Practical help for ear, nose and throat problems

I recently had a client come to me and share that she had suffered with an ear infection for 18 months. I immediately asked if she had any signs of infection at the back of her throat. She said that she did and in addition, her doctor was also aware of it. I also asked about her sinus health which she said was compromised and contributing to breathing difficulties at night. We talked about simple strategies that might support her healing.

I need to stress that these suggestions do not constitute medical advice - please consult your doctor if you are struggling with symptoms and get them thoroughly checked out.

Notice how the eustachian tube drains into the nasa pharynx - The back top of the throat.

These systems in the body are all intricately linked and infection can be gently treated by addressing all 3 areas. When I was studying functional medicine I realised the importance of treating the microbiomes of the body separately. eg. the mouth has its own microbiome as do the sinuses, gut, lungs, skin etc.

1. Ears - olive oil or garlic infused olive oil is a traditional naturopathic remedy for ear ache/infections. Easy to make your own!

2. Throat - gargling with salt water morning and evening (gargling is also amazing for your vagus nerve and will support healthy vagal tone)

3. Throat spray by Biocidin Botanicals - this is a fantastic product to spray to the back of the throat.

Ever wondered where your postnasal drip comes from? That’s your sinuses draining into the back of your throat.

4. Sinus rinse. Buy a sinus rinse bottle from eBay - they come with salt sachets. Use boiled cooled water add salt sachet and ‘irrigate your sinuses- lean over the sink with your head to one side and hold bottle into the top nostril - allow the water to wash through from one side to the other. Repeat on the other side. This is a surprisingly comfortable and effective way of clearing the sinuses. Add one drop of clove oil (good quality essential oil) for added anti bacterial/fungal action. Once I’ve made a bottle up it will last a couple days.

This can be incredibly helpful for hay fever too.

Learning that my migraines had been driven by a deeply rooted fungal infection in my sinuses was such a pivotal moment. I no longer suffer with migraines and if I get a whisper of a headache I know exactly what to do.

5. There are many nasal sprays you can try. Nasal spray you can try from Xlear rescue spray which contains antibacterial herbs to help with infection - it also makes your nose run and clear.

6. Lymphatic drainage for the face and head.

7. Breathing into the sinuses. Visualise breathing into the sinuses. If your not sure you can look up a picture of the online and breath Ito where feels right for you. I am working on an audio recording to assist with this.

8. Have fun exploring the self care!!!

Worth thinking about

If sinusitis and postnasal drip endure over years despite good self care and attention you may suspect involvement with the gut and silent reflux and/or mould/fungal issues that need to be addressed. A personalised gut protocol can help remedy this.