ENT Technologies has been a proud supporter of Asthma Australia since 2018. As makers of the Flo range of preservative-free saline nasal sprays and washes,  ENT Technologies, Australian-owned business, has provided both leading products and education to all levels of the healthcare chain for improvements in the  health outcomes of people suffering from asthma and associated conditions such as allergic rhinitis (hayfever) and related problems.

Founder and Medical Director, Dr Sam Barbalatt said; “We looked to partner with Asthma Australia because our business, products and philosophy greatly aligns with Asthma Australia’s mission. Managing nasal health is an important part of improving the health of the entire respiratory tract.”

In Australia, 1in 9 people is affected by asthma1 and around 80 per cent of them also suffer from hay fever2. Common asthma triggers include inhaled pollen, dust mite, pet dander and smoke. Respiratory viruses like the common cold can also exacerbate asthma leading to debilitating symptoms that may require time off work, school, or even hospitalisation3.

Asthma and hayfever both involve interdependent airway inflammation and sensitivity throughout the respiratory tract, which is why looking after the respiratory system including both nose and lungs is essential.

Dr. Barbalatt emphasises that “washing the nose and sinuses with a preservative-free, isotonic saline can help people with asthma (and hayfever) by reducing the levels of inhaled allergens, inflammatory proteins and viruses inside the nose and thus decreasing the degree of inflammatory response. There’s also sufficient evidence to demonstrate that, by using a preservative-free saline nasal spray or sinus wash before administering medicated nasal sprays, the medication’s effectiveness in enhanced.4  This leads to significantly improving control of both hayfever symptoms and the severity of asthma.”

Through the Asthma Australia partnership, ENT Technologies aims to encourage and empower patients with asthma to treat their co-existent hayfever symptoms, and healthcare practitioners at all levels of the healthcare system, to better manage these interdependent airway pathologies.


References:

1.https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-statistics/health-conditions-disability-deaths/asthma-other-chronic-respiratory-conditions/overview

2.https://www.allergy.org.au/images/pcc/ASCIA_PCC_Pollen_allergy_2017.pdf

3.Bousquet, J., Gaugris, S., Kocevar, V. S., Zhang, Q., Yin, D. D., Polos, P. G. and Bjermer, L. (2005), Increased risk of asthma attacks and emergency visits among asthma patients with allergic rhinitis: a subgroup analysis of the improving asthma control trial. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 35: 723–727. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2222.2005.02251.x

4.Isotonic saline nasal irrigation is an effective adjunctive therapy to intranasal corticosteroid sprays in allergic rhinitis. Nguyen S A et al. American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy Vol 28(2014) pp 1-4