At Home Treatment Sinus Infection

Choose The Right Medication

Over the counter pain medication is not all created equal. You may have one that you like to take when you throw your back out or have a headache, but be careful about the one you choose for a toothache. Again, most dental pain is associated with inflammation. Take an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen as directed. Its usually all you need to get by until your scheduled appointment.

How Do You Treat Chronic Sinusitis

Whether it is seasonal allergies that return every year like clockwork, or naturally small nasal passages that do not drain readily, some people find that chronic sinusitis is a part of life. In these cases, proactive treatment with decongestants and antihistamines can help to stave off the sinus congestion that can give rise to an infection.

Changes to your home environment such as eliminating dust and mold where possible and using a humidifier can all help provide relief as well. Many people who have recurring or chronic sinusitis also make use of steam therapy or neti pots to keep their sinus passages hydrated when symptoms begin. In extreme cases, having a doctor who knows your symptoms and knows when to give prescription medications may be necessary.

Naturally Treating A Sinus Infection At Home

The key to sinusitis relief is to promote natural mucus drainage from the sinus cavities. This drainage can be achieved by reducing the swelling and eliminating the blockage. The most common natural remedies for sinus congestion include the use of sterile water to break up the obstruction so that mucus can drain as intended. Two options for introducing water into nasal cavity involve the use of steamed water or a sinus rinse.

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Know When To See Your Doctor

If natural remedies dont help with the sinus pain, your doctor may perform a CT scan of your nose and sinuses to look for blockages. If your sinus pain lasts for over a week and you have also developed a fever, you should see an ear, nose, and throat specialist. A more aggressive form of treatment may be required.

How Do You Get Rid Of A Sinus Infection Naturally

For those who want to limit their intake of all medications, including over-the-counter drugs, there are several natural home remedies that can provide relief from sinus pressure.

Many home remedies for sinus infections rely on hydration of the nasal passages. This can take the form of anything from holding a warm compress to your face, keeping your head over a bowl of hot water to breath in the steam, or even taking a hot shower. Increasing the amount of moisture in the nasal cavities can help flush irritants out of your nose, which will reduce your inflammation.

One of the most popular ways to treat a sinus infection at home is with the use of a neti pot. This treatment involves nasal irrigation where the sinuses are flushed with saline solution or distilled water either by pouring water from a neti pot or injecting it carefully into the sinuses with a bulb or syringe.

Just because nasal irrigation with a neti pot or small syringe is natural does not mean it is universally safe. It is vital that you use distilled water, as further infection can result from untreated tap water being placed in the sinus cavities. The infections caused by improper use of a neti pot have resulted in death, and for this reason some medical professionals are hesitant to recommend this treatment.

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Oily Recipe For Sinus Relief With Essential Oils

If youre looking for an ole-fashioned remedy to clear your sinuses, try this recipe! All you need are some essential oils and a few ingredients you probably already have on hand. Simply mix together 1 tablespoon of lavender oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon oil, and 1 tablespoon of eucalyptus oil in a small bowl, pour into a spray bottle, and mist your face and chest every few minutes during the day. This mixture is also great for relieving congestion.

Restorative Treatments For Toothaches

In most cases, your toothache will be caused by dental decay, in which we will recommend one of the following restorative treatments:

Get a dental filling. If you have a cavity caused by exposed nerves in the tooth, it can lead to a great deal of pain, which can easily be treated with a dental filling. To protect the nerves, we will remove any of the decay by drilling around the cavity, then fill-in the area with a bonding material, which will restore the tooth and protect the nerves from causing pain.

Root canal therapy. Oftentimes, toothaches are caused by dental abscesses, which occur when the pulp of the tooth gets infected. For patients dealing with an abscessed tooth, we will recommend root canal therapy. During root canal therapy treatments, we will clean the inside of the tooth to remove the infection, drain the abscess, then fill the tooth and cover it with a dental crown to protect the tooths natural structure. Contrary to popular belief, root canal therapy treatments are no longer as painful as they once were, due to improvements in anesthetics and dental technology.

Dental extraction followed by a dental implant. In cases where a tooth is too decayed or infected to repair, our only option will be to extract the tooth to alleviate pain. After extraction, we will recommend a dental implant, bridge, or denture restoration to take the place of the lost tooth.

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Symptoms Of A Tooth Infection

The most obvious symptom of a tooth infection is pain. Intense, sharp, or shooting pain in a tooth is a good indication that there is an infection that needs to be dealt with. Some of the other common symptoms of a tooth infection are:

• Severe, persistent, throbbing toothache that can radiate to the jawbone, neck or ear

• Sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures

• Sensitivity to the pressure of chewing or biting

• Fever not associated with flu or another illness

• Swelling in your face, cheek, or jaw.

