Alternative Medicine for Son's Constant Stuffy Nose?

Updated on February 01, 2011
J.R. asks from Washington, DC
16 answers

Dear All, OK I have written about my 2 YO son's constant stuffy nose several times now. We have seen doctors and allergists...I am sad to see my son suffer from this condition. The drs. say he will grow out of it -- or others that we need to get his tonsils out (which I will not do until we get like 4 opinions :)

So...Mammas, I need some good old advice about how to make my son more comfortable. We have a cold water vapor thing in the bedroom. We use saline solution. We try to have chicken soup and lots of fluids...WE are active...Any other advice?

Has anyone done acupuncture for children? (It cleared up my constant sinusitis in 2 appts)
What about homeopathy?

Thank you for your advice, Jilly

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So What Happened?

Thanks to all for the great advice. My husband has agreed to allow me to try acupressure/acupuncture. I will also try to reduce dairy products...the only thing he eats dairy is yogurt...but i will try goat's milk or soy....

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T.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Try the herb nettle. Or the nutrient quercitin. You can get either in capsules (easily opened and sprinkled into applesauce or other soft foods) at Whole Foods or online at iHerb. Both work well for allergies and have virtually no side effects. Good Luck :)

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S.S.

answers from Miami on

NAET.com
Find a practitioner near you!
If you want to come up to Broward, we have a fantastic one here.

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K.M.

answers from Tampa on

Is he eating anything w/ pasterized cow's milk? If yes stop.Check out Nourshing Traditions, great cookbook, w/ amazing ideas.
Get the booklet- Eat Right 4 your bloodtype- for his blood type, and only feed him fr his beneficials.
Go for it w/ accupuncture, and homeopathy.
Tonsils are the 1st line of defense- taking them out compromises him for always.
best, k

1 mom found this helpful
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J.S.

answers from Miami on

Acupuncture and homeopathy and other forms of energy healing work fine with kids - needleless acupressure is an alternative, using light and sound to stimulate the meridians can work as well as needles and is easier for kids to do. I do energy healing with reiki (healing hands) and vibrational sound (tuning forks and singing bowls). With a chronic stuffy nose there's usually something that the child has an allergy or sensitivity to (something the child eats or smells) that is overworking and thus draining the immune system. If you haven't already checked on it you could have your child avoid wheat and dairy for awhile to see if those have an affect (or you could have immune sensitivity blood tests done to find anything that could be triggering this).

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J.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

My kids get adjusted by our chiropractor and if they are even getting a stuffy nose, etc, it clears right up. http://icpa4kids.org/Find-a-Chiropractor/ for a local chiro who adjusts kids and pregnant moms.

Acupuncture can be great, but once again find one who knows about kids.

Usually a chronic stuffy nose is caused by 1 of 2 things - allergies (which is caused by the liver not detoxing) and/or candida. Many people get yeast in their sinuses are wrongly diagnosed with "sinus infections".

I have never had an antibiotic, etc in my entire life. I was raised with "alternative medicine" my entire life, so I know a thing or two - AND I use it in my professional life.

Natrum sulphuricum 30c (you should be able to find locally and it's probably about $5) and give him 2 pellets every 2 hours while he is awake for 2 days and it should help, if not completely clear it up. Also, make sure he's drinking PLENTY of water and NO dairy. Dairy causes TONS of mucus production. Maybe try no dairy for a week.

After the 2 days of this, give him 1/2 - 1 capusle of PB8 (you can open it and dump the capsule contents into his mouth or mix it in something - my kids take it straight) at night....for a week or more. My kids and I take it every night. They haven't had so much as a runny nose for over a year. When they even start to show minor signs, I head the symptoms off at the pass...and get the still get the immunity.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

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B.S.

answers from Miami on

You might consider cutting out the dairy. My cousin's little boy was chronically congested (and had silent reflux) as a baby. They found out he had a milk sensitivity or allergy. It stinks when the same symptoms could mean so many different things. But it could be worth a try...I can't seem to remember if you've mentioned anything about dairy before with him.
The homeopath info sounds interesting too. I might try it for my daughter who gets sinus infections frequently during cold season.

1 mom found this helpful

P.W.

answers from Dallas on

Alfalfa root may help you. I grind up ten tabs a day in a pestle and drink it in my coffee. It is a natural decongestant. Let me know if you would like a link to go look at it.

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J.N.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Acupunture, no. Kids bodies are different from adults, not just smaller, and it's just too risky.

Have you tried some eucaliptis or menthol in the humidifier?

