Is SONU a Sound Solution for a Stuffy Nose Instead of Steroids?

We are in the middle of the sneezin’ season! People with fall allergies know what it’s like to try to sleep with a stuffy nose. I remember waking up during ragweed season and sneezing a dozen or more times before I could get out of bed. That was when I was a kid and really suffered until the first frost. Many people now experience a stuffy nose all year round. Whether it’s dust mites (Dermatophagoides farinae) in the bedding, a cat allergy or fall pollen, swollen sinuses and a runny nose can be disorienting. That’s why we are pleased that the SONU from SoundHealth has been underwriting our podcast and newsletter for the last several weeks.

What Is SONU?

We first heard about SONU from Dr. Alan Greene. We have known Dr. Greene for decades. He is a renowned pediatrician and founder of www.DrGreene.com. That website has been providing excellent health information for families since 1995.

Dr. Greene offers this support for SONU:

“SONU is an ideal option for kids 12 and older because it offers effective, drug-free relief from nasal congestion without the use of steroids. As a pediatrician, I appreciate having a safe, non-invasive tool that supports nasal breathing and overall airway health.”

To learn how SONU works, you can go to the website and read the research about acoustic resonance therapy at this link. It is rare that such a device gets 1) this much research behind it and 2) receives FDA approval.

How Does SONU Work to Ease Congestion?

An article in the journal International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology (May, 2024) is titled:

“Acoustic resonance therapy is safe and effective for the treatment of nasal congestion in rhinitis: A randomized sham-controlled trial”

The authors write:

“Clinical studies have demonstrated that acoustic energy or vibration applied to the sinonasal cavities results in quantifiable nasal decongestion and thereby present an underexplored non-pharmacologic treatment option for nasal congestion.

“Acoustic resonance therapy (ART) is a novel vibrational treatment that delivers patient-specific resonant frequency acoustic energy to the sinonasal cavities. In a pilot study, ART was effective for the acute treatment of nasal congestion. We conducted a sham-controlled randomized trial to validate the efficacy of ART when administered daily for 2 weeks.

“ART builds on the previously demonstrated benefits of vibrational energy for the treatment of upper and lower airway disease. Specific breathing exercises that incorporate humming have been practiced for centuries and have recently been shown to reduce symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis including nasal congestion.”

CONCLUSION:

“ART was safe and effective compared to sham control in a 2-week, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled interventional study of 52 patients suffering from moderate to severe nasal congestion secondary to allergic and non-allergic rhinitis.”

There are other studies on the SONU SoundHealth website at this link.

SONU vs. Steroids, Vasoconstrictors or Antihistamines:

I have been using the SONU system for several weeks now and I find it helpful, even though I do not have allergies any more. Sometimes, though, I do find my sinuses somewhat stuffy. I am not fond of corticosteroids in my nose!

A lot of people think that they can spritz their noses with a steroid medication like fluticasone for weeks or longer and not suffer any consequences. We have written about steroid sprays and their potential impact on the sense of smell at this link. You can read about other potential side effects of steroid nasal sprays at this link.

Oxymetazoline is a nasal decongestant found in medications such as Afrin, Dristan 12 Hr, Sinarest and Vicks Sinex Severe 12 Hr). Another topical decongestant, phenylephrine, is found in Neo-Synephrine, Nostril and other spritzers. They work by constricting blood vessels.

The warning on Afrin states:

• “Do not use for more than 3 days. Use only as directed. Frequent or prolonged use may cause nasal congestion to recur or worsen.”

The last I checked, allergies last a lot longer than 3 days!

And then there are oral antihistamines:

You know these drugs by names such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine), Xyzal (levocetirizine) and Zyrtec (cetirizine), to name just a few familiar brands. We worry about long-term use of diphenhydramine because it has powerful anticholinergic activity. Some people experience brain fog. You can read about this problem in this article. We have also heard from many readers that they experience terrible rebound itching after stopping drugs like cetirizine or levocetirizine. More information at this link.

We love the idea of a drug-free approach to a stuffy nose. That’s why we are grateful this organization is supporting The People’s Pharmacy. You can learn more at SONU SoundHealth.