My nose is dripping again!

A study conducted by a pharmaceutical company showed about 1 out of 10 persons in Singapore suffering from sinusitis, an inflammation of the nasal sinuses. It is a frustrating experience for 20% of them seeking medication weekly.

An acute sinusitis is frequently caused by bacterial and viral infection eg. a common cold that lasts for a month but is not life-threatening. Kids are vulnerable to such attacks given their weak immunity. It can develop in them as a result of chronic infection of the adenoids and tonsils. In some cases, a dental infection that spreads from the tooth root to the maxillary sinus, inside the cheeks is also possible.

There are severe cases where the spread to the brain causes serious infection and abscess, leading to partial blindness. Sinus surgery has to be performed to drain the sinuses and pus from the affected area. The good news are – nasal sinus allergies tend to get better with age and is treatable.

Chronic sinusitis stretches beyond 2 months when it breaks out due to irritants like air pollution, emotional stress, smoking, and exposure to allergic substances. More severe chronic cases can adversely affect one’s quality of life, especially for those with a greater inborn allergic tendency with allergic rhinitis, nasal allergy, asthma and skin eczema co-exist in the same patient.

Structure/Causes

The sinuses are air-filled spaces in the skull (behind the forehead, nasal bones, cheeks, and eyes) that are lined with mucus membranes to trap foreign particles. Another function of the sinuses is to regulate temperature and humidity of the air that we breathe in. Along the lining is hair-like fibres that clear mucus together with unwanted particles.

Healthy sinuses contain no bacteria or other germs as the mucus is able to drain out and air is able to circulate freely. They are the first line of defence in protecting the lungs against infection.

However, when the sinus openings become blocked or too much mucus builds up, bacteria and other germs can grow more easily. Sinusitis can occur from one of these conditions:

• The hair-like fibres do not work properly due to some medical conditions.
• Colds and allergies may cause too much mucus to be made or block the opening of the sinuses.
• A deviated nasal septum, nasal bone spur or nasal polyps may block the opening of the sinuses.

Our nasal and sinus passages are very narrow and excess mucus collected in the sinuses during a cold or allergy attack can lead to inflammation, blocking the proper drainage paths which most likely cause the flow direct to the throat or nostrils. This situation is aggravated for patients who are allergy-prone with swollen nasal turbinates. Pressure in the sinuses can increase and inflict pain.

Symptoms

Acute sinusitis usually follows a cold that does not improve, or one that worsens after a week of symptoms like:

+ fever
+ cough, often worst at night
+ aching on head, ears, teeth, face
+ difficulty in breathing through the nose and sore throat
+ loss of the sense of smell
+ tenderness over the forehead and cheekbones
+ bad breath

Symptoms of chronic sinusitis are the same as those of acute sinusitis, but tend to be milder and last longer than 12 weeks. For children, symptoms include:

• Cold or respiratory illness that has been improving and then begins to get worse
• High fever, along with a darkened nasal discharge, for at least 3 days
• Nasal discharge, with or without a cough, that has been present for more than 10 days and is not improving

Prevention

+ Stay healthy at all times
+ Seek medical advice if develop thick mucus, yellow-green discharge or facial pain or congestion
+ Avoid the allergens you know and control the environment to prevent such contacts
+ Do without airconditioning during your sleep if possible. If need to improve ventilation, use a fan or humidifier
+  Drink more water
+ Surgery may be recommended for those whose conditions cannot be alleviated by medication

Natural treatment

According to German researchers, horseradish naturally revs up blood flow to the sinus cavities, helping to open and drain clogged sinuses and heal sinus infections more quickly than decongestant sprays do.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001670/

VIVA corner

People with compromised immune systems are susceptible to sinusitis and other forms of allergies, some endangering to life. Taking good nutrients may go a long way in treating the condition.

+ VIVA Floraguard with abundant friendly bacteria is crucial for a healthy gastrointestinal tract, especially if antibiotics are applied and kill the good guys as well. It can also promote the growth of our natural killer cells to destroy pathogens.

+ VIVAshield, a combination of 4 potent antioxidants enhances the immune system, protects against cold, flu and other infections.

+ VIVA Dailyguard a strong multivitamins helps to improve overall health and assure proper nutrition.

+ VIVA Biogarlic provides check on bacterial and viral infection and acts as immune system stimulant.



Testimony

Ever since my childhood days, sinus was a problem bothering me so much.  My nose was constantly blocked and clogged badly with mucus especially in the morning causing discomfort and fatigue.   Regular visits to private specialists for special treatments was the only alternative but to no avail as only temporary relief was possible then.

In 2001 I was introduced to VIVA Life Science and decided to try out if it can be remedied. 3 products, namely Green Barley,

Lipoguard and Dailyguard were recommended to detox for better blood circulation and boost the immune system.