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W.C.

answers from Miami on

take him off all dairy products and possibly citrus, might be the first thing you can do and probably be told by a homepath or acupuncturist to do. i' not sure how it would work with a 2yo but while sick/congested myself, my acupuncturist advised i take a rosehip vitamin, and to make a ginger tea....boil the actual ginger then add honey and a bit of lemon. she also advised to up the vitamin c intake and to cook with alot of garlic, if i couldn't put it in the ginger tea.

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A.S.

answers from Iowa City on

My dad had a chronically stuffy nose for awhile and he started using a neti pot. It cleared up the nose issue quickly. I have no clue how you would get a 2 year old to cooperate with the use of a neti pot but I guess you could try. You could also sit him in the bathroom while you have a long steamy shower.

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J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

Instead of the nettipot try OTC saline spray. It is the same idea... Cleanning out the sinus. Also, make sure you clean out the vaporizer regularly or mold can start to grow and make sure the vaporizer is not so strong that it leaves wet areas on the rug or window treatment. Otherwise mold could grow making your son's allergies even worse.

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D.B.

answers from Boston on

The neti pot is going to be very tough on a 2 year old. He probably can't blow his nose very well and I think it will just frustrate him and/or freak him out. It's great for older kids and adults who can handle the "stuffed" feeling, hold still while it drips out, and then blow out.

Honestly, I'd put him on a comprehensive nutritional product like Reliv NOW for Kids - it's used world-wide to give kids the missing ingredients in their diet. The AMA says everyone needs to supplement because even "good eaters" don't get what they need due to pollution, depleted soils, farming techniques, and so on. Reliv has all the nutrients he needs and all together - that's key. It's made here in the US, the surprise FDA inspections are stellar, and there are no drugs or chemicals - just food. The kids' product is delicious - vanilla or chocolate, and you mix it in water, milk, whatever you want. All my friends with kids on it say their kids are done with colds, sore throats, tonsil problems, and so on. One friend's son was on a nebulizer a lot and had pneumonia-like symptoms 3 weeks out of 4 when he was 1 year old. He has been virtually illness-free for 6 years. I've met many others in the same situation.

The product is researched, based on clinical trials, has the strongest purity of anything else made, and is under the supervision of a world renowned food scientist who was on the team that developed Enfamil and ProSoBee formulas - so he knows infant nutrition. The company has received many awards for its business ethics and humanitarian efforts, and is on the board of the Council for Responsible Nutrition.

The best thing is, you buy the product from a nutritional consultant who is trained and who will help you with quantities, tips, even recipes for picky eaters. There is a 30-day guarantee and the follow-up is fantastic. There's nothing you can buy on a store shelf that has that kind of support. Any company can have a great website but it doesn't mean they are a good company. Reliv is top notch and the help you get is unmatched.

I swear by it - my family hasn't been sick in the 3 years we've been on the products. I'd be happy to help you.

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

I was also going to suggest the neti pot. Yes, it is the same basic idea as OTC spray but it sounds like you're already doing that. The only bad thing about the neti is that it's kind of rough at first. It may freak him out, but it might be worth a try. Personally I would do acupuncture before a chiropractor, but that's just me. I'm sure there are acupuncturists who deal with children specifically, but you'd have to check it out.

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C.K.

answers from Orlando on

Dear Jilly,

I am so sorry to hear about your precious baby. I can encourage you knowing that good nutrition helps everything and enhances immune function. Fruits and vegetables are key and one can put some fruit and vegetable powders into the baby's bottle or formula (please let me know if you would like more information). Lactose intolerance can be an issue so I might monitor dairy and how it affects the baby. Believe it or not, chiropractic can help too.

Cannot emphasize enough the need for "God" food. Let me know if I can help you fruther with whole food nutrition (www.vineripejuiceplus.com please check my website's 11 minute video - a picture is worth a thousand words) and we'll celebrate the victory in advance!

Best and blessings in health,
C.

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R.A.

answers from Boca Raton on

eat right for your blood type isn't really accurate blood types can change. No reason for your son to have goat's milk unless he's a baby goat. If you eliminate all dairy products (except for your lactational secretions aka breast milk), flours and sugar products you will notice a difference.

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L.D.

answers from Las Vegas on

If you aren't doing it already, start cooking more with garlic and onion. They are natural anti-inflamatories.

Ginger root clears up sinuses and mucus and you can make a yummy (to me) ginger tea with it. Just grate a 1" piece of peeled ginger root. Tie it up in a cheese cloth. Put it in some boiling water and let it simmer for 8 minutes or so. Before taking the cheese cloth satchel out of the pot, try to use a spoon to smash out all of the ginger juice out of it, using the side of your pot if possible. This will be your ginger tea. For your son, you can cool it and then add it to his juice so that he won't know that you are giving him something new.

Garlic, onion and ginger are not quick fixes. They are something you will want to do more often than not and just give it some time.

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