342: What Causes Sinusitis + Triggers Nose Rashes? Your Nasal Microbiome w/ Dr. Anastasia Stocker

The Healthy Skin Show

Did you know that what’s living up in your nose could be a trigger for what causes sinusitis? The nasal microbiome is a vast new frontier and when things are out of balance, there is a ripple effect that can drive inflammation not just in the sinuses, but also in your body.
So yes, a dysbiotic or imbalanced nasal microbiome can be a trigger for chronic nose rash, sinus yeast infection symptoms, and even chronic skin rashes like eczema and psoriasis!
Now, I want to reiterate that it is normal to have bacteria and certain fungi as part of your sinus microbiome. Just like how you need diverse bacteria for a robust gut microbiome and oral microbiome! It is when certain bacteria overgrow in the sinuses that you might start noticing problems, like chronic sinus infection, a sore throat that seems to have no cause, and even nasal thrush.
Similar to how a dysbiotic gut microbiome can cause digestive problems, and an unbalanced oral microbiome can cause eczema around the mouth.
And that’s what this episode is all about. Dr. Anastasia Stocker and I are diving deep into the sinus microbiome and the cascade of issues (some of these are REALLY surprising!) that can occur if the bacterial community up there becomes unbalanced.
Dr. Stocker is a Naturopathic Physician and Acupuncturist with clinical expertise in autoimmune diseases and digestive wellness. Her interest in autoimmune disease was born of her clinical observations that gastrointestinal dysfunction and environmental toxicity are a major contributor. Additionally, Dr. Stocker is the current Vice President of the Gastroenterology Association of Naturopathic Physicians and practices at Aria Integrative Medicine in Seattle, WA.
In This Episode:

• Hidden triggers of what causes sinusitis
• Meet your sinus microbiome!
• Candida overgrowth in the nose (aka. Nasal thrush)
• Causes of imbalanced nasal microbiome
• Could your sinus microbiome be to blame for nose rash or eczema around mouth?
• Causes of facial pain and pressure (Is it a sinus infection or something else?)
• How to test your sinus microbiome
• Thoughts on whether probiotics, herbs, or essential oils are safe to use inside your nose
• Suggestions to support your nasal microbiome

Quotes
“Just like in your gut or in your mouth, you have a microbiome in your sinuses and in your nose.”
“We're kind of coming to understand that changes in the microbiome can trigger autoimmunity in the nose. And then what are the implications of that systemically? So with things like psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis, things like eczema, we see these all have connections with altered microbiome in the sinuses.”
Links
Find Dr. Stocker online | Instagram | Instagram
AirDoctor HEPA Air Purifier
Healthy Skin Show ep. 309: Ear Inflammation + Ear Infection (How To Get Ear Pain Relief) w/ Dr. Haley Overstreet
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/falgy.2021.737086/full
https://www.annallergy.org/article/S1081-1206(18)30375-2/fulltext