Treating Sinus Problems With Papain and Bromelain

These proteolytic enzymes come from papaya and pineapple. I have used them as digestive aids, and they are used in some meat tenderizers - they pre-digest your meat for you. A marketer of these enzymes - see ClearEase -- now suggests that they can be used to treat sinus problems. They state that the enzymes are destroyed by the digestive process, so swallowing them would not be of much help for sinus problems. They suggested that allowing them to absorb through the cheek could be helpful. I wonder if irrigating with a solution of these enzymes would also be helpful. One of my correspondents believes that use of these enzymes, absorbed through the cheek, has helped him restore his sense of smell. Although skeptical, I have been trying them. I bought mine from a mail order firm that offered them at a price much less than that from ClearEase. These tablets may have thinned my mucus, but they did not restore my sense of smell. I should add that I did not use them as frequently as recommended (three times a day).