How To Treat Sinus Pain
If you experience sinus pain, there are over-the-counter medications, home remedies, and lifestyle strategies that may be helpful.
If your symptoms last more than a week or keep recurring, see a healthcare provider. It could be a bacterial sinus infection, also called sinusitis, that requires a course of antibiotics or it might be migraines or another condition that requires medical intervention.
Fungal sinus infections can also occur and require surgery and/or antifungal medications.
Schedule An Exam With A Local Ent
Are you tired of chronic, recurring sinus infections? Then its time to talk to a specialist about your treatment options. Our team provides the individualized care that you deserve, including one-on-one treatment with an ENT. We get to the root of the problem with an accurate diagnosis, then custom-design a treatment plan based on the unique needs of each patient.
How Can Sinus Infections Or Sinusitis Be Prevented
Prevention of a sinus infection depends upon its cause.
- Avoid contracting upper respiratory tract infections. Maintain strict hand washing habits and avoid people who are suffering from a cold or the flu.
- Obtaining the flu vaccination yearly will help to prevent the flu and subsequent infection of the upper respiratory tract.
- In some studies, zinc carbonate lozenges have been shown to reduce the duration of many cold symptoms.
- Stress reduction and a diet rich in antioxidants, especially fresh, dark-colored fruits and vegetables, may help strengthen the immune system.
- Plan for seasonal allergy attacks.
- If a sinus infection is caused by seasonal or environmental allergies, avoiding allergens is very important. If avoidance is not an option, either OTC or prescription medication may be helpful. OTC antihistamines or decongestant nasal sprays can be used for an acute attack.
- People who have seasonal allergies may benefit from nonsedating prescription antihistamines during allergy-season.
- Avoid spending long periods outdoors during allergy season. Close the windows to the house and use air conditioning to filter out allergens when possible. Humidifiers may also be helpful.
- Allergy shots, also called “immunotherapy,” may be effective in reducing or eliminating sinusitis due to allergies. An allergist administers shots regularly for 3 to 5 years, which often produces a reduction or complete remission of allergy symptoms for years.
Also Check: Prescription Nose Spray For Sinus Infection
When To See A Doctor For Sinus Issues
If your symptoms persist more than one to two weeks, you should consult with your physician.
Youll want to check with your doctor even sooner if you have a severe case of a sinus infection including a high fever, swelling around the eyes, and red and inflamed skin, among other symptoms, Del Signore says.
In this case, or if your symptoms do not clear up within two weeks, your doctor will likely prescribe an antibiotic.
When To See A Doctor For Sinus Pain
If your sinus symptoms are not getting better with at-home treatments, and if your sinus symptoms last longer than seven to 10 days, you should see a doctor for treatment. Allina Health has many convenient care options for care, from online visits to walk-in care, to help you get better fast.
If you have frequent or reoccurring sinus infections, you may want to see an ear, nose and throat for your treatment options.
Also Check: How To Ward Off A Sinus Infection
Natural Home Remedies For Sinusitis
Sinusitis is a condition that impacts the daily lives of 1 in 10 of our family, friends, and neighbors in Scottsdale and surrounding areas. If you are one of the thousands in our community that are trying to find out how to cure sinus infections permanently, then you understand how the symptoms of sinusitis make daily life difficult. Dizziness is one of the most common sinus infection symptoms and a sinus headache follows as a close second. Sinus sufferers also struggle with symptoms such as:
- Sleep disruption
- Nasal congestion or post-nasal drip
- Breathing problems
- Facial pain
- Coughing, sneezing, runny nose
These symptoms result in countless hours of missed work/school, a loss of productivity, and impaired ability to fully enjoy all that life has to offer.
When Should You Talk To An Ent About A Sinus Infection
You should schedule a consultation with an ear, nose, and throat doctor if you are experiencing these sinus infection symptoms:
- An infection that lasts longer than 10 days
- Chronic, recurring sinus infections
- Sinus pain and pressure that is disrupting your daily activities
- At-home remedies dont work to relieve your symptoms
- Increase in pain
Family doctors or primary care physicians can help with basic sinus infection treatment by prescribing antibiotics and prescription-strength decongestants. But recurring sinus infections or chronic issues should be addressed by an ear, nose, and throat specialist also known as an otolaryngologist. Depending on your insurance coverage, you might need a referral from your primary care physician before visiting an ENT.
Don’t Miss: Get Rid Of Sinus Pressure Headache
Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Functional endoscopic sinus surgery or FESS is another approach your doctor may recommend to treat chronic sinusitis.
An ear, nose, and throat surgeon will use a special tool with a lighted camera on the end to visualize the inside of your nose.
