Will Colloidal Silver Help Heal Nasal Polyps?
Because nasal polyps are often triggered by fungal infections of the sinus – usually an allergic reaction to airborne fungus – many people have written to ask me if colloidal silver would be helpful in reducing the size of their nasal polyps or eliminating them altogether.
After all, colloidal silver is a very effective anti-fungal agent. However, the polyps that grow in the nasal passages due to fungal infections are not themselves fungal. They’re composed of human tissue, which is to say, human cells that are triggered by the underlying fungal infection to become inflamed and over-grow.
In past years it was thought that colloidal silver, used in the nasal passages as a wash (via a neti pot, or via a nasal spray bottle or similar implement) would not have any significant effect on the polyp itself, even though it would probably eradicate the underlying fungal infection.
That’s potentially changed, however, with the advent of a new study demonstrating that “respiratory epithelial cell inflammation” can be tamed using nanosilver.
While the new information has not yet been fully confirmed in humans because the study was a simple laboratory test tube study and not a human study, a number of people are claiming they’re experiencing profound relief from nasal polyp size or growth simply by washing their nasal passages with colloidal silver.
Here’s what we know so far…
Hi, Steve Barwick here, for The Silver Edge…
A clinical study published in the journal International Immunopharmacology in November 2011, conducted by researchers from the Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine in South Korea, demonstrated that nanosilver has anti-inflammatory affects on ‘respiratory epithelial cell inflammation,’ i.e., nasal polyp cells.
That basically means nanosilver can reduce the inflammation of nasal polyp cells, which is often caused by allergic reactions to fungal spores breathed in through the nose.
This, of course, was a test tube study, and not a real-life human study. But here’s what the researchers said:
“Nano-silver is well known for its anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties, however the anti-inflammatory effects of nano-silver have not been well studied…
…In this study, three common pathogenic materials were used to initiate the inflammatory response in nasal epithelial cells. This study was undertaken to investigate the potential clinical usefulness of nano-silver on respiratory epithelial cell inflammation.
Nasal polyps were obtained from eight patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery [and] the nasal polyp epithelial cells were isolated using protease digestion methods.”
After the nasal polyp cells were taken from nasal polyps, isolated, and then stimulated using chemicals known to induce nasal polyp cell inflammation (i.e., known as cytokine production), the researchers found that nanosilver, at only 1 ppm, produced a whopping 90% reduction in cell inflammation. They wrote:
“…cytokine production was inhibited by 90% at concentrations of 1 ppm of nano-silver.”
The researchers further found that when nanosilver concentrations were raised above 10 ppm, the inflamed nasal polyp cells died. They wrote:
“…cell survival was found to be significantly decreased at nano-silver concentrations exceeding 10 ppm.”
According to the researchers:
“…at safe concentrations [i.e., 1 ppm] nanosilver can inhibit the activation of NPECs [i.e., nasal polyp epithelial cells – ED].
This finding suggests a novel pharmacological rationale for the treatment of airway inflammation and/or immunological disease.”
So the bottom line is this: At lower concentrations of nanosilver (1 ppm), inflammation of chemically stimulated nasal polyp cells was inhibited. And at higher nanosilver concentrations (i.e., over 10 ppm), it appears the chemically stimulated nasal polyp cells were killed.
The researchers concluded that:
“Respiratory epithelial cells are the first mucosal cells exposed to environmental stimuli associated with airway inflammation.
Fungi have often been associated with allergic bronchial and sinonasal diseases, their proteolytic activity leads to the production of proinflammatory cytokines by direct activation of the epithelial cells.
Silver is one of the most effective antibiotic substances known and has been used to treat human ailments due to its natural antibacterial and nontoxic properties.
[The nanosilver was demonstrated to] effectively inhibit the inflammation associated with allergy and infections. The chemical mediator production was strongly inhibited at concentrations over 1 ppm of nano-silver.”
Overall, this appears to be good news for those whose nasal polyp growth or inflammation is being stimulated by allergic reactions to things like fungal pathogen spores breathed into the nose.
And this is altogether fascinating to me, because, while low levels of colloidal silver are known to be safe and even protective for healthy cells (see here), silver is also known to have an affinity for killing cells that are growing out of control (such as cancer cells – see here).
Indeed, there have been some fifty different clinical lab and animal studies demonstrating silver to cause the death of cancer cells or reductions in the size of cancer tumors, while causing relatively little harm to surrounding healthy cells (for more information on this topic, see my book, Colloidal Silver & Cancer: a Surprising Look).
So perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising to find – at least in test tube studies – that silver at low concentrations (i.e., 1 ppm) is effective against the inflammation of cells that make up nasal polyps, and at higher concentrations (i.e., over 10 ppm) might be effective against the growth and proliferation of such cells.
Naturally, much more clinical research will have to be conducted before this idea can be considered conclusive. And because the additional research has yet to be done, no one knows for sure how much, or how long, colloidal silver would have to be used in the nasal passages of people with nasal polyps to see significant shrinkage of nasal polyp size, or even eradication of the polyps, or if it’s even at all possible.
There are safety issues that remain undetermined, as well. After all, the long-term effects of coating the sinuses with silver particles day-after-day have simply not been determined. So there might be deleterious effects, over the long-term.
That’s why I always advocate for the safe, sane and responsible usage of colloidal silver. Overuse of silver, over long periods of time, has been known to cause problems ranging from argyric skin-staining to potential neurological damage.
