How Do You Clear Sinus Congestion

How Are Sinus Headaches Diagnosed

Most of the time when people diagnose themselves with a sinus headache, its really a migraine. So, its important to see your healthcare provider to get an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Your healthcare provider will perform a physical exam and ask about your symptoms. If your symptoms are severe or ongoing, you may also need imaging tests. A magnetic resonance imaging test can rule out serious brain conditions. Multiple imaging tests can reveal sinus blockages and include:

• Computed tomography scan.
• Nasal endoscopy .

How Do I Get Rid Of A Sinus Headache

To get rid of a sinus headache, you have to treat the underlying cause. But you can take steps to ease sinus pressure and pain at home:

• Apply a warm compress to painful areas of the face.
• Use a decongestant to reduce sinus swelling and allow mucus to drain.
• Try a saline nasal spray or drops to thin mucus.
• Use a vaporizer or inhale steam from a pan of boiled water. Warm, moist air may help relieve sinus congestion.

Sinus infection

Viruses, bacteria and sometimes fungi cause sinus infections. Viral infections often go away on their own. But if your infection is bacterial or fungal, you need antibiotics or antifungal medications. Your healthcare provider may also recommend other medications to ease discomfort, such as:

• Antihistamines to prevent allergy symptoms.
• Pain relievers to ease headache pain.
• Steroids to reduce inflammation.

Migraines with sinus symptoms

Sinus headaches that are actually migraines need a different type of treatment. The first step is to relieve your pain. You should know that frequently using over-the-counter medications when you have a headache can cause even more headaches .

Your provider may recommend prescription medication for migraine pain. You may also need a preventive medication that helps you have fewer migraine attacks.

What Can I Do About Recurring Sinus Headaches

Many sinus headaches, especially those that recur, are actually migraines. But its smart to see your healthcare provider to figure out the cause of your headaches.

You may find that the best long-term solution is figuring out what triggers your migraine headaches so you can avoid them. Its helpful to keep a headache diary to track potential triggers. Triggers you can control include:

• Specific foods, such as chocolate, red wine or strong cheese.

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Causes Of Sinus Congestion

• Viral Sinus Infection. Part of the common cold. A cold infects the lining of the nose. It also involves the lining of all the sinuses.
• Bacterial Sinus Infection. A problem when the sinus becomes infected with bacteria. . It starts as a viral sinus infection. Main symptoms are increased sinus pain or return of fever. The skin around the eyelids or cheeks may become red or swollen. Thick nasal secretions that last over 14 days may point to a sinus infection. This can occur in younger children.
• Allergic Sinus Reaction. Sinus congestion often occurs with nasal allergies . Sneezing, itchy nose and clear nasal discharge point to this cause.

How Do You Clear Sinus Congestion

When it comes to over-the-counter treatments, medicines that contain paracetamol, to relieve fever and pain, and phenylephrine, an effective decongestant to help you breathe. Theraflu® Nighttime Multi-Symptom Severe Cold Hot Liquid Powder can help you get back to your best self, fast. Sometimes antibiotics may be prescribed by your doctor to help treat bacterial cases of sinus infection.5

However, for those experiencing more subtle symptoms of sinus congestion, there are self-help steps you can take to relieve symptoms. For example, you can moisturize your sinuses by taking a hot shower and breathing in the warm, moist air to help mucus drain and relieve pain.5 You can also rinse out your nasal passages by using a specially designed squeeze bottle or neti pot.5 One of the most important tips to remember to help with any congestion, or just when youre feeling sick, is to rest. With enough rest, you can help your body fight off inflammation and recover more quickly.5

You should contact a doctor if you notice that sinus congestion includes any discharge that is green, yellow or consistently bloody.3 Furthermore, if you experience a fever with sinus congestion, you may have a type of infection that requires immediate care from your doctor.

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Sinus Massage Techniques That Reduce Congestion

• Health Across Oklahoma

The paranasal sinuses are small, air-filled spaces in your skull. They help filter and moisten the air you breathe and lighten the weight of the skull. The paranasal sinuses also help produce the sound of your voice and provide support for your face and eyes.

Whenever youre sick, the sinuses become obstructed with mucus. This blockage causes congestion and can lead to intense pressure and headaches. While there are nasal sprays and medications to treat symptoms, some simple massage techniques at home can provide you with relief.

Warm Compress Is Not Good If:

• You have an ear infection. This remedy should not be practiced as the conditions might worsen. The symptoms are yellow discharge from the ear
• You have a slight fever because of ear pain or cannot turn your head in the opposite direction from the affected ear. It is mandatory that you consult an ENT expert as soon as possible.

