How Do I Massage My Sinus To Drain
Find the area between your nasal bone and the corner of the eyes. Hold a firm pressure in that spot with your fingers for about 15 seconds. Then, using your index fingers, stroke downward along the side of the bridge of your nose. Repeat the slow downward strokes for about 30 seconds.
Prop up your head so you remain elevated. Sleeping with your head elevated can help drain mucus and relieve sinus pressure. Lay on your back and use an extra pillow to prop up your head.
How To Relieve Sinus Pressure
Sinus pressure can feel like pins and needles when youre trying to sleep. Its hard to get comfortable, much less rest and when you have a cold or sinus infection, you know you need plenty of that. The following steps can help reduce sinus pressure, paving the way to peaceful zees.
With a pillow, that is. When you’re dealing with sinus pressure, you may notice that your symptoms amp up during the night and for good reason. When you lie flat on your back, mucus gathers in your sinuses, increasing pressure when you have an infection. To counteract this, prop up your head with an extra pillow. This helps reduce pooling of mucus and makes breathing much easier.
If allergies are to blame for your sinus pressure, consider taking an antihistamine before bed. This type of medication works by blocking substances called histamines, which trigger symptoms such as sneezing or runny nose. Taking one near bedtime can be a win-win because some varieties make you sleepy. If your symptoms are caused by sinusitis, however, avoid antihistamines unless prescribed by your doctor otherwise, they could thicken your mucus.
Use Gadgets To Help You Breathe
Run a humidifier or vaporizer all night to release moisture into the air. Steam can loosen congestion and keep your head from drying out. Besides helping you breathe easier, moist air can soothe irritated tissues in your nose and ease sore throat pain as well. Be sure to clean and disinfect your humidifier regularly to get rid of germs.
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When To See Your Doctor
A stuffy nose typically isnt cause for alarm. Its usually caused by seasonal allergies or temporary bouts of the common cold, flu, and sinusitis.
Although most people can treat a stuffy nose at home, certain groups should see their doctor for diagnosis. This includes:
- infants
- adults age 65 and older
- people who have a compromised immune system
Even if youre not in one of these groups, you should see your doctor if your symptoms last for more than a week or get progressively worse.
You should also see your doctor if you experience:
- difficulty breathing
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Why Does Post Nasal Drip Make Sleeping Difficult
Your nose, throat, intestine, and other parts contain glands that continuously make mucus.
The nasal mucus usually gets mixed in with your saliva and doesnt bother you.
However, when you face issues such as sinusitis, deviated septum, cold, older age, flu, and whatnot, the mucus can become thick.
This thicker mucus then drips down into your throat from the back of your nose and causes a sore throat.
This process is known as Post Nasal Drip, and it is incredibly uncomfortable.
Especially when youre trying to relax and sleep, it can cause a lot of problems.
Lets take a look at how does Post Nasal Drip makes sleeping difficult?
Hum Your Way To Sinus Pain Relief
Some people report that humming for one hour improves sinus pain, says Das. Researchers in Sweden have found that humming can keep your sinuses clear. How could that be possible? Humming may increase both airflow through your sinuses and the level of nitric oxide in your sinuses. The combination of nitric oxide and airflow may reduce your risk of sinusitis. So if you have a common cold or allergies, want to prevent a sinus infection, and know a happy tune that you dont mind hearing for an hour, you may want to try a little humming.
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How Do You Sleep Better With Post
Postnasal drip, even in its mildest form, can interfere with sleep. If youre reading this right now, its likely that youve tossed and turned in bed for hours because youve had signs of postnasal drip.
Lets explore some of the proven techniques to alleviate symptoms and promote a good nights sleep, no matter how awful you may feel.
Remember that the steps that can be taken to promote a good nights sleep can be divided into 3 groups:
- Foods and drinks that relieve symptoms
- Lifestyle changes that can provide relief
- Medications for postnasal drip
- The best sleeping positions
Catch Some Zs Again When You See The Glatz Group Of Valley Ent
If your sinuses do not go away after trying the approaches mentioned above, you are welcome to set up an appointment with us where you can either have your symptoms addressed online through our telemedicine services or via phone call if you are in need of a procedure done in our office.
