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Anyone used Tea Tree Oil in a nasal rinse for chronic sinusitis?
MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Sep 9, 2019 | Replies (20)Comment receiving replies
Hi everyone, You'll notice that I modified the title of this discussion to "Anyone used Tea Tree Oil in a nasal rinse for chronic sinusitis?" to be clear that the discussion is about treating chronic sinusitis while also dealing with MAC.
@fdixon63, I'm so glad you asked this question about treating chronic sinusitis. This article from Mayo Clinic states that tea tree oil should not be taken orally: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-tea-tree-oil/art-20364246 Good that you checked with your ENT physician and have decided to stick to saline solutions for a nasal rinse. Some might argue that a nasal rinse is not the same as orally taking a substance, but like @sueinmn said, I would worry about mistakenly swallowing some or inhaling it. @sueinmn, upon reviewing the discussion, it is my opinion that @jenniferhunter was not advocating for the use of tea tree oil in a nasal rinse. You're both quite right that oregano is edible, whereas tea tree oil should not be ingested.
Similarly @bennb023, you might want to talk your doctor about nanosilver, also referred to as colloidal silver. Colloidal silver has come up several times in the MAC group. When it comes to supplements and complementary medicine, I always refer to NIH's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine to better understand the proven evidence. See this information:
– Colloidal Silver https://nccih.nih.gov/health/silver
There are no high quality studies on the health effects of taking colloidal silver, but there is good evidence of its dangers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said that colloidal silver isn’t safe or effective for treating any disease or condition. According to Dr. Brent Bauer from Mayo Clinic says "Colloidal silver isn't considered safe or effective for any of the health claims manufacturers make. Silver has no known purpose in the body. Nor is it an essential mineral, as some sellers of silver products claim."
You can read more in this article:
– Colloidal silver: is it safe? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/colloidal-silver/faq-20058061
As @sueinmn mentioned, having MAC means your lungs and immune system are compromised. You don't want to inhale anything that isn't recommended by a medical professional and support by scientific evidence.
@brigby such great news that you were able to avoid or postpone surgery. I appreciate your sharing your story.
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@collcolleenyoung Thank you for your well-expressed response, and the citations to research-based opinions on safety and usefulness.
I understand the frustration of MAC and bronchiectasis, and the difficulty in treating it. It took over three years of illness before my bronchiectasis, MAC and pseudomonas were properly diagnosed, and treatment began. I have since learned this is a common occurrence. Now I am well into year two of treatment for MAC with no end in sight.
It is frustrating when traditional Western medicine doesn't have instant cures for us, and thus tempting to look elsewhere. However, anecdotal stories and endorsements by TV personalities (even MD's) are NOT evidence of safety or effectiveness. Before embarking on any new regimen of alternative or complementary treatment, assurance of safety is vital. And if you take any medications, or have underlying conditions, that which may be safe for your friend or neighbor may not be safe for you. Some things, like colloidal silver, can even render your medications ineffective.
If your physician doesn't want to listen to your questions and consider your ides, you may end up doing your own research on-line. If so, be sure to include ".gov" ".edu" and ".org" in your search to find vetted information. Wikipedia, product Web sites and similar sources are not what you want to rely on.
Remember that while it is frustrating to wait for answers, it takes time for researchers to gather information about safety and usefulness, vet it for accuracy, and analyze it. That's why there isn't immediate information about the latest treatments and "cures."