Survey shows sinus sufferers fed up with over-the-counter drugs; The ‘search for sinus relief’ finds answers in alternative remedies

MADISON, Wis. (November 22, 2004) – The recent Searching for Sinus Relief survey finds that 69 percent of sinus sufferers are confused by the choices for over-the-counter drugs. More importantly, 82 percent of respondents said that the drug remedies they have tried do not provide long-term relief for their sinus problems. Med-Systems Inc., producer of the SinuCleanse® nasal wash system, sponsored the survey, conducted in October 2004, to find out if current drugstore sinus remedies are helping the over 70 million Americans with sinus problems.

"This survey shows that more and more people are overwhelmed and unsatisfied with sinus drugs," said Dr. Diane G. Heatley, pediatric ear, nose and throat physician and president of Madison-based Med-Systems. "There is an enormous demand for effective and safe remedies, but people do not know where to turn."

According to the survey, people fed up with drugstore clutter and drugs that do not work are willing to try alternative remedies – and are finding relief. Eighty-one percent of those surveyed who have not tried alternative remedies said they would be willing to try one in order to relieve nasal congestion. Of those who have tried an alternative remedy, 77 percent said that it helped their symptoms.

"Some drugs are counterintuitive. It doesn’t make sense to dry up a stuffy nose – that just traps in the germs in thick mucus," said Heatley. "On the other hand, non-drug remedies like nasal washing thin out the mucus. This opens the nasal passages and makes it easier to breathe, providing relief and long-term success in managing sinus problems."

Nasal washing is a relatively new concept for mainstream Americans – and is catching on quickly. After years of helping her young patients cope with sinus pain, Heatley learned of a treatment called a neti-pot used in the practice of yoga for centuries. Heatley developed a mainstream version of the neti-pot, the SinuCleanse® nasal wash system.

The SinuCleanse® system is a gentle, effective nasal wash for adults and children who suffer from sinus and nasal problems. It helps to relieve symptoms caused by sinus infections, allergies and the common cold including congestion, irritated nasal passages, nasal drainage, post-nasal drip, cough, and sinus headache. The system uses natural saline solution to gently wash nasal passages. It soothes and moistens the sinuses, improving breathing to help people feel better naturally, without drugs and without side effects.

Retailers are also picking up on the trend for all-natural remedies. Walgreens now sells the SinuCleanse® system in all of its U.S. stores.

"At one time, mainstream shoppers thought organic foods were strange, and now they’re available at all the big grocery stores," said Heatley. "I think more people are looking for natural approaches to health, and as a result, more alternative remedies like SinuCleanse® nasal wash are becoming widely available."

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted online with a random sample of 1,783 adults across the country – all members of the CyberPulseTM Advisory Panel. The Advisory Panel has been carefully selected to closely match US population demographics. Research was conducted in October 2004. The overall sampling error for this survey is +/- 2.5 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence.

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Med-Systems Inc., founded in 1997, has national headquarters in Madison, Wis.