We will continue to keep our office a safe, clean space for our patients and staff members alike amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read Also: Does A Sinus Infection Require Antibiotics
Keep Your Bedroom Cool And Dark
When youre sick, small things can keep you from getting much-needed sleep. For example, you might feel more sensitive to fluctuations in light or temperature.
Keep the temperature in your bedroom cool and opt for light covers. Use blackout curtains to ensure outside light doesnt affect your sleep.
Problem #: Your Sleeping Conditions
Imagine your bedroom and answer the following questions:
- Are your pets sleeping with you at night?
- Do you drink caffeine before bed?
- Do you drink alcohol before bed?
- Hows the air in your room is it dry?
- Do you go to bed dehydrated?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might have discovered a factor that is affecting your sinuses .
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How To Ease The Pain Of An Ear Infection
Unfortunately, children do not know how to sleep with an ear infection. When an ear infection occurs, there are several things that can be done to soothe your child until you can see the pediatrician.
Catch Some Zs With Balloon Sinuplasty
Answering the question, Why are my sinuses worse at night? isnt always easy, and addressing your symptoms might take a multipronged approach. If youve lost more nights than you can count to sinus problems caused by sinusitis, allergies, sinusitis and sleep apnea, sinus problems and snoring, nasal polyps or even a deviated septum, it may be time to consider balloon sinuplasty.
As mentioned previously, balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive, in-office procedure that takes less than 20 minutes and provides long-lasting sinus relief. During the procedure, your doctor inserts tiny balloons into your sinus cavities via your nasal passages. When these balloons are expanded, healthy drainage is restored.
Dr. Napoleon G. Bequer of Sinus Solutions of South Florida, a leading Florida ENT, has performed balloon sinuplasty on thousands of Tampa and West Palm Beach-area patients. Hes given them the opportunity to take their life back from chronic sinus problems.
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Making Proactive Changes To Your Sleeping Environment
Do you have a blocked nose at night only? If you do, making the following adjustments in your bedroom may help alleviate your congestion.
- Keep your pets out of your bedroom, especially if you are allergic to pet dander or dust.
- If the air in your house tends to be dry, purchase a humidifier. This suggestion is especially relevant during the winter months when the air is often drier.
- Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine before bed. Both can make you dehydrated, which can aggravate your sinuses.
- On that same note, do what you can to stay hydrated. Hydration will help you feel better overall, but it can also work to alleviate some sinus pain.
Eat Chicken Noodle Soup
Your grandmothers cold remedy might have something to it. Research suggests that chicken soup may have medicinal benefits, including a mild anti-inflammatory effect.
While the results arent conclusive, chicken soup doescontain important nutrients and improves hydration. In other words, having a bowl of chicken soup in the evening cant hurt.
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A Quick Refresher: Does Nasal Congestion Cause Sleep Apnea
Before we dive deeper into sinusitis and sleep apnea, lets back up a little and discuss how the two conditions are connected. While the relationship between nasal congestion caused by chronic sinusitis and sleep apnea is still being researched, most ENT doctors agree that the two are linked.
The most understood means by which sinusitis is linked to sleep apnea has to do with a patients anatomy. In fact, patients with a nasal obstruction caused or exacerbated by sinusitis will almost certainly fail a sleep study. Nasal obstructions can cause sleep apnea can interfere with the use of sleep masks.Additionally, anatomical problems such as a deviated septum or nasal polyps create less than ideal conditions within your sinus passageways, which in turn can lead to the occurrence of either chronic sinusitis, sleep apnea, or both.
Note that sleep apnea can be worsened by non-chronic sinusitis related nasal congestion, such as allergies or even a cold. For more information, we recommend reading up on the difference between sinusitis and a cold and making sure you know how to answer the question, What is chronic sinusitis?
