It is no exaggeration when I say that between the years of 2001 and 2006 I had over 30 sinus infections, most of which were treated with a 7 – 10 day course of broad spectrum antibiotics. These antibiotics proved futile as they would clear up my symptoms for only a few days and then my symptoms would return with a vegeance about a week or two after I finished taking the antibiotics. My sinus infections just kept coming back and I could not understand why and neither could my physician.
Sinusitis also known as rhinosinusitis and/or sinus infection is often characterized by nasal congestion and discharge, post nasal drip, facial pressure, headache and fever. Diagnosis of sinusitis often falls into 2 categories acute or chronic. Web MD describes the 2 different categories in the following manner:
Acute sinusitis- a sinus infection often lasting no longer than 8 weeks, occurring no more than 3 times, usually lasting 10 days or less, typically responds to antibiotics
Chronic sinusitis- a sinus infection often lasting longer 8 weeks, occurring 4 or more times a year and usually lasting 20 days or more, usually does not respond to antibiotics
Acute and chronic cases of sinusitis can be caused by bacteria but there is growing evidence that fungi play an increasing role in sinusitis especially chronic sinusitis. Candida, typically a benign fungus present in the body has been that target of much of this research and is often the pathogen found in patients with chronic sinusitis. If a patients sinus infection is caused by fungi antibiotics will not be effective in treating it ever, as antibiotics only kill bacteria.
Although I did not know until recently that that there was scientific evidence that linked candida to sinusitis I kind of figured this out accidentally. The end of my chronic sinus infections was in February of 2006 as I successfully completed a month on the candida diet. My symptoms cleared up within weeks of being on this diet and I am happy to say that I have not had a sinus infection since then. It is only when I stray far away from the diet that symptoms return. If I begin to have symptoms I just cut back on sugar or other things prohibited on the candida diet and my symptoms usually subside and I am able to dodge a full fledged sinus infection.
I think the most frustrating thing when I was experiencing chronic sinus infections was that my physician would not explore it from a bigger prospective. He saw that the antibiotics were ineffective but just kept prescribing this. I know today that this was making my problem much worse but I did not know how else to help myself. I would never tell anyone to self diagnose and not to trust their physician but having additional information about our conditions will help us to have better dialogue with our physicians and to be able to discuss complimentary and alternative treatments if traditional ones fail.
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