Scuba divers are persons who put on air tanks and descend under the sea. As they descend 30 of more feet there is additional pressure on the ear drum. It is necessary to equalize – bring the pressure inside the middle ear to equal the pressure outside the ear drum. For this, the passage from the nose to the middle ear – the Eustachian tube – must be open.

For many divers this may be difficult. For them Clear.ease lozenges were developed – Clear.ease is a combination of papain enzyme from papain and bromelain enzyme from pineapple. That combination reduces swelling or possible blockage to the Eustachian tube and allows many scuba divers to continue to dive.

Reader asks:

You recommend Clear.ease for scuba divers, singers, speakers, kids with swollen adenoids. Pilots, kids with serous otitis media. What exactly is Clear.ease for?

A. The reason Clear.ease has so many different uses is that it is a combination of two products called proteolytic enzymes. The word proto refers to product lytic refers to melts.
For example, Bromelain from pineapple has been used as a meat tenderizer for generations. When used as Clear.ease it reduces unwanted swelling and thins the thickened mucus. Papain from pineapple is also an enzyme and together they are more effective than if taken separately.

Q. How is Clear.ease different from the bromelain/papain available in stores?
Clear.ease is carefully calibrated 1 million enzyme unitis of bromelain enzyme from pineapple, and 500,000 enzyme units of papain from papaya. That way a patient can determine if one lozenge is best or if they need more. It is absorbed via the mouth; this bypasses the stomach acids for better absorption. The sum of papain and bronelain is not two, it is greater than two because there is synchrony – each one supports the other.

Q. How did Clear.ease begin?
Originally I was seeking a way for Scuba Divers to be able to dive without getting blockage of the middle ear. When you dive, you need to adjust to the increased pressure as you descend. If you can’t clear your ears, than you can’t make a successful dive.

Q. How is Clear.ease used in postnasal drip?
Generally you take one Clear.ease 4x a day and melt in the mouth between the cheek and gums. This helps to thin the mucus; being thinner, the nasal/sinus cilia can move faster and move the mucus out of the nose and sinuses.
In postnasal drip the mucus is thick. Mucus should be thin. When it is secreted in the nose it is thin, and easily moves out the nose and down the throat, carrying unwanted dust and bacteria with it. This movement is aided by the millions of tiny oars/ or cilia that beat in synchrony to move the mucus. But in illness that mucus can become thickened and difficult to move. Clear.ease thins that mucus by breaking up protein fibers that cause the mucus to be thick.

Q. How is it used for pilots and passengers?
When you fly, the pressure in your cabin changes. At ground level air is about 15 pounds all around. Flying at 33,000 feet that pressure is lower. If your Eustachian tube gets blocked at 33,000 feet due to dryness in the cabin, then the Eustachian tube is no longer open and on landing, air from the outside is heavier than air trapped in the middle ear. That causes pressure on the ear drum and pain.

Or the sinus cavities can become blocked. If the pressure inside the sinus cavity remains at 33,0000 feet once the plane lands, that is like having a five pound weight on your eye – very painful.
To prevent blockage of openings to the ears or sinuses, I recommend one Clear.ease every four hours while flying.

Q. How does Clear.ease help sinusitis and bronchitis?
In both these conditions, mucus thickens and tends to remain in place. This allows bacteria to multiply. By thinning the mucus, it can be moved out of the area faster and this speeds healing.

Q. Why do you use Clear.ease with an antibiotic?
In sinusitis, there is poor circulation to the sinus cavities and antibiotics don’t penetrate well. Clear.ease aids by reducing swelling so you get better concentration of antibiotic. In one study it aids the penetration of the antibiotic into the infected area.

Q. How is it used for TMJ?
Temporomandibular joint disease is like any swollen joint. There is extra fluid in the joint and the joint membranes are swollen. Clear.ease works to reduce both the joint fluid as well as the membranes.

Q. Should Clear.ease then be used for any painful/swollen joint?
I honestly don’t know. I myself have not done research here. There are published reports re using it in osteoarthritis, but I don’t know of any large scale clinical studies. I have had plenty of anecdotal reports of help for painful joint though.

Q. How is it used in Las Vegas?
Because of my practice at Cedars – Sinai in Los Angeles, I treat a lot of performers. Clear.ease reduces swelling of vocal cords which is very important to performers. It also thins thick mucus which can impair the voice. Therefore a lot of Vegas performers use it ant the slightest hint of hoarseness or phlegm.

Q. How is Clear.ease used in middle ear conditions?
One is called otitis media. This means inflammation of the middle ear. Since Clear.ease reduces inflammation and helps open the Euastachian tube, it can be helpful to clear the ear infection.
One middle ear condition is called Serous Otitis media. Here you don’t see pus or actual inflammation. Instead you see a pool of liquid behind the ear drum. There ear drum is not red and inflamed. However hearing is decreased because fluid fills the middle ear and prevents good movement of the ear drum. This is a common condiiton in children. Clear.ease for a child of five may be highly successful to shrinking swelling of the Eustachian tube and thereby allowing the middle ear fluid to flow out. Doctors do not like to allow this fluid to remain in the middle ear for fear it will dry out and leave scars tissue that prevents good movement of the ear drum. Clear.ease may prevent the need to perform myringotomy and ear tubes.

Who should not use Clear.ease lozenges?
Any person allergic to pineapple or papaya should not use Clear.ease lozenges.