Sinus & Ear problems + Iron overload

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More from Dr. Feldweg:

Q: I have a serious sinus problem, which puts fluid in my left ear. I have used

every drug prescribed by my doctor, and nothing has helped. I cannot be tested

for allergies because of the interaction with my blood pressure pills. I have

suffered like this for over a year. Please tell me what else I can do.

A: I would say that you and your provider should turn your attention to what is

causing the serious sinus problem that you have, since you are not getting

relief from symptomatic treatments. There are very few sinus conditions that

cannot be treated, though many cannot be completely cured. It may be that your

ear will only improve once the problems with your sinuses have been addressed.

If you have not done so already, I would talk to your primary provider about a

referral to an otolaryngologist (an ear, nose, and throat doctor), an allergist,

or both.

An otolaryngologist should examine you if you have had persistent fluid in one

ear for over a year. A CT scan or MRI of the sinuses would also be in order. You

may have sinus polyps, chronic infection, or something localized that is keeping

your eustachian tube (the tiny channel connecting your inner ear to the back of

your throat) on that side from functioning properly.

More info from Dr. Feldweg on her advice for sinus and ear problems:

http://www.everydayhealth.com/publicsite/index.aspx?puid=2c89d1f9-2e0e-4402-81fc\

-4be5f13bd0f7 & p=1 & xid=nl_EverydayHealthAsthmaandAllergies_20090521

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Patients who have become transfusion dependent have the additional worry about

the possibility of iron overload. I am sharing this article because I found it

interesting and my dentist has this condition.

" Hemochromatosis (a.k.a., iron overload disease) is a disorder that causes the

body to metabolize iron improperly, allowing too much to enter the blood stream.

As a result, excess amounts of iron in the blood can be absorbed or stored by

the body, causing serious tissue and organ damage if not removed. Most people

who develop hemochromatosis have inherited a gene that predisposes them to this

disorder. (Rarely, it can also develop as a result of receiving multiple blood

transfusions or taking excessive amounts of iron supplements.)

" More than one million Americans have hemochromatosis, and, for a set of

complicated reasons, men are about ten times more likely to have this condition

than women. Symptoms of hemochromatosis usually don't show up until middle age

and include:

a.. chronic fatigue

b.. arthritis

c.. bronze skin tone

d.. signs of hypogonadism (e.g., impotence, infertility, missed periods,

decreased sex drive, sparse body hair)

e.. an abnormally enlarged liver

f.. diabetes

g.. heart disease

" The seriousness and life-threatening potential of hemochromatosis emphasizes

the importance of early diagnosis (before symptoms appear) and treatment,

especially since many people at risk don't even know that they have it or carry

the gene. If caught in time, hemochromatosis is a completely manageable disease.

" Since hemochromatosis is a recessive trait, it is expressed only if both

parents contribute a recessive gene to their offspring. What does this mean for

you? As your mom has hemochromatosis, it is likely that you already carry the

gene. Your risk of having hemochromatosis then depends on whether or not your

father's side of the family has a history of the disease and if your father is a

carrier of the gene.

" To find out, you (and your mom's blood relatives) need to be screened for

hemochromatosis. Fortunately, detection is simple and treatment is effective.

Your health care provider can measure the amount of iron circulating in your

system with a simple blood test. If your levels are high, follow-up tests,

including genetic testing with a genetic counselor, can be ordered to confirm

the diagnosis.

More at this website and you can follow up on a link to find out how much iron

you are getting from foods cooked in iron pots and what should not be cooked in

an iron pot. I learned something new from this article today:

http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1840.html

FYI,

Lottie