When severe allergies and chronic sinusitis cannot be controlled by standard medications (corticosteroids, antibiotics, and antihistamines), alternative therapies can be used to enhance the body’s defenses against foreign antigens. (Antigens are any substances that elicit the adaptive immune response.)

To understand how these alternative therapies work you must first comprehend how the immune system defends against pathogens or antigens. There are two main broad classes of immune responses to antigens—Humoral Immunity Response and Cell-Mediated Immune Response.

Humoral Immunotherapy- Allergy Shots and Sublingual drops

Humoral immunity occurs when antibodies are created, which are proteins also known as immunoglobulins that are specific to particular antigens. Antibodies travel through the bloodstream and bind to the foreign antigen causing them to be destroyed by white blood cells (WBC), also known as lymphocytes. The antibody also blocks the pathogen from entering or damaging healthy cells.

For seasonal allergy sufferers, allergy shots have been used by physicians to help the body develop antibodies (immunity) to combat allergens entering the body. This approach injects minimal amounts of the antigen to capitalize on our individual body’s ability to make specific antibodies to combat specific antigens. These FDA-approved injections are effective but require regular doctor visits, skin testing to determine which allergens need the be included in the therapy (there may be many to provide in a custom vaccine), and pose a small risk of a local, systemic, or anaphylactic response to the antigen when first injected. These injections are used year-round and some formulations offer some efficacy to multiple mold species.

In Europe, South America, and Asia, sublingual drops have been used effectively and offer the advantage of home administration. They are becoming more popular in the US, although, they are not FDA-approved yet.   Physicians prepare custom vaccines with the relevant allergens to be administered at home as sublingual drops. This is referred to as Sublingual Immunotherapy or SLIT Therapy. Once the antigens are administered, the immune system takes time for the body to produce the antibodies required to be effective. Since the allergens are directly introduced to the body, there are some risks that include local or systemic reactions and anaphylaxis, a serious life-threatening reaction. In addition, efficacy is dependent on the individual’s immune system’s ability to produce the immunity benefiting antibodies. This mechanism has limitations when antigen loads are high and with mold and fungus.

Cell-Mediated Immunotherapy and Sinus Defense

Cell-Mediated Immune Response does not involve antibodies, but rather activates T-cells in response to an antigen. Thymus cells hunt down and kill foreign invaders. Cell-mediated immunity is directed primarily at microbes that survive in phagocytes and microbes that infect non-phagocytic cells. This therapy is most effective in defending against fungi and some protozoans.

Cell Mediated Immunotherapy uses transfer factor to signal the T-Cells to destroy antigens. Transfer factor was discovered in 1949 by Dr. Sherwood Lawrence, who found that the fluid from white blood cells from patients who were exposed to Tuberculosis transferred immunity to patients who were not exposed to Tuberculosis. Transfer Factor is a short strand of amino acids and perhaps small amount of RNA. It is made within the Helper T-cell and tells other immune cells to make more Helper T-Cells, Natural Killer cells, and macrophages, which are white blood cells that remove infected cells.

There are many advantages to trying Cell Meditated Immunotherapy prior to, or in combination with shots or sublingual immunotherapy, or in the case Humoral Therapy does not work. For starters the results can often be felt in hours or days rather than months. Transfer Factor is effective with Chronic Sinusitis because it binds to all foreign antigens related to the condition. It is particularly successful against mold which is a causal factor in up to 93% of Chronic Sinusitis cases. And, the mechanism can be potent against large antigen loads as it directly attaches itself to the antigens

Sinus Defense™ is a homeopathic colostrum derived Lac Vaccinum that introduces Transfer Factor to the body. It was conceived after 20 years of study on the cause of chronic sinusitis. The idea was to transfer immunity to organisms that causes chronic sinus infections to humans.

The product is sprayed 2-3 times daily (actual dosage can be titrated to the patient’s needs and sensitivities) under the tongue to provide good absorption directly to the bloodstream. As a homeopathic remedy, it does not require physician allergy testing.  The sublingual spray delivery means no taking of pills or shots. And, the small spray bottle allows portability and for the spray to be administered anyplace and anytime.

For people who suffer from severe allergies to mold or chronic sinusitis, Sinus Defense™ works best in combination with beta glucan. Beta Glucans is a supplement that increases the white blood cell macrophage level in the blood thereby increasing the effectiveness of the Sinus Defense significantly because the macrophages are ready to remove the infected cells as soon as the transfer factor attaches to the organism on the cell surface.

Cell Mediated Immunotherapy is a powerful treatment for people with difficult allergies or Chronic Sinusitis that can save time, money, pain, and frustration. The patient directed treatment can make other treatments more effective by reducing the inflammation response so common in chronic disease. Patients should insist on adding this early intervention therapy as soon as the first round of corticosteroids, antibiotics, and antihistamines fail to work.

Print