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February
2002
Running Away from Colds and Sinusitis
By Kitty Consolo, Ph.D.
I
spent January watching my nose do far more running than my legs! Many
of my training partners also succumbed to colds and sinus problems,
hence this month's Runner's Corner will hopefully address those of you
who suffer from such difficulties. The late George Sheehan once
wrote, "Runner's don't catch colds, they run into them." A cold is a
sign that your immune system is breaking down. Like the elevated
resting heart rate that I mentioned in last month's article on
training, colds are a signal for you to back off your training and
rest. Fevers that accompany a cold are even more serious, never try
running with one as it can spread to your heart and lead to death.
So what are some helpful ways to decrease colds, sinus problems, and
their symptoms?
Saline Rinse
I am lucky to have an allergist
immunologist (Dr. Mike Waickman, Fairlawn, OH) who has run the Boston
marathon and understands my running. A few years ago, he gave me the
following recipe for making up my own saline (salt water) rinse which
has helped immensely. The benefits include: acting as a decongestant
as it pulls fluid out of swollen membranes, helps wash crusts and
other debris from your nose so that your nose can work better, breathe
easier and opens up sinus passages. Dr. Waickman prefers that
patients make their own as the commercially available saline sprays
have preservatives which can further irritation (plus this is much
cheaper!) Here is the salt-rinse recipe:
1. Clean a 1 quart glass container.
2. Boil 2 cups of water (preferably
filtered or distilled)
3. Add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of
"pickling/canning salt." NEVER USE TABLE SALT AS IT HAS UNWANTED
ADDITIVES
4. Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
you can double this recipe if you
want.
5. Stir or shake before each use.
6. Store at room temperature.
7. Discard any left after 1 week and
make up new recipe.
You can use a little less salt if it
seems too strong.
To apply saline solution:
Get 1 of the following: bulb/ear
syringe, medical syringe (30cc), water pick or spray bottle.
1. Shake up your saline solution and
pour enough in a separate bowl to either spray into each nostril 4
times each time you use it or rinse nose (get more into nose by
rinsing with syringes than spraying)
2. Do not put your syringe or water
pick back into your full supply or it will contaminate it, just use
the small amount you have poured out.
3. Stand over a sink or in shower and
squirt saline mixture into each side of your nose. Aim for the back
of your head, not the top. Some may drain back to your mouth, just
spit it out.
4. You may feel a mild burning at
first, but it should disappear in a few days.
5. For maintenance, rinse nose 2-3
times a day or spray 4 sprays into each nostril 2-3 times a day. If
you feel cold symptoms starting, you can increase to several times a
day.
* If you use a steroid nasal spray such
as Flonase, use the spray after you have used the saline rinse. It
will get the steroid deeper into the nose.
Zinc (cold-eeze)
Studies have shown that taking zinc can
reduce cold symptoms as much as 42% if taken at the onset. To be
effective, avoid taking vitamin C or fruit juices within an hour of
the zinc and be sure you have a full stomach. Zinc can cause
nausea especially if taken on an empty stomach.
Antibiotics
Sometimes the salt rinse and zinc
are not enough and your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic. Be sure
to talk to your pharmacist about other drugs you are taking and
possible interactions. Calcium and calcium products limit the
effectiveness of many antibiotics so avoid dairy, antacids, as well as
calcium supplements for at least 2 hours within taking your
antibiotic. Also be sure to time when you take your antibiotic and
take it at regular intervals so that your body has a constant supply.
Some antibiotics also have the following precautions:
-- sun sensitivity. Wear sun screen
and be aware of sun exposure.
-- tendon weakness or damage. Do not
try to do your speed work or long runs while taking an antibiotic and
report any tendon pains to your doctor. Take an acidolopohilus,
bififidus supplement, preferably not from dairy, at least 3 hours
after taking the antibiotic. This will help prevent yeast infections,
since antibiotics also kill our good bacteria. Continue taking at
least 2 weeks after ending the antibiotic, some take these supplements
regularly.
* for women: if you are prone to
vaginal yeast infections, buy some plain yogurt with active
acidolphilus cultures (it will say on carton, Dannon is good) and
insert an ounce or two twice daily vaginally 3 hours after taking the
antibiotic. Continue at least 2 weeks after ending the antibiotic.
When to resume normal training?
One of the hardest decisions for
the avid runner to make is when to resume normal training when one has
had an illness. It is tempting to jump back in where you left off
especially if you feel good. However, it you have had a fever or
needed an antibiotic, you can quickly get sick again if you do too
much, too soon. Take the amount of days you had the fever or were on
the antibiotic and double them. This is the amount to time you should
take to ease back into training. Don't expect to pick up right where
you were before your illness struck, in fact, you may have been
over-training which is why you got sick in the first place. Increase
your weekly mileage gradually, 10% a week and the first week back, cut
back on the amount you would normally do for your long run and speed
work by 1/3 to 1/2. If you have no signs of over-training (see
January Runner's Corner) like elevated resting heart rate! Then
increase 10% a week until you are back. I know this sounds very
conservative, but I have already made the mistake of trying a track
workout just a few days after finishing my antibiotic only to end up
sick again. Best to rest and recover fully or do just easy jogging,
than to spend weeks fighting recurrent illness. If you have further
questions or concerns, see your doctor.
Hope to see you next month at a Premier
Sports event!
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