success in neutralizing patients for mold

allergies in the treatment of their chronic sinus problems. For those

that failed our PN program, we will be using our Applied Psycho

Neurobiology (APN) and Total Body Modification programs for allergy

neutralization. So the bottom line is, if you have a chronic sinus

problem, avoid the use of antibiotics, avoid any sinus surgery, and

find a doctor who can treat you for mold sensitivities.

 

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/

archive/2008/01/02/fungus-cause-of-sinusitis.aspx