They will then use small instruments to remove excess tissue, nasal polyps, or nasal cysts to widen your sinuses.
Your ENT surgeon will perform the procedure under anesthesia. They may use general anesthesia or conscious sedation .
Which Medications Help Drain The Sinuses
Home remedies that open and hydrate the sinuses may promote drainage. Please refer to home remedies for information about how to:
- Increase daily fluids
- Take expectorants and pain relievers
- Irrigate the sinuses with saline
If environmental allergies cause sinusitis, antihistamines may help reduce swelling of the mucous membranes. Allergens stimulate white blood cells in the blood and tissues to release histamine into the circulation, which causes nasal congestion.
- Some of the older sedating OTC antihistamines are no longer recommended because they tend to dry out and thicken the mucus, making drainage more difficult.
- Non-sedating antihistamines such as fexofenadine , cetirizine , levocetirizine , loratadine , or desloratadine do not seem to dry out the mucosa. If nasal congestion is severe, a decongestant can be added .
Recommended Reading: Neti Pot Sinus Headache Relief
Allergic Reactions To Gse
In rare cases, there have been reports of an allergy to GSE. The allergic reaction will usually present with rash, facial swelling, lightheadedness or a drop in blood pressure. If you experience such symptoms, you need to contact a doctor immediately.
Most people, however, report excellent results with no side effects, and the benefits of GSE can usually be observed very soon after taking the extract.
I am curious to know if youve used GSE in the past and what was your experience please leave your message in the comments below.
Related articles:
Also Check: Easiest Way To Get Rid Of Yeast Infection
How Is Sinus Infection Diagnosed
Diagnosis depends on symptoms and requires an examination of the throat, nose and sinuses. Your allergist will look for:
- Redness
- Discolored nasal discharge
- Bad Breath
If your sinus infection lasts longer than eight weeks, or if standard antibiotic treatment is not working, a sinus CT scan may help your allergist diagnose the problem. Your allergist may examine your nose or sinus openings. The exam uses a long, thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera and a light at one end that is inserted through the nose. It is not painful. Your allergist may give you a light anesthetic nasal spray to make you more comfortable.
Mucus cultures: If your sinus infection is chronic or has not improved after several rounds of antibiotics, a mucus culture may help to determine what is causing the infection. Most mucus samples are taken from the nose. However, it is sometimes necessary to get mucus directly from the sinuses.
Knowing what kind of bacteria is causing the infection can lead to more effective antibiotic therapy. A fungus could also cause your sinus infection. Confirming the presence of fungus is important. Fungal sinus infection needs to be treated with antifungal agents, rather than antibiotics. In addition, some forms of fungal sinus infection allergic fungal sinus infection, for example do not respond to antifungal agents and often require the use of oral steroids.
Don’t Miss: How Sinus Can Be Cured
What To Do For Sinus Pressure And Pain At Home
Here are the top 10 at-hometreatments to help ease your sinus pain and inflammation to get rid of your sinus infection faster.
How To Get Relief From Sinusitis
If youve ever struggled to find relief from a sinus infection, youre not alone. Its a condition that impacts over 30 million Americans a year. In the US alone, sinusitis accounts for roughly 70 million days of decreased activity each year.
And, it seems that everyone is looking for a quick fix so they can get on with their daily activities. That being said…
You May Like: Nasal Polyps In Sinus Cavity
Start Taking Nasal Drops
Visit your doctor to get a nasal drop that will cure the infection within a short span of time. Nasal drops with grapefruit seed extract help in alleviating swelling and inflammation inside nasal passages. If you are applying the right kind of nasal drop, then you will surely get relief from the uneasiness of having a runny nose within 2-3 days .
What Can You Expect From Gse
- Its antibacterial and antiviral but it doesnt harm beneficial intestinal flora in the intestines.
- Its natural and safe and doesnt contain any potentially harmful chemicals.
- Unlike some other treatments, it doesnt dry and dehydrate the body.
- It stabilizes the bodys pH, which has an overall positive effect on the body and aids disease prevention.
- It works as a natural antiseptic.
- Its easy to use.
- It provides the body with some additional nutrients that support health and well-being.
You May Like: Best Non Penicillin Antibiotic For Sinus Infection
Try Quercetin A Powerful Herb Youve Likely Never Heard Of
Quercetin is a natural plant component found in everything from onions and apples to green tea and red wine. Like many plant ingredients, it is an antioxidant. For sinus problems, quercetin has also been found to stabilize the cells in the body that release histamine the chemical that stimulates mucus secretion in the sinuses.
The Alternative Medicine Review article recommends quercetin as helpful for sinusitis, suggesting a typical oral dose of 400 to 500 mg taken three times per day.
