Section
4
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ANOSMIA (Loss of sense of smell)
SYMPTOMS—One does not detect odors. This can occur either temporarily or regularly.
CAUSES—This occurs when one has a cold or rhinitis (nasal inflammation, resulting from colds or allergy).
But when it is chronic, then it has one of several causes: a lack of zinc in the diet, an injury, a tumor, or a stroke. Zinc will not help in those cases.
TREATMENT—
• Take 30-60—generally 50 mg—of zinc, 3 times a day.
ENCOURAGEMENT—What love, what amazing love! That the King of glory would humble Himself to save fallen humanity! Come, fall before Him just now, and give Him your life anew.
NASAL CATARRH—1 (Rhinitis; Runny, stuffy nose)
SYMPTOMS—Rhinitis is the inflammation of the nasal passages, producing nasal congestion and increased secretion of mucous. The nose is runny or stuffed up. When a person drinks enough water, the nose is runny; when not enough has been taken, the nose is stuffed and one has to breathe through the mouth.
CAUSES—This condition accompanies a variety of problems, including the common cold.
TREATMENT—
• Obtain adequate rest, an adequate fluid intake, and a well-balanced diet. Increase the amount of vitamin A, as well as the other vitamins.
• Eucalyptus oil is an old-fashioned treatment, long in use. Other helps include German chamomile, scotch pine, and cayenne pepper.
• An important aspect is not to blow hard—and unintentionally force phlegm up the eustachian tubes. This can lead to ear infection.
• Beware of decongestants; they can hurt the nasal lining.
—Also see "Nasal Catarrh—2," "Common Cold," and "Catarrh 1."
ENCOURAGEMENT—By yielding your will to Christ, He will hold you fast. You will have strength and determination to live a clean life, and resist temptation to sin.
NASAL CATARRH—2 (J.H. Kellogg, M.D., Formulas)
(1) ACUTE Catarrh (Acute Coryza) —
GENERAL TREATMENT—Sweating bath at bedtime, followed by a short cold application: Wet Sheet Rub; Cold Towel Rub; Cold Douche; Hot Foot Bath, with very hot compress to the face; Steam Inhalation; and water drinking.
TO PREVENT—Cold Bath daily or twice a day; out-of- door life; avoid excessively warm clothing and warm living, or warm sleeping rooms, in the winter. Wear linen next to the skin in summer and winter.
(2) CHRONIC CATARRH —
BASIC CONSIDERATIONS—Avoid taking cold. And when an acute catarrh is contracted, eliminate it as soon as possible.
INCREASE ACTIVITY AND TONE OF THE SKIN—Short sweating procedures, especially the Radiant Heat Bath and Wet Sheet Pack continued until the sweating stage, followed by short cold applications: Wet Sheet Rub; Shallow Bath or Cold Douche; Neutral Bath at bedtime, 20-30 minutes, 3 times a week; daily Cold morning Bath; Cold Towel Rub; Cold Shower or Shallow rubbing Bath. All sweating baths ought, if possible, to be taken just before retiring at night.
IMPROVE NUTRITION AND LIFESTYLE—Avoid indigestible, spicy, foods and meats. Eat simply of wholesome food. Obtain needed out-of-door exercise, sunbaths, and swimming.
RELIEVE NASAL CONGESTION—Alternate Compress to the face; Alternate Sponging or Compresses to the upper spine; Cold Foot Bath under running water if the extremities are cold.
GENERAL METHOD—Build up the general health by tonic measures, employing Friction Tonics, at least twice daily. Avoid Hot Baths and too warm clothing. Expose the body, as much as possible, to the open air, but use great care to avoid taking cold by undue exposures; gradually train the body to the point of enduring exposure without injury. (Drink enough water to keep the mucous in the nose thin, so it can easily flow out without clogging the passageways. Do not blow your nose, lest mastoid infection occurs).
—See "Nasal Catarrh—1."
NOSEBLEED (Epistaxis)
SYMPTOMS—The nose bleeds.
CAUSES—Physical injury, excessive dryness causing the nasal surface to crack, scratching with the fingernail, blowing the nose hard, sudden change in atmospheric pressure.