• Tender, swollen lymph nodes under your jaw or in your neck

• Sudden rush of foul-smelling and foul-tasting, salty fluid in your mouth and pain relief, if the abscess ruptures

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing

How Do I Treat A Toothache At Home

For temporary relief of a toothache, you can do the following:

• Rinse with warm saltwater. Saltwater can loosen debris between your teeth, act as a disinfectant and reduce inflammation. Stir a ½ teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water and rinse your mouth thoroughly.
• Rinse with hydrogen peroxide. A hydrogen peroxide helps to reduce inflammation and pain. Dilute the hydrogen peroxide with equal parts water and rinse thoroughly. Dont swallow it.
• Cold compress. For swelling and pain hold a cold compress of ice wrapped in a towel to the painful area for 20-minute periods. Repeat every few hours.
• Pain medications. Over-the-counter pain medications can reduce pain and inflammation. NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen can be used, or take acetaminophen if you cant take NSAIDs. Dont give a child under the age of 16 aspirin use Tylenol instead.

Natural or herbal treatments

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How You Can Treat Sinusitis Yourself

You can often treat mild sinusitis without seeing a GP by:

• getting plenty of rest
• taking painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
• avoiding allergic triggers and not smoking
• cleaning your nose with a salt water solution to ease congestion

You do not need to use all of the solution, but make a fresh solution each time you clean your nose.

What Types Of Treatments Are Available For Ear Infections

Many children recover from ear infections without medical intervention. However, your doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics depending on the cause and extent of your childs infection. Usually, treatment includes several days of amoxicillin, azithromycin, or augmentin. You may also need to treat a ruptured eardrum with antibiotic or anti-inflammatory eardrops.

If your child is experience severe ear pain, your doctor may suggest using an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen or acetaminophen to manage discomfort and aid in sleep. If pain continues, prescription eardrops may be available to anesthetize the eardrum so long as there is no drainage from the ear.

Some parents find that home remedies are effective for alleviating discomfort during an ear infection. Examples include applying a warm compress to your childs ear or putting a few drops of warm olive oil into the ear canal. However, you should never place anything inside your childs ear without first consulting his or her doctor.

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Sinus Infection Home Remedies Recommended By A Doctor

Philip Scolaro, MD

You probably dont give too much thought to your ability to breathe through your nose until you wake up with a sinus infection and that ability is gone!

Sinus infections, sometimes called acute sinusitis, can steal your joy pretty quickly.

A lot of viruses start with nasal symptoms. If you have a scratchy throat, congestion, and a runny nose, youve probably got a virus on your hands.

Causes & Risk Factors

Any health situation that blocks off the vital drainage channels of your sinuses can cause a sinus infection including:

• Respiratory infections like the common cold
• Hay fever or exposure to allergens such as cigarette smoke, dry air and pollutants
• Obstructions in the nasal or sinus cavities including nasal polyps, deviated septum, or nasal bone spur
• Non-allergic rhinitis
• Infections resulting from dental problems
• Physical injury to the sinuses
• Bacteria, viruses, and fungi

The five most common bacteria that can cause sinus infections are: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes.

Risk factors for sinus infections include:

• Having asthma
• Being in the hospital, especially if the reason you are in the hospital is related to a head injury or you needed a tube inserted into your nose

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Surgery For Chronic Sinusitis

Chronic sinusitis, which is an infection that lasts for 12 weeks or more, requires more intense treatment. You may need multiple rounds of antibiotics or, in rare cases, surgery.

Sinus surgery helps open up the nasal cavities so that the sinuses can drain better. The goal is to help prevent recurring, severe sinus infections in the future.

Most people dont need the surgery, but it may be recommended if you have repeated infections, have followed multiple courses of treatment with no improvement, or if you have a polyp in your nose that blocks your sinuses from draining.

When you feel symptoms of a sinus infection coming on, its best to begin with at-home treatment right away. Keep up with compresses, and avoid food or drinks that can make inflammation worse, including alcohol.

To learn more about treatment options for sinus infections and other sino-nasal disorders, please visit the UPMC Sino-Nasal and Allergy Center website.

Mouthwash And Nasal Spray

Mouthwash and nasal spray are effective home remedies for sinus infections. Both products contain eucalyptus oil, which helps to cleanse and dry the mucous membranes. Mouthwash also contains antibacterial agents, which help to fight infection. Nasal spray can be used to relieve congestion and inflammation of the nose. Both products can be purchased over the counter or at pharmacies.

