What Causes Chronic Sinus Infection
Multiple factors acting together usually contribute to chronic sinusitis.
People with allergies are more prone to develop chronic sinusitis. About one in five people with chronic sinusitis also have asthma. This is because the linings of your nose and sinuses are in continuation with the linings of your lungs. These people are also likely to have nasal polyps .
A bacterial or viral infection can also trigger the condition. The infection is often low grade. The bacteria confine themselves in stubborn biofilms, making it difficult for your immune system or antibiotics to find and attack them.
An overlap of additional factors such as smoking, environmental pollutants, and deviated septum, further complicate the picture of chronic sinusitis.
It would be more appropriate to say that if youre already prone to allergies and nasal polyps, it becomes easier for harmful bugs, especially fungi to penetrate your sinuses. Likewise, a weak immune system makes you more susceptible to catch bacterial, viral, or fungal sinus infection.
A sinus that is inflamed and swollen can no longer sweep away the excess mucus and harmful agents due to the blockage of tiny hairs that facilitate this function.
What Is The Treatment For Chronic Sinus Infection
When it comes to treating chronic sinusitis, theres no one-size-fits-all solution. While several treatment options are available, what works for one person may not be appropriate for the other. Hence, we tailor the treatment to each individuals needs, symptoms, and whether or not other conditions are also at play.
The goals of treating chronic sinusitis are to address the allergic causes, minimize inflammation, promote free sinus drainage, and eradicate the infection .
Here are a few potential treatment options for chronic sinusitis. We will likely try out a combination of two or more of these options to see what works best for you.
Acute Sinus Infection Home Remedies
Acute sinus infections caused by viruses usually last only 7 to 10 days.
These cases are usually treated by addressing the symptoms rather than the underlying cause .
Common symptoms of acute sinus infections include nasal congestion and blockage, yellow-to-green nasal discharge, decreased sense of smell, postnasal drip, and a feeling of pain, pressure, or fullness in the face.
To help relieve symptoms, particularly sinus pain and stuffiness, without medications, try the following recommendations:
- Drink plenty of fluids
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Should You Visit A Specialist
If your sinus infection just wont go away or keeps coming back, it may be time to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist. An ENT treats conditions of the ear, nose, throat, head, face, and neck. It may be time to see an ENT if:
- Youve completed several courses of antibiotics without success
- Your doctor suspects nasal polyps or another blockage of the nasal cavity
- You have chronic sinusitis that lasts longer than 12 weeks
Living with a sinus infection is miserable and living with a sinus infection for weeks on end is worse. Contact your doctor or an ENT to get the treatment you need.
How Do The Leukotriene Modifiers Improve Asthma Control
Montelukast , zafirlukast , and zileuton are called leukotriene modifiers. Leukotrienes are inflammatory chemicals that occur naturally in our bodies and cause tightening of airway muscles and production of mucus. Leukotriene modifier drugs help control asthma by blocking the actions of leukotrienes in the body. Studies show that these medications are helpful in improving airflow and reducing asthma symptoms.
The leukotriene modifiers are taken as pills and have been shown to decrease the need for other asthma medications. These medications have also been shown to be effective in people with allergic rhinitis and may be effective in people with both allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma.
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What Are The Best Home Remedies For Sinus Infections
There are a few simple home remedies that can be effective for relieving your pain and helping you clear your sinuses. To avoid using medications, try a warm compress on the nose and face, and flush nasal passages with a warm saline irrigation, says Dr. Elmore.
A homemade solution for nasal irrigation is one of the best home treatments for a sinus infection. You can use a syringe or a neti pot to stream a solution of non-iodized salt, baking soda, and lukewarm distilled water through the nostrils to help keep your nasal passages clean. Or, you can choose a product at your pharmacy that is already prepared and ready to mix packets.
Other home remedies for sinus infections include staying hydrated by drinking a lot of water, using decongestant nasal sprays, and inhaling steam over the stove or in the shower. Certain lifestyle adjustments may also promote nasal drainage such as sleeping with your head elevated at night or keeping a humidifier running in your home to avoid an arid environment.
To relieve pain at home, you can use a warm compress or take over-the-counter pain medications to reduce headaches and facial pain from congestion.
Throat Irritation And Cough
As discharge from your sinuses drains down the back of your throat, it can cause irritation, especially over a long period of time. This can lead to a persistent and annoying cough, which can be worse when lying down to sleep or first thing in the morning after getting up from bed.
It can also make sleeping difficult. Sleeping upright or with your head elevated can help reduce the frequency and intensity of your coughing.
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Other Remedies For Symptom Relief
Staying hydrated can help thin mucus to ease congestion.
Drinking hot liquids such as tea and broth may help relieve your symptoms. Breathing in moist air may also help relieve the discomfort that comes with nasal congestion. Try breathing in steam from the shower, a bowl of hot water, or a mug of tea.
If your voice is hoarse, rest it by avoiding yelling, whispering, and singing.
Placing a warm compress over the inflamed area can help reduce pressure and provide relief.
damages the natural protective elements of your nose, mouth, throat, and respiratory system.