TREATMENT—
Anterior nosebleeds (from the nose itself) are most common:
• Blow out the clots, then sit in a chair and lean forward without tilting the head back. (If you lie down or lean backward, you will swallow blood.) Put a small piece of wet cotton (or cloth) in the nose and pinch lightly on it for 5 minutes. Then apply cold washcloths or an ice pack to the nose, cheek, and neck. (Another suggestion is to have him lightly sniff cold water with a little salt or lemon juice added.)
• Then apply vitamin E oil (or petroleum jelly) to the inside of the nose. Lie back and rest for a time. If the nosebleeds are serious enough to warrant it, rest as much as you can for two days.
• The rupture in the blood vessel that caused the nosebleed requires 7-10 days to completely heal. When the bleeding stops, a clot forms and then becomes a scab. Do not pick it loose.
• Make sure you are getting enough vitamin K in the diet. It is found in all dark greens. Put lactobacillus acidophilus in the colon. It will synthesize, and thus increase, the amount of vitamin K in your body.
• Be sure to take enough vitamin C. Calcium, magnesium, alfalfa, and vitamin E are also important.
• When the nose dries out excessively, nosebleed can occur. Try increasing the humidity in the room. Consider purchasing a humidifier. Smoking dries out the nasal membranes.
• Medicinal blood thinners can cause nosebleeds. Blood thinner drugs are what you find in D-Con rat poison.
• White oak bark (or bayberry or ephedra sinica) tea is an astringent. It can be snuffed up the nose before inserting the cotton.
• A little cayenne can be swallowed in some water. This will draw blood away from the head to the stomach.
The other type is the posterior nosebleed:
• This occurs in the elderly, and is caused by high blood pressure. The bleeding starts in the rear of the nose, and runs down into the throat. The blood pressure must be lowered! Increase water intake and see a physician.
• Keep in mind that a posterior nosebleed is far better than having a blood vessel rupture from high blood pressure—inside the cranial cavity. Then you have a stroke!
Whichever type of nosebleed may occur, here are additional suggestions:
• Those with frequent nosebleeds should take extra iron. It is needed to make hemoglobin. Rutin is also needed.
• Avoid oral contraceptives. Anything that changes estrogen levels can make you more prone to nosebleeds.
HYDRO—Here are several treatments for nosebleed, discussed in the author's book, Water Therapy Manual ( see order sheet):
• Contrast Bath to the Hand or Arm. Two very deep pails may be used. The hot water should be as hot as can be borne (p. 114).
• Hot Foot Bath. This can also be used to stop a nosebleed (p. 116).
• Cold Plantar Douche. This is a cold water spray to the bottom of the feet (p. 166).
• Ice Bag to back of the neck; short hot Fomentations to the face (p. 218).
• Ice to the back of the neck; Hot Compress over face; ice to hands; elevate hands to vertical position, if necessary; Hot Foot Bath or Hot Leg Pack; very Hot Nasal Douche (p. 224).
ENCOURAGEMENT—If we are in Christ, we are heaven-bound. So we must not seem mournful to those around us. Rejoice, for every day is one day nearer heaven! Do all you can to be a blessing to those you come in contact with.
NASAL CUTS AND INFECTIONS
SYMPTOMS—Efforts to pick at the inside of the nose, to clean it out, will occasionally result in cuts inside which sometimes become mildly infected for a time.
CAUSES AND TREATMENT—
• It is easy to get into a habit of picking at the nose, even when there is no reason to do so. People sometimes feel driven to pick at the nose, imagining they will somehow make it super clean.
• But unwashed fingers in the nose can result in cuts which infect for a day or two. (Infection from contaminated hands is even more likely if you have a dog or cat in the house.)
• The solution is simple enough: Routinely wash your nose out with water in the bathroom every morning. This only takes a few seconds, but it will remove the sometimes sticky mucous in there. The urge to afterward pick at the nose will be lessened.
• Teach yourself, whenever possible, to leave your nose alone.
ENCOURAGEMENT—All around us, souls are hungering for Christ and a knowledge of how to be saved. Do all you can to be a help to them. They need you to help lead them to God. In His strength, you can do it.
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