Interview with the doctor: Effective and all-natural alternatives to dangerous OTC cold medicines

September 30, 9:30 AMSt. Louis Family & Parenting ExaminerAngela Atkinson

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Dr. Diane Heatley

As flu season arrives in St. Louis, many parents are looking for the best alternatives to dangerous over-the-counter cold medicines for both themselves and their kids.

Enter the SinuCleanse® system. SinuCleanse was created in 1997 by Dr. Diane Heatley as an all-natural defense for adults and children who suffer nasal problems and is clinically proven to reduce sinus symptoms.

This drug-free treatment can be used as often as needed and is safe for every sinus sufferer, including pregnant women, people on multiple medications and children.

Dr. Heatley sat down with the St. Louis Family & Parenting Examiner to discuss these revolutionary products.

Interview with Dr. Heatley

Examiner: What inspired you to create SinuCleanse products?

Dr. Heatley: I was introduced to nasal saline washing shortly after beginning my practice in 1993. One of my nurses, who was studying yoga at the time, introduced me to the neti pot. I began sending families to the health food store for the classic ceramic pots, and although effective, we had a lot of incidences of slippery hands dropping the fragile pots into unforgiving sinks, resulting in shattered glass. This was the beginning of the development of SinuCleanse®, as an unbreakable neti pot that also included easy to follow instructions and pre-measured dry ingredients to mix fresh preservative free saline for every nasal wash.

The SinuCleanse® system was first launched in pharmacies in and around Wisconsin. Bolstered by scientific research and positive word of mouth, sales of the product were so successful in Wisconsin Walgreen’s stores, that the retailer expanded the product’s availability to stores in 5,227 locations and 44 states.

Examiner: What products does SinuCleanse offer?

Dr. Heatley: SinuCleanse® products include:

-    The SinuCleanse® Neti Pot, the #1 selling neti pot worldwide. The SinuCleanse® Neti Pot is based upon a unique, time-tested delivery system. Developed centuries ago in ancient India, the neti pot uses the gentle flow of gravity to deliver the 100% all-natural, SinuCleanse® saline solution.

-    The SinuCleanse® Squeeze™ technology allows for the most convenient, clean and effective squeeze bottle on the market today.

-    The new SinuCleanse® Kids Mist™ allows parents to ease their infants' and children's nasal discomfort, congestion, allergies, sinus headaches and runny noses.

The 100% all-natural saline solution used with the SinuCleanse® system contains no harmful additives or preservatives. Because of this, the SinuCleanse® system can be used as often as needed to manage and prevent sinus congestion.

The SinuCleanse® system is available at leading retailers nationwide including, CVS, Duane Reade, Longs Drugs, Kroger and many other fine pharmacies, drug stores and health food stores. SinuCleanse® Kids Mist™ is currently only available in stores at Walgreens and online at SinuCleanse.com.

Examiner: How does SinuCleanse Kids Mist work?

Dr. Heatley: It is difficult to teach a small child to use the neti pot and this method is not possible with an infant – the child need to cooperate and be able to blow their nose to use a neti pot. 

That is why we introduced the SinuCleanse® Kids Mist™. The solution is pre-mixed and dispensed in a measured mist, and the bottle can be cleaned and refilled multiple times either with the pre-mixed saline solution or from SinuCleanse® dry ingredients.

SinuCleanse® Kids Mist™ produces an ultra-fine mist using a nozzle that is easy to aim and does not require touching of the inside of the nose. The pump spray mechanism prevents contamination of the saline solution in the bottle.

SinuCleanse® Kids Mist™ can be administered to infants and toddlers, and also used by older children who are resistant to the neti pot or squeeze bottle. The mist thins out the thick mucus in your child’s nose, making it easier to wipe or blow out.

The videos available on the SinuCleanse website are a helpful guide for parents using nasal washing with their children for the first time.

Examiner: Is the product an effective substitute for dangerous cold medicines?

Dr. Heatley: The primary benefit of the SinuCleanse® system as compared to medicinal sprays and pills is that it is not only effective, but all natural.  It can be used every day without fear of the “rebound” effect that is associated with decongestant sprays.  Clinical research has shown that nasal irrigation with a saline solution is, in fact, a good adjunctive therapy that can actually help reduce the need for pharmaceutical treatments.

Additionally, nasal irrigation can help control sinus and nasal symptoms over time and promotes sinonasal health by treating the root cause of the problem, rather than just treating the symptoms as medicines do.

Manufacturers of OTC pediatric cough and cold medications have recently voluntarily recalled products following FDA warnings against use of such products with children under 6. Therefore options available to parents for treatments of sinus congestion have significantly decreased. SinuCleanse® systems provide a safe alternative and contain no harmful additives or preservatives.

Examiner: Can SinuCleanse be used in conjunction with allergy medication?

Dr. Heatley: Yes. Using nasal saline to clean the nose prior to using a prescription nasal spray will improve the effectiveness of the prescription spray – since it is then sprayed on the lining of the nose where it does its work rather than being sprays onto a thick coating of mucus. Also, nasal washing has been shown to reduce the need for prescription nasal sprays, antibiotics, and allergy medications.

Examiner: Is the product safe for babies?

Dr. Heatley: Yes, Nasal irrigation with a saline solution has been shown to be safe for use in children, from newborn to 12 years old, as well as adults.

About Dr. Heatley

Diane G. Heatley, M.D., is Associate Professor of Otolaryngology and Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, WI. She has an active clinical practice in pediatric otolaryngology.