If you smoke, consider quitting. Ask a doctor if you need help or are interested in quitting. Quitting may help prevent future episodes of both acute and chronic sinusitis.
Wash your hands frequently, especially during cold and flu seasons, to keep your sinuses from becoming irritated or infected by viruses or bacteria on your hands.
Using a humidifier during the cooler, dryer months may also help prevent sinus infections.
Talk with a doctor to see if allergies are causing your sinusitis. If youre allergic to something that causes persistent sinus symptoms, you will likely need to treat your allergies to relieve your sinus infection.
You may need to seek an allergy specialist to determine the cause of the allergy. The specialist may suggest:
- avoiding the allergen
- doing allergic immunotherapy
Keeping your allergies under control can help prevent repeated episodes of sinusitis.
Home Remedies To Get Rid Of A Sore Throat
In the meantime, try some of Dr. Allans tried and true ways to alleviate your sore throat, below.
1. Warm and cold fluids.
Sip on warm drinks, like tea or chicken soup. Or try cold liquids, such as ice water or popsicles. It depends on your preference and what soothes your throat best.
Liquids help clear mucous membranes, keep things flowing and prevent sinus infections, says Dr. Allan. Warm temperatures may also reduce coughs by soothing the back of the throat. Try both warm and cold to see what works best for you.
2. Gargling.
Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of salt or a similar amount of baking soda in a glass of warm water. Gargle the concoction every three hours for an all-natural sore throat remedy.
Salt water can help reduce swelling and irritation in your throat. Baking soda also soothes the throat, breaks up mucus and can help with throat-irritating acid reflux.
3. Over-the-counter antihistamines and pain relievers.
An antihistamine may dull or relieve throat pain. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen also help with pain thats located a little deeper in the glands and other parts of the neck.
Histamines are chemicals that help your immune system fight foreign substances. But sometimes they go overboard, triggering symptoms that can make a sore throat feel worse, says Dr. Allan. Antihistamines can counteract this overreaction.
4. Steam and humidity.
Take a hot shower. When it gets really steamy, breathe in the throat-clearing magic.
5. Hot toddy.
6. Rest.
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What Kind Of Doctor Or Other Healthcare Professional Treats Sinus Headache
- Frequently, sinus headaches are managed by primary care physicians including those that specialize in internal medicine, family medicine, or pediatrics.
- For complicated cases, an ear, nose, and throat specialist may be consulted.
- With unusual infections, such as fungal infections, a specialist in infectious diseases may be consulted.
What Does A Sore Throat From Post
Have you ever asked yourself where sinus drainage goes? Knowing how sinuses drain is critical to understanding why having post-nasal drip feels like it does.
Typically, your sinuses drain through your nose and your throat. The sinus drainage that goes down your throat is typically so thin and watery that you dont even notice it.
When you get sick, however, your sinus drainage system can go awry. For example, if youre congested, your sinuses are no longer draining through your nose. And typically, the mucus created when youre ill is thicker than usual. All of that combines so that more mucus that average and thicker mucus that average is making its way down your throat. As a result, post-nasal drip has its own set of symptoms.
Post-nasal drip symptoms include:
- Nausea from excess mucus draining into the stomach
- Cough, typically worse at night.
If youre not sick frequently, it may be difficult for you to tell the difference between a sore throat caused by post-nasal drip or, say, a sore throat from mold exposure. But if you are suffering from sinusitis, its a safe bet that your sore throat is likely caused by post-nasal drip.
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Natural Treatment For Sinus Infection #2 Apple Cidervinegar
Apple cider vinegar is another outstanding remedyfor a sinus infection. It contains some powerful antimicrobial properties, whichmeans it helps to kill off any bad bacteria and destructive microbes that maybe lurking in your gut and nasal passages. At the same time, it also boosts andreplenishes the supply of much needed good bacteria in these areas as well. Thevinegar in ACV also helps to break up congested mucous and provides excellent relieffrom a blocked stuffy nose, while the rich potassium content helps to dry up arunny nose. So you actually get the best of both worlds!
How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Sinusitis
Now, when you go out and purchase your apple cidervinegar, make sure you only ever purchase the raw, unfiltered ACV that stillcontains the mother apple. This is extremely important as all other applecider vinegars are processed rubbish and will not benefit you at all. Mix up 1-2tablespoons of ACV with 1 teaspoon of Manuka honey in around 8 ounces of warm,filtered water. Drink this concoction 3 times daily 10-20 minutes before food. Youcan also mix 2 teaspoons of ACV in 6 ounces of warm water and using a neti potor eye dropper, pour directly into the nasal passages. This may sting a bit fora few seconds, but its guaranteed to drain and clear your sinuses!
Can You Get Rid Of A Sinus Infection Without Antibiotics
Many sinus infections are caused by a virus like the common cold and do not require antibiotics for treatment. If you have mild symptoms, OTC medications may help relieve your symptoms until you feel better. However, consult your healthcare provider if symptoms worsen or do not improve after seven days, or if at any time you have intense/severe pain or pressure, or a high fever.
