Why do Ear, Nose and Throat surgeons as well as Allergists recommend using sinus rinses for their patients with sinus and allergy problems?
The history of using a nasal rinse to help treat allergies and sinus problems such as congestion, excessive mucus and post-nasal drainage is rooted in Ayurvedic medicine thousands of years ago. Since that time, salt or sodium chloride has been added to water as the solution used for irrigating the sinuses. The purpose is to remove allergens, thick mucus secretions and assist in recovery after surgery or infection.
However, very little additional progress has been made to improve the irrigating solution. For years, buffered salt has been the mainstay of sinus rinses. My colleague, Brian Weeks, MD who is an ENT surgeon in San Diego, and I were certain this solution and its delivery could be improved.
After researching a variety of compounds we investigated the possibility of using NAC (N-actylcysteine) for a nasal/sinus rinse. We were familiar with this compound and used it when working in hospitals to help clear thick and infected mucus in patients with chronic lung disorders.
We discovered that NAC has a number of beneficial properties that could significantly help our sinus patients:
- Reduces thick and excessive mucus
- Calms harmful inflammation
- Acts as an anti-infective agent for both bacteria and viruses
- Works together with topical antibiotics in clearing biofilms that result in infection
We also paired this with a better delivery bottle/system that irrigates with the press of a button with a gentle stream delivering a solution volume and pressure that is optimized using scientific evidence. The system is called SinuMed and you can learn more at Sinumed.com
