Zicam Extreme Congestion Relief

I was enormously tempted to buy Zicam because of some people who swear by it...however, there do appear to be a number of people who have lost their sense of smell while using the product.  This loss may or may not be caused by the Zicam.  I looked into the product because I would love to have an effective cold/virus treatment, but a loss of my sense of smell (anosmia) is something that would devastate me.  If the anosmia is caused by the zinc in Zicam, it is my understanding that it is likely to be permanent.  A separate issue is that the product may not be an effective remedy for colds and viruses.  I have decided to not purchase the product for now, but I will take zinc tablets orally.

Much of the information I refer to came from the WashingtonPost.com in an article called "Paying Through the Nose"  "Maker of Cold Spray Settles Lawsuits for $12 Million but Denies Claim That Zinc Product Ruined Users’ Sense of Smell" (staff writer Sandra G. Boodman, January 31, 2006;

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ article/2006/01/30/AR2006013001240.html). 

Matrixx claims these lawsuits were getting too expensive to litigate so chose to settle.  Plaintiffs are not allowed to speak publicly about the suit, although some have made comments that they feel the compensation is way too low for what they are suffering.  The settlement covered 340 lawsuits.

It can be very difficult to tease out whether the anosmia is caused by the Zicam or by the virus itself.   (It seems likely that most people taking Zicam would be suffering from a virus.)  Some Zinc preparations are definitely capable of causing the disorder – some examples: it is used as to create anosmia in lab animals; it caused it in children in a polio study in 1930’s.

One doctor, a medical professor (surgical ENT) at UC San Diego, became concerned because he had two patients in one week who had taken the Zicam and, even though they were healthy and under 50 (and, hence, very unlikely to suffer from anosmia), they both did indeed have this loss of smell.

There have been three studies on the effectiveness of Zicam and they were all funded by the manufacturer.  None of the studies showed an increased incidence of anosmia; one of three showed no effect on preventing or treating colds.

The FDA does not oversee this product because it is a homeopathic remedy with a naturally occurring active ingredient (zinc).

Mattrix has redesigned the delivery pump so that the zinc cannot be delivered as high into the nose - nor as forcibly.  Since olfactory (smell) receptors reside higher up in the nose and sinuses this pump may help prevent damage to these receptors. Unfortunately, old pumps may still be on the shelves.

One other point of interest:  the Zicam patent holders have questionable backgrounds.  One, Robert Steven Davidson, received his PhD in biopharmaceutical project management from a university in Spain that was closed for violating Spanish law, and was considered (by some?) to be a diploma mill.  He met his colleague, Charles B. Hensley (a USC-PhD grad in physiology) at an LA chiropractic clinic while taking a class from him.  Hensley has gotten in trouble with the FDA for violating federal law for his internet sales of Vira 38.  He touted this as an effective treatment for bird flu and SARS. 

OK, I know I’ve put a lot in here - but I attempted not to miss any major points and to be as balanced as possible.  I hope only to post information to make you think and learn for yourself.  Although I tried to be careful, there is a chance that I have made mistakes in entering this information. If you are looking for more information via Google, it can be hard to get past all of the personal injury attorney sites.  I found that entering "Zicam smell" with "NBC"/"CBS"/... or "neurologist" got me some better information.  I hope that you find this information helpful.

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This is a wonderful post. Just one addition:

"DO NOT SNIFF ZICAM INTO SINUSES! It results in pain that penetrates the cheeks and forehead deeply lasting for 30+ hours so far and a bloody discharge. The pain is finally intermittent with breathing and is still not relieved with hydrocodone or anything else. READ THE LABEL FIRST!!!"

Source: Personal experience. Yes, I am an idiot. Just wondering if I should see a doctor.

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