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When To Call For The Doctor

A sinus infection while pregnant can give you a good scare. It is not necessary to call for the doctor during every sinus attack. But you must go to the hospital if you face any of the below-mentioned symptoms:

• If you are coughing up green or yellow mucus, it is advisable to visit a doctor.
• If you have a fever exceeding 101F, immediately call for the doctor.
• If you have trouble sleeping or have lost appetite for quite a few days, do visit your doctor.

Sinus infection while pregnant can take its toll on a mothers health. Sinus infection remedy while pregnant includes fluid treatments, nasal drops, head elevation, and proper nutrition.

About Ear Nose And Throat

Ear, Nose, and Throat Services at UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside ranks among the best nationally on U.S. News & World Reports listings. Our team includes board-certified physicians and highly skilled speech-language pathologists and audiologists. We treat a variety of ear, nose, and throat conditions in both children and adults and provide both surgical and non-surgical options. Our doctors also take part in research and clinical trials. We have locations throughout western Pennsylvania for patient convenience.

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What Are The Common Home Remedies To Treat Sinus Infection

The nine common home remedies to treat sinus infection include:

• At-home vaporizer or humidifier: It may help relieve sinus symptoms. Sometimes a hot shower may also relieve sinus symptoms.
• Use of lavender essential oil, peppermint essential oil, and eucalyptus oil while breathing steam may relieve nasal pressure.
• A warm compress over the nose and forehead helps relieve sinus pressure.
• Use of 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 nasal passages clean. Also, a patient may choose a product from a pharmacy that is already prepared and ready to mix from packets.
• Drink warm water to stay hydrated.
• Drinking warm ginger tea with turmeric may help relieve nasal congestion.
• Drinking warm water with apple cider vinegar may help in fighting a sinus infection. Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial and antifungal properties and is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, calcium, and magnesium which aids in treating sinus infection. It works by loosening up the mucous and clearing nasal passages.
• Eat a balanced diet that also includes spices, and a diet rich in vitamin C and minerals help build immunity to fight infection.
• Sleep with the head elevated at night or keeping a humidifier running at home to avoid an arid environment may help relieve sinus pressure.

What Causes A Tooth Infection

The primary cause of a tooth infection is dental caries, or tooth decay. Your mouth is full of bacteria all the time, but usually that bacteria doesnt get inside your teeth where it can cause an infection. When decay causes cavities and cracks or holes in your teeth, bacteria can seep into your teeth and cause a tooth infection. An infection can also happen if you have an injury to your tooth that causes a crack or a chip in the tooth. Keeping your teeth strong and healthy through regular brushing and flossing can help prevent decay and infections.

Infection can happen in different parts of the tooth. Sometimes the infection occurs on the side of the tooth if there is an opening there and that can cause the infection to spread to the gums. Pockets of pus called abscesses can form around the infection that will need to be drained by the dentist for the infection to go away.

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What Causes Sinus Infections

There are four pairs of sinuses in the area around your nose, located above your eyes, behind your eyes, alongside the bridge of your nose, and near your cheekbones. Normally, your sinuses are empty. However, when they become inflamedoften due to allergies or a viral infection like the common coldthey can swell up and prevent mucus from draining out as it usually would. The resulting buildup of mucus provides the perfect breeding ground for germs, which can in turn lead to the development of an infection.

Although sinusitis normally results from a viral infection, it can also be caused by a bacterial infection. Its difficult to distinguish between the two, since many of the symptoms overlap, but a trained medical provider will be able to pinpoint the specific cause of your condition. Its important to know the difference, since antibiotics could be used to help treat a bacterial infection, while they would have no effect on a viral infection.

You May Be Able To Treat It Yourself

If you are dealing with acute sinusitis you may be able to manage your symptoms on your own with saline nasal sprays, over-the-counter pain relievers and decongestants. If your sinus infection is due to allergies, you may be able to make simple lifestyle changes that can improve your allergies, which in turn can improve your infection. Other at-home sinusitis treatment options include,

• Drinking lots of water to flush out toxins
• Using a humidifier in your bedroom
• Applying warm compresses to the face
• Using a neti pot to flush out bacteria and germs from the sinuses
• Getting lots of rest
• Stocking up on vitamin C

So, when is it time to turn to an ENT expert for your sinus problems? Its time to turn to a specialist if,

• You arent sure if your symptoms are due to a sinus infection or something else
• Your symptoms are accompanied by a fever that lasts more than 3 days
• Your symptoms persist for more than 10 days
• Your symptoms are getting worse
• Your symptoms return

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