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What Are The Best Home Remedies For Postnasal Drip
Many people rely on home remedies and natural treatments to help treat their postnasal drip. Certain lifestyle changes may help prevent postnasal drip from worsening. Home remedies, natural treatment options, and lifestyle changes are all ways that people who have postnasal drip can try to reduce their symptoms. Here are some popular home and natural remedies for postnasal drip:
Anatomy Of The Paranasal Sinuses
The paranasal sinuses comprise four pairs of sinuses that surround the nose and drain into the nasal cavity by way of narrow channels called ostia . Mucus leaving the frontal and maxillary sinuses drains through the ethmoid sinuses , so a backup in the ethmoids is likely to clog the other two types of sinuses. The sphenoid sinuses are located deep in the skull, behind the eyes. Sinusitis develops when one or more sinuses become blocked.
There are millions of bacteria in our noses, and most of the time, they’re harmless. Even when a few creep into the sinuses, they don’t cause trouble, as long as they keep draining into the nose along with mucus. But if sinus drainage is blocked, glands in the sinuses continue to produce mucus, and the resulting pool of backed-up mucus provides what Dr. Metson calls “the perfect culture medium.” The bacteria grow out of control, causing infection, and the immune system kicks off an inflammatory response. The result: swelling, which causes and facial pain mucus buildup, which produces congestion and an influx of white blood cells to fight the bacteria, which thickens the mucus and may tint it yellow or green. Other symptoms include loss of smell or taste, cough, bad breath, fever, toothache, and fullness in the ears.
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What Causes Sinusitis
A sinus infection can happen after a cold. The cold inflames the nasal passages. This can block the opening of the sinuses and lead to infection. Allergies can also cause the nasal tissue to swell and make more mucus and cause sinusitis.
Other conditions that can lead to sinusitis include:
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Abnormalities in the structure of the nose
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Enlarged adenoids
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Sore throat
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Swelling around the eyes, worse in the morning
The symptoms of sinusitis may look like other conditions or health problems. Always talk to your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
What Kicks It Off
With both sinusitis and allergies, your nose and sinuses get stuffed up, but it happens for different reasons.
If you have allergies, the passages of your nose and sinuses swell because they’re trying to flush out “allergens.” That’s just a technical word for anything you’re allergic to, like pollen, mold, dust mites, and pet dander.
Sinusitis usually develops because of allergies or a cold. Sometimes, but not often, it’s from bacteria that cause an infection.
When you have allergies or a cold, your nose and sinuses get inflamed. That blocks mucus from draining, which can cause an infection — not to mention pain and pressure.
If you have allergies, you’re more likely to have sinus problems. That’s because the inside of your nose and sinuses often swell up when you breathe in triggers.
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Potent Natural Remedies For A Sinus Infection
Here’s the all-time best natural remedies for a sinus infection and sinus headache that are guaranteed to give you fast and sustained relief from the awful congestion, pain, and inflammation… with no harmful side effects!
Article by Troy Sawyer
Sinus infection or sinusitis is a horrible and debilitatingcondition that affects around 39 million people in the U.S. alone.1 It resultswhen the sinuses in the nose become inflamed andblocked, trapping the mucous and air that would normally be expelled. This inturn allows germs and other harmful organisms to enter and grow, causinginfection. A pressure build up also develops which produces severe and evenexcruciating pain in the nasal passages and surrounding areas. In fact, manysinusitis sufferers report that their head becomes so pressurized it literally feels like its going to explode off their shoulders! Not very nice at all.
What Are The Side Effects Of Inhaled Steroids
Inhaled steroids have few side effects, especially at lower doses. Thrush and hoarseness may occur, although this is rare. Rinsing the mouth, gargling after using the asthma inhaler, and using a spacer device with metered dose inhalers can help prevent these side effects. Thrush is easily treated with a prescription antifungal lozenge or rinse.
Inhaled steroids are safe for adults and children. Side effects with these anti-inflammatory asthma inhalers are minimal. Your doctor will prescribe the lowest dose that effectively controls your child’s or your asthma.
On a side note, many parents are concerned about giving their children “steroids.” Inhaled steroids are not the same as anabolic steroids that some athletes take to build muscle. These steroids are anti-inflammatory drugs, the cornerstone of asthma therapy. There are many benefits of using anti-inflammatory asthma inhalers to manage asthma.
To learn more about using inhaled steroids in children, see WebMD’s article on Childhood Asthma.
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Effective Medicine For Sinusitis
If you have a sinus infection, it may become inflamed with thicker mucus that clogs your nasal passages. Your sinus will have increased pressure from fluid buildup. This can cause bacteria to become trapped, causing further infection to your lining. This is called sinusitis and can last 3-8 weeks. If you dont find any quality medicine for sinusitis, you can develop a chronic condition that will last longer.
Ocean Saline Nasal Spray
When it comes to simplicity and safety, Ocean Saline Nasal Spray is a hard one to beat. This product incorporates very few components and uses salt as its major active ingredient. It draws out the mucus and dislodges accumulated phlegm to clear out the airways.
Ocean Saline Nasal Spray is highly effective, giving instant relief for both adults and children who use the solution. The only issue some users have with the product is that relief duration may vary, especially depending on the extent of congestion.
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