How To Treat Sinusitis
With symptoms that linger, it can be hard to treat and get rid of a sinus infection for good.
Antibiotics are the standard treatment for combating sinus infections. Taken anywhere from 3 to 28 days, antibiotics help fight the bacteria. Because antibiotics dont typically alleviate symptoms, nasal decongestants, antihistamines, topical nasal corticosteroids and nasal saline can help to manage them.
Read Also: Best Thing To Take For Sinus Congestion
Sinus Infection Or Allergies
Sinusitis Symptoms , Allergies, and Common Cold are almost identical.
How can you tell which one is responsible for your misery?
Well, apparently a bacterial sinus infection lasts longer than the common cold. The mucus tends to thicken and discolor, and pressure and pain are involved in the horror story too.
Allergy Signs and Symptoms:
- Sneezing & stuffy or runny nostrils
- Clear or whitish nasal drip
- Itchy watery eyes
- Pain in the upper teeth
- Pressure or pain in upper cheeks, top of the nose, between eyes or forehead
- Stuffed nose, mucus is thick and yellow, greenish or grayish
- Symptoms last more than 10-14 days
But whatever it is, the following remedies can help either.
Treating Sinus Infections Without Antibiotics
Tomah, WI – People often want antibiotics to tackle a sinus infection but that might not be the best treatment since most infections are caused by viruses. Antibiotics fight bacteria, not viruses.
There are also complications that can develop with dependency on these drugs. The more antibiotics are used the less effective they can become, with possible side effects like dizziness, stomach problems and rashes.
Instead of turning to antibiotics, Alan Conway, M.D., family physician at Mayo Clinic Health System Franciscan Healthcare in Tomah, suggests some alternative methods of treatment. Dr. Conway says, First of all, you should give yourself enough rest. Your body needs the time to fight the infection with full force, especially in the first few days when symptoms are the most severe.
Dr. Conway also says. Watch out for over-the-counter products that contain oxymetazoline. These products may relieve symptoms for a few days, but they can cause congestion if used longer than three days. Instead, use generic pseudoephedrine pills if you are stuffed up for more than three days.
Sinus infections can turn into a bacterial infection, due to the prolonged blockage in the sinus cavity. It is not easy to determine whether the infection is viral or bacterial, considering that the symptoms are the same for both. Even if the infection becomes bacterial, 70% of the time the infection will go away within two weeks without antibiotics.
# # #
You May Like: How Do I Know If I Have Sinus Polyps
What Happens During A Sinus Infection
The sinuses are just air-filled spaces in your skull. Scientists arent completely sure why they exist, but they do lighten the skull, allow the voice to reverberate, and produce mucus that lubricates the inside of the nose.
Your sinuses connect to your nose by small drainage openings called ostia. Ostia are how air flows through the nose into the sinuses.
Though your sinuses are usually filled with air, they can become blocked and fill with fluid and mucus. When the fluid and mucus stick around long enough, bacteria can begin to flourish.
Now, this normally air-filled cavity becomes a fluid-filled pocket of infection.
If you experience persistent nasal allergies, for example, the frequent inflammation may lead to blocked passages and stopped up sinuses the perfect environment for a sinus infection.
What’s A Sinus Infection Again
So, a sinus infection is technically called sinusitis, and it’s basically the term for when your sinuses are inflamed, according to the US National Library of Medicine . As for what those sinuses are, exactly, they’re “pockets in the face next to the nose that are typically full of air,” Philip Chen, MD, otolaryngologist with UT Health San Antonio, tells Health. “These pockets have a lining of mucosa that helps keep the sinus healthy,” which is what becomes inflamed when the sinuses are infected.
Another type of sinus infection, rhinosinusitis, occurs when the lining of the sinus cavities ar swollen, along with the lining of the nasal cavity, says Dr. Chen.
As for what causes a sinus infection, it’s typically a condition that blocks the sinuses, like a viral upper respiratory tract infection , or allergies, Landon Duyka, MD, otolaryngologist at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, tells ?Health. The blockage ultimately “allows for an infection to develop and progress within the sinuses.
RELATED: Is It a Sinus Infection or a Cold? Here’s How to Tell the Difference
Recommended Reading: Will Amoxicillin Help With Sinus Infection
Inhale Diffused Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil has a strong odor that often helps patients find instant relief from sinusitis. Research has found that cineole, the main ingredient in eucalyptus oil, helps people recover from sinus infections more quickly than those who dont use eucalyptus oil. You can inhale eucalyptus oil through a diffuser, or rub some on your temples and chest to open your breathing passages. You can even use food-grade eucalyptus oil and place a drop on the roof of your mouth.
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.
Read Also: Advil Cold And Sinus Ingredients