What is congestion?
Waking up with catarrh dripping down the back of your throat; finding it difficult to breath quietly; not being able to exercise without struggling for breath; feeling like you’re always clearing your throat – such are the delights of a congested airway.
Catarrhal congestion is very common, whether as a hangover from a bad cold, or as a general condition that never seems to completely leave you.
Case study: how Emily reduced her constant congestion
Emily came to see me because she was fed up with feeling stuffed up all the time. She was in her mid-thirties and had suffered from catarrh for several years, gradually finding that it never really left her, even when she was abroad on holiday in warm climates. When she attended the clinic she had yet another cold, which she was struggling to shift.
She had used a whole range of decongestants, but couldn’t use them long-term and was looking for a treatment that would cure the problem fully.
Emily’s treatment plan involved the following points:
- Increasing water intake and cutting down on caffeinated drinks
- Avoiding dairy products, which can contribute to increased mucus production
- Reducing the amount of refined sugar in her diet
- Increasing her vitamin C intake
- Using Sinuforce nasal spray for immediate resolution of the stuffy congestion
- Echinacea for the cold symptoms and to strengthen the immune system to reduce the risk of developing a cold in the first place.
It took a good few weeks for Emily to successfully adjust to her diet, finding replacements for dairy products in health stores, and getting used to more water and less caffeine – always a big ask!
The immediate relief that she felt with Sinuforce was, however, sufficient encouragement to keep her on track with the dietary changes. She was delighted to find that her cold cleared up quickly, and this also spurred her on to pursue her new regime.
After 2 months Emily’s nasal passages were declared a congestion-free zone! Being able to breath so much more easily, she’d been encouraged to start exercising more assiduously, and was amazed at the energy she discovered.