Can A Cpap Machine Cause It
Quite the contrary! But first, well provide some background. A CPAP machine is what people with sleep apnea use to help keep oxygen flowing through their air passages.
Whats interesting about tinnitus and sleep apnea is that they seem to go hand in hand with many people who have tinnitus also having a sleep apnea diagnosis. However, the CPAP machine could help, rather than exacerbate a ringing ear. The reason is that it could equalize the pressure in the middle ear. However, this is still speculation, and more research needs to be done to prove this theory.
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Can Allergies Cause Insomnia
Suffering from allergies, also termed allergic rhinitis, can cause breathing issues and other frustrating symptoms that lead to trouble sleeping when severe. Allergens such as dust, pollen, pet dander and mold can easily linger in the air and on surfaces in the home or bedroom. If you are sensitive to an allergen or irritant, exposure can trigger the bodys production of histamine chemicals as a response. These histamines are what cause symptoms like uncomfortable itching and sneezing, which can make relaxing and falling asleep difficult.
The symptoms of allergies that most commonly lead to sleeping problems are the inflammation and excessive mucus that also stem from the bodys histamine response. This often leads to a stuffy or runny nose, a dry or swollen throat, and other symptoms that make it very difficult to breathe easily while asleep. The inflammation and mucus caused by year-round or seasonal allergies can contribute to snoring while asleep. It can even worsen sleep apnea, a condition where the sleeper momentarily stops breathing throughout the night.
If your insomnia and sleeping problems are connected to allergies, you may also experience:
Getting Sleep With Chronic Sinusitis & Sleep Apnea
If you have chronic sinusitis, getting a good nights sleep is a crucial part of your recovery. Thats why having chronic sinusitis and sleep apnea is such an exhausting predicament.
Whether your sleep apnea is brought on by a nasal obstruction worsened or caused by sinusitis, or you struggle with sleep apnea even when your sinuses are under control, these tips and treatments may help you find some relief.
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Neti Pots And Nasal Irrigation
An increasingly popular option for treating a stuffy nose before bed is nasal irrigation. This is usually done with a neti pot, a container specially designed to flush water through your nasal passages.
To use a neti pot, you fill the container with a sterile saltwater mixture. This mixture can be purchased premade, or you can make your own with distilled or boiled water. Leaning over a sink and turning your head sideways, you pour water into your top nostril and let it drain out the bottom one.
You then repeat the process on the other side. By doing so, you flush the mucus out of your nose and reduce stuffiness. In addition to neti pots, you can use specially-designed squeeze containers to irrigate and rinse your nasal passages.
Neti pots can be effective, and some people swear by them. However, its vital that the solution you use is fully sterile, and that you completely clean and sterilize the device after using it, otherwise it could introduce more bacteria into your sinuses that can lead to serious infections.
Finding An Effective Bedtime Routine
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How A Pharmacist Can Help With Sinusitis
A pharmacist can advise you about medicines that can help, such as:
- salt water nasal sprays or solutions to rinse out the inside of your nose
You can buy nasal sprays without a prescription, but decongestant nasal sprays should not be used for more than a week.
Some decongestant tablets also contain paracetamol or ibuprofen. Be careful when taking painkillers and a decongestant. Do not take more than the recommended dose.
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Reasons Behind Nighttime Congestion
Stuffiness has two main causes. One is excess mucus blocking the nasal passageways. The other is swollen and/or inflamed blood vessels inside the nasal passages. Both of these issues can be worse at night.
Nighttime congestion is sometimes a matter of human anatomy and gravity. With some health conditions, lying down makes symptoms worse. Many people notice that congestion starts to improve an hour or two after they get up in the morning. That’s often gravity doing its work once again.
Part of the reason congestion may feel worse at night is that you might be too distracted during the day to notice how stuffy you really are. But that’s not the whole story. There are a few other factors that contribute to increased stuffiness at night.
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More Tips To Get Rid Of A Stuffy Nose
Avoiding a stuffy nose at night can begin with prevention during the day. In general, to clear a stuffy nose, the overall best daily practices include: