Sinus
Infections and the Candida Yeast Infection Connection
There
are two ways to get fungal sinus infections. The first is
simply by breathing in fungus (most commonly Aspergillius)
and mold spores from the air. They are abundantly present
in the environment and will attach to trapped nasal mucus
when sinuses are swollen from allergies
or bacterial sinus infections.
The
second way is connected to overgrowth of “bad”
bacteria in our gut - “Candida albicans”
- causing “Candidiasis”, a rapidly
growing yeast infection.
When the delicate balance of our “good” and
“bad” intestinal bacteria is upset (see our
antibiotics page),
our body is then primed for candida yeast infections. The
good bacteria can be killed off by one or more of these
factors:
- frequent
or high-dose antibiotics and anti-inflammatories
- chemotherapy for cancer
- auto-immune diseases like AIDS, arthritis and muscular
deterioration diseases
- high stress and low cortisol (cortisol is the body’s
stress response secretion)
In the absence of good bacteria, the bad bacteria, normally
present in controllable amounts, can “explode”
in number.
This
results in a friendly breeding environment for the candida
yeast (link to other candida pages when ready) and it grows
out of control - clinging to intestinal walls, mucous membranes
like nasal and bronchial passages, the genitals (mostly
in females), and even producing toxins in the bloodstream.
Certain
antibiotics are now well-known for creating subsequent vaginal
yeast infections or oral “thrush” (white coating
in mouth and on tongue). Some doctors will give an anti-fungal
prescription at the same time as the antibiotic (see our
information on “fluconazoles”).
And vaginal yeast relief requests have become so prevalent
that some gentle fungicides are now available over-the-counter.
But
less commonly known is that this nasty candida yeast fungus
is a vast cause of sinus infections – and doctors
may just prescribe even more antibiotics!
How
much can our digestive system have to do with Sinus Infections?
Our
digestive system is the key to good health in our entire
body. When it is not functioning properly it affects the
central nervous system which sends alarms everywhere.
Oral,
nasal or vaginal yeast may be a sign that the candida fungus
has infested the
gastrointestinal tract, and treatment for the surface infections
alone will not get to the root problem. More antibiotics
will only add to the yeast build-up.
The spreading yeast fungus prevents proper digestion of
all nutrients – the food we eat, the vitamins and
minerals we take – thereby depriving the body of what
it needs to remain healthy. It can trigger an over-reaction
of white blood cells which normally gather to heal infection,
making our immune system either over-active or under-active,
and multiple health problems can take place.
Proper
bowel function may go downhill. As this happens, more and
more waste
toxins remain inside us and can get in the bloodstream.
The yeast loves this and will be transported to the mucous
membranes.
It then gets into the sinuses and nasal passages, either
bringing bacteria with it or attaching itself to existing
bacteria from outside elements – free radicals, airborne
mold, etc.
Diagnosing
a Candida Yeast Infection in the Sinuses
It’s
hard to get yeast fungus out of sinus mucus. If any is left,
the yeast multiplies again. Moreover, symptoms may be the
same as any other sinus infection and it’s hard to
diagnose, although it may sometimes result in greenish,
glue-like clumps being expelled from the nose.
See
an alternative practitioner for specialized testing.
Whether
sinus infections have Aspergillius or Candida yeast fungus
involved, using anti-fungals wouldn’t hurt. There
are a number of herbal products which can help clean out
chronic sinus infections. See our homeopathic
and natural remedies page for sinus infections. Växa
is proud to state we now have a homeopathic nasal irrigation
system, Sinus Formula.
See
our probiotic, ReFlora+, to help restore “good”
intestinal bacteria, and Candid-Free to help prevent candida.
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