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Sinus Problems

Question
I am 19 and have had many sinus surgeries...each time I get sick is due to the post-nasal drip into my lungs causing them to get inflamed and irritated.
For the past couple years my sinuses have started bleeding, mostly at night to the point where I will wake up choking on the heavy drainage it causes to my lungs.
I was wondering what I should do? Surgery hasn't helped, are there any holistic avenues such as eating certain foods?
Answer
hello
I hope this answer helps.
In general, while there is no consensus on the ‘best’ treatment of CF related sinus disease, most symptomatic patients benefit from a combination of therapies. Most of the modalities available are borrowed from the treatment of chronic sinusitis in non-CF sinusitis patients, and have not necessarily been investigated specifically for use in patients with CF. You have mentioned that you have has surgery and it hasn’t helped and asked about other holistic avenues such as eating certain foods. Whilst I am not aware of any foods that improve sinus disease there are other treatments available that you should discuss with your CF team to ascertain if they are an option for you. These treatments options include:
1. Nasal steroids- Nasal steroids are a mainstay of therapy for non-CF sufferers of sinusitis. They are used with variable success in patients with CF related sinusitis.
2. Antibiotics- Nasal swabs and and/or sputum samples can give specific information about sinus infections and therefore help choose the right type of antibiotic.
3. Mechanical clearance with saline or antibiotic flushes - Anecdotally, some patients get relief of their sinus symptoms by flushing their nares with saline. Symptomatic improvement is achieved by clearing mucus and or thinning secretions. Infectious organisms are also removed with the nasal secretions. Commercially available products include saline-filled squeeze atomizers, some which contain the moisturizing agent glycerol. More economically, patients can flush with a buffered saline solution they make themselves. The nares are washed with the saline using a bulb or catheter-tipped syringe.
4. Some people also use antihistamines and decongestants though there is no convincing data to support the use of antihistamines and decongestants for sinus disease in CF.

I hope this answers your question

Best wishes Stuart Elborn
12.01.2009