The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

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  • Recent Comments

    Archive for the 'Saline' Category

    Nasal irrigation to treat rhinosinusitis

    Thursday, December 11th, 2008

    Rhinosinusitis is an inflammation of the nose (rhinositis) and the sinuses (sinusitis).

    The Cochrane Collaboration states, “The use of nasal irrigation for the treatment of nose and sinus complaints has its foundations in yogic and homeopathic traditions. It is often prescribed as an adjunct to other treatments such as intranasal steroids or antibiotics.” (more…)

    Saline irrigation vs saline nasal spray to control nasal symptoms

    Sunday, December 2nd, 2007

    Nasal irrigation (photo) is a personal hygiene practice where the nasal cavity is flooded with warm saline solution. The goal is to clear out excess mucus and moisturize the nasal cavity.

    This study compared this technique to a saline spray in people with chronic nasal and sinus symptoms. (more…)

    Saline irrigation to treat sinus infections

    Wednesday, November 28th, 2007

    A study from the University of Nebraska reports that antibiotics are too frequently prescribed to treat sinus infections (acute or chronic rhinosinusitis).

    That’s not new, but the mention of using a salt-water rinse as treatment is worth discussing.

    (more…)

    CAM and the common cold

    Monday, January 15th, 2007

    MayoClinic.com has reviewed cold remedies that work and don’t.

    Here’s a summary of useful CAM options.

    (more…)

    Salt water to treat cystic fibrosis

    Sunday, July 9th, 2006

    The Blogs are abuzz today with talk of nebulized hypertonic saline to treat cystic fibrosis (CF). Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit has a comment and links to Dean Barnett of SoxBlog who reports his experience with saline from a patient’s perspective. The historical perspective on the treatment is interesting as well.

    Saline is not new therapy, but it has assumed a higher profile since publication of a study in The New England Journal of Medicine early this year. The authors concluded, “Hypertonic saline preceded by a bronchodilator is an inexpensive, safe, and effective additional therapy for patients with cystic fibrosis.” The accompanying editorial (summarized on Medscape) was less impressed.

    Recently, the Cochrane Collaboration reviewed the results of nine trials of nebulized hypertonic saline for CF. The reviewers concluded it “improves mucociliary clearance in short-term clinical trials and appears to increase lung function compared to control.” However, “In comparison to recombinant deoxyribonuclease it may be less effective at improving lung function after three months.”

    Maybe so, but Dean’s perspective is encouraging. “This seems like if not a miracle, something damn close to it. For years good people, the world’s best, have been pouring their hearts, souls and money into finding effective treatments for CF and generally coming up with very little. And all of a sudden, a super-promising new treatment comes along. And it’s salt water!”

    7/9/06 09:56 JR