Miraculously they worked so well that barely 2 months my sinus was gone.  I continue to take Green Barley daily and suffer no relapse since then.  What a wonder!  No more visits to the nasal specialists and limited visits to doctors for general health problems.  As an additional benefit, my weight has remained consistent even when age catches up.  (hard to guess my age!)

Susan Tan (ID 70000652)

Avoid the airplane COLD

It is a common complaint: Fly on a crowded plane and back home with a cold. What is going on up there?

Airline carriers are formidable carriers of the common cold. According to the Journal of Environmental Health Research, a recent study indicates colds is 100 times more likely to be transmitted on a plane than during normal daily life on the ground.

 Causes

+ The most likely culprit is the extremely low cabin humidity caused by low humidity at high elevations. The final findings revealed that aircraft that actively re-circulated air actually showed slightly lower transmission rates than those that did not. Other studies have shown that high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters on most jets today can capture 99.97% of bacterial and virus-carrying particles. However, when air circulation is shut down, for instance during long waits on the ground or for short periods when passengers are boarding or exiting, infections can spread like wildfire.

One well-known study in 1979 found that when a plane sat three hours with its engines off without air circulation, 72% of the 54 people on board got sick within two days. The flu strain they had was traced to one passenger.

+ Much of the danger comes from the direct or indirect contacts via mouths, noses and hands of passengers sitting nearby. Virus-laden droplets are expelled when the cold victim sneezes, cough or speak. The droplets may travel up to 20 feet in one sneeze, remain in the air for half an hour, be stirred up in dust.

In a contained environment the hot zone for exposure is generally two seats beside, in front of and behind you. Australian researchers tracing influenza transmission on long-haul flights in 2009 with passengers infected with the H1N1 flu strain, found that 2% of them had the disease during the flight and 5% came down within a week after landing. There is a 3.6% increased risk of contracting H1N1 if a passenger sat within two rows of someone who had symptoms in-flight and for post-flight disease, doubled to 7.7% for passengers seated in a two-seat hot zone.

+ Most commercial airlines fly in an elevation range of 30,000 to 35,000 feet, where humidity typically runs at 10% or lower. At very low levels of humidity, the "natural defense system" of mucus in our noses and throats dries up and is crippled, creating a much more tolerant environment for germs to infect us.

Important tips -

1. Stay hydrated. It turns out that drinking plenty of water will not only counter the overall dehydrating effects of air travel, which can lead to headaches, stomach problems, cramps, fatigue and more, but can actually fortify your pre-emptive natural immune mechanisms to function considerably better.

Choose plain water, hot drinks or fruit juices over caffeine and alcohol consumption that can actually dehydrate you. Sipping liquids regularly throughout the flight may be more effective than drinking a lot of water at one go before or during the flight to keep your protective mucous membranes from long dry spells. Nasal mists have been found to be very effective in keeping this system working in your nose too.

2. Keep your hands clean. Your hands are the most consistent point of first contact with cold, flu and other germs. It is a direct line from armrest/ handshake/seat back to fingers to fork to mouth to full-blown fever a few days later. Scientists report that the viruses that cause colds and flu can survive for hours on your skin or on objects such as armrests, TV remote control handsets, tray tables and other similar surfaces. However, the simple act of washing your hands with hot water and soap is a formidable rampart against this transfer of harmful microorganisms. At your convenience, wash your hands before any in-flight meals, and after your flight with alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

3. Take your vitamins. For prevention, start taking a standard multivitamin few days before departure to avoid unpleasant encounters. Large doses of vitamin C is known to prevent colds, or reduce the severity or duration of symptoms.

4. Wearing a face mask. Some travelers have taken to wearing masks either to prevent infection, or when they themselves are already infected.

5. Change seats if you end up near a cougher, sneezer or someone who looks feverish. This may not work out on a full flight. Note that one sneeze can produce up to 30,000 droplets that can be propelled as far as six feet away.

6. Avoid exposing infants under one year particularly need to be protected and women who are more vulnerable just before their menstrual period.

Recommendation

Remember you are 113 times to be exact more exposed to airborne disease up there than at ground level. You may catch a cold up there and take time to recover by letting it runs its course even without medication. To avoid unnecessary trouble, why not take some strong multivitamins before going onboard the plane. Count yourself not so lucky if someone in the row carries a deadly virus that can be transmitted in an enclosed environment !

Source: http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/air-travel/avoiding-the-airplane-cold; http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204058404577108420985863872.html

VIVA corner

Vivashield contains powerful antioxidants Vitamin A, C, E and selenium that protect the cells from oxidative damage and invasion by micro-organisms in the thin air up there. Basically, they scavenge harmful particles, thus inhibiting or slowing down their attack on cells.

On one instance, a friend told me ten of them went onboard a budget airline for a 3.5 hours flight. The air circulation was not good in the plane and someone must have passed the flu bug to all of them, except her who took vivashield before departure.