What People Are Saying…
Nevertheless, some people with nasal polyps have been experimenting with the idea of using colloidal silver as a nasal wash for their nasal congestion and polyps, and here’s what a few of them are saying in online forums:
According to a writer on EarthClinic.com, colloidal silver can indeed be used for nasal polyps that have an infectious basis. He wrote:
“By using on a regular basis colloidal silver to knock out the oft-occuring sinus infections we can keep the sinus cleared of the congestion, postnasal drip and running nose because those three are the by– products of the infection.
The polyps will not grow or will die off with constant irrigation of a silver solution. I use silver in my sinus cavity whenever I feel any sign of post nasal drip or runny nose; sign of a cold; congestion like a stuffy nose.
I use an ear syringe to squirt the colloidal silver (gently) into my sinus cavity and there will be a stinging on the dominantly infected side.”
And according to a writer on ColloidalForum.com:
“I have to say that the colloidal silver did offer me some relief and also my nasal polyp on the right has decreased dramatically (or enough to where I can’t see or feel it).
I am still congested (mostly in the mornings) but I do have some airflow through both nasal passages and my sinus pressure (while still considerable in the am) is nowhere near as bad.
I had gotten used to waking up every morning and feeling as though someone was shoving a knife into my eye sockets. Monday night I went to bed and for the 1st time in a long time, I was able to breathe through my nose w/ my mouth shut.”
According to a writer on SurvivalistBoards.com, some people also use colloidal silver after having nasal polyp surgery, in order to prevent any recurrence of the fungal infection (and, I assume, to help stop polyps from coming back). He wrote:
“I was plagued with sinus infections before I had surgery to remove a few thousand polyps. Afterwards, I still got infections and had to watch myself carefully so as not to get too far gone before starting antibiotics.
Later, I discovered colloidal silver, which totally knocks out a sinus infection almost immediately. I swear by it and it’s all I use. I haven’t used antibiotics for many years now.
In my experience, the neti pot [used with colloidal silver] is good to keep infections away simply because it keeps you clean but once an infection takes hold, the neti pot alone has not been enough to cure an infection. A couple of good shots of Afrin works, too, but the colloidal silver is the best by far, in my opinion.”
As you can see, some people are using colloidal silver to wash their nasal passages in order to help reduce the size of nasal polyps, and others are doing the same in order to help prevent re-infection and stop nasal polyp development from being triggered again.
Using Colloidal Silver in the Sinuses
There are a number of informational resources one might want to view on the topic of using colloidal silver in the sinuses, including the following two articles and two short “how to” videos:
None of the above information should be taken as “prescriptive” in nature, of course. It’s just news, and experiential accounts, for now. But I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for any more evidence that silver might be effective against nasal polyps.
Meanwhile, if you have nasal polyps that are blocking normal air flow and/or fluid drainage, or causing other potentially serious problems, be sure to see a specialist.
Learn to Make Your Own
Colloidal Silver for Pennies…
Colloidal silver can be purchased at just about any local health food store, or through a number of online sources including Amazon.com. However, it’s quite literally one of the most expensive and heavily marked-up natural supplements in existence.
Health food store owners, for example, often charge as much as $20-$30 for a tiny four-ounce bottle. Yet the cost to manufacture four ounces of colloidal silver is about 12 cents. Yes, I said twelve cents.
Of course, people are willing to pay through the nose for colloidal silver, since it’s safe and natural, and works so well against infections and related diseases.
But thankfully, there’s no need to pay such exorbitant prices for colloidal silver, when you can make your own, quickly and easily, in the comfort and privacy of your own home, for about 36 cents a quart.
Yes, you can make it yourself for its actual cost, and altogether skip the high mark-ups charged by health food stores!
If you’re interested in learning how to make your own safe, natural, high-quality colloidal silver at home, for about 36 cents a quart, here are some additional short articles you might want to take a look at:
Meanwhile, I’ll be back next week with another insightful article on colloidal silver….
Yours for the safe, sane and responsible use of colloidal silver,
Steve Barwick, author
The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual
Helpful Links:
FREE Colloidal Silver Safe Dosage Report
Colloidal Silver Secrets Group on Facebook
Make Your Own Colloidal Silver for Pennies
.999 Pure Silver Wire for Making Colloidal Silver
Subscribe to the Colloidal Silver Secrets Ezine
Videos on Making and Using Colloidal Silver
Real-Life Colloidal Silver Success Stories
Colloidal Silver Update (News & Views)
The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual
The Colloidal Silver Secrets Video
Colloidal Silver Cures MRSA
Colloidal Silver Kills Viruses
Colloidal Silver Secrets blog
Meet Steve Barwick
Colloidal Silver
Important Note and Disclaimer: The contents of this Ezine have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Information conveyed herein is from sources deemed to be accurate and reliable, but no guarantee can be made in regards to the accuracy and reliability thereof. The author, Steve Barwick, is a natural health journalist with over 30 years of experience writing professionally about natural health topics. He is not a doctor. Therefore, nothing stated in this Ezine should be construed as prescriptive in nature, nor is any part of this Ezine meant to be considered a substitute for professional medical advice. Nothing reported herein is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The author is simply reporting in journalistic fashion what he has learned during the past 17 years of journalistic research into colloidal silver and its usage. Therefore, the information and data presented should be considered for informational purposes only, and approached with caution. Readers should verify for themselves, and to their own satisfaction, from other knowledgeable sources such as their doctor, the accuracy and reliability of all reports, ideas, conclusions, comments and opinions stated herein. All important health care decisions should be made under the guidance and direction of a legitimate, knowledgeable and experienced health care professional. Readers are solely responsible for their choices. The author and publisher disclaim responsibility and/or liability for any loss or hardship that may be incurred as a result of the use or application of any information included in this Ezine.
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