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Know When Its Time To Visit A Doctor

Usually, nasal congestion is temporary and resolves on its own. Schedule a visit with us if you experience nasal congestion that lasts longer than 10 days or congestion that seems to go away only to come back. We can perform a comprehensive evaluation to get to the bottom of your symptoms.

Although weve provided some practical tips for managing nasal congestion with over-the-counter products, its wise to speak with a doctor beforehand. Your symptoms could be a sign of an underlying condition.

For an evaluation and to discuss your symptoms, us to schedule an appointment at one of our six Southern ENT locations. Our offices are located in Thibodaux, Houma, Raceland, Morgan City, New Iberia, and Youngsville, Louisiana.

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How To Unclog The Inner Ear Or Eustachian Tube

This article was co-authored by Payam Daneshrad, MD. Dr. Payam Daneshrad is a board certified Otolaryngologist, a board eligible Facial Plastic Surgeon, and the Owner and Director of DaneshradClinic in Los Angeles, California. With over 19 years of experience, Dr. Daneshrad specializes in adult and pediatric Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, packing-less nasal surgery, minimally invasive sinus surgery, and snoring treatment. He also uses the newest surgical ENT techniques for tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, thyroidectomy, and parathyroidectomy. Dr. Daneshrad graduated with a BS and the highest honors from the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from Tulane University School of Medicine, where he was accepted into the AOA, the medical honors society, and the Tulane University School of Public Health. Dr. Daneshrad received his medical training from the University of Southern California, where he currently serves as an Associate Clinical Professor. Dr. Daneshrad is the Otolaryngologist and Facial Plastic Surgeon for the Los Angeles Sparks and the athletic teams of Loyola Marymount University.There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 50 testimonials and 87% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 4,199,214 times.

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Take A Second For A Mini

Massages do wonders for the rest of our bodies, so why not try a mini-massage when you feel a “knot” of sinus pressure building in your head? According to massage therapist Heather Wibbels, you can pull fluid from the head with a few quick rubs.

Use your fingertips to push firmly against the notch of your collarbone repeatedly to get the fluid moving downwards. According to Wibbels, you’ll know the process is working when you feel a need to clear your throat and your ears might also suddenly open up when the pressure releases.

If this is uncomfortable, Wibbels also suggests a different method. Crossing your hands, you can make a “V” shape and use the same pumping motion on the sides of your neck to get the lymph fluid to release. Both this action and the fingertip pulses create suction in the lymphatic system, which vacuums the fluid residing in your sinuses downward and away from the head.

Read the Theory and Practice of Therapeutic Massage to learn more about therapeutic massage.

Apply Pressure Across Your Eyebrows

If you feel your stuffed sinuses climbing up into the higher reaches of your head, you might want to try a different pressure point to clear both the nose and the upper sinuses.

Massage therapist Amber Lynn Vitale explains that by moving across the eyebrows, you can encourage the movement of “stuck” fluid.

Place your fingers at the beginning of each eyebrow, close to the center where they don’t meet, and lean forward, with your head resting on your fingers and your elbows on a flat surface. After a few seconds, when you feel the pressure shift, slide your fingers to the middle of each eyebrow.

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Hold there until you once again feel a slight lightness, and then move your fingers to the end of each brow. Here, Vitale suggests either holding a steady pressure or running your fingertips in tiny circles to stimulate the flow of fluid away from the forehead. Once things get flowing, you’ll feel the pressure in the center of your head disperse.

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Should You Pour Peroxide In Your Ear

Hydrogen peroxide can cause skin irritation and blistering. It can even cause burns at concentrations over 10%. Using too much hydrogen peroxide can irritate the skin inside the ear, leading to inflammation and earaches. People should not use ear drops if they have an ear infection or a damaged eardrum.

How To Do A Sinus Flush

The first step is to create a saline solution. Typically, this is done by mixing warm, sterile water with pure salt, known as sodium chloride, to create an isotonic solution.

While you can create your own saline solution at home, its recommended that you purchase over-the-counter premixed saline packets.

Its crucial to use sterile water for this step. This is due to the risk of a serious infection with a parasitic amoeba called Naegleria fowleri. Once this amoeba enters the sinuses, it makes its way to the brain and causes a fatal infection.

You can sterilize your water by boiling it for a minute and then allowing it to cool.

To clear your sinuses, follow these steps:

If youve recently had sinus surgery, resist the urge to blow your nose for four to seven days following the procedure.

• severe headache

• stinging in the nose
• sensation of ear fullness
• nosebleeds, though this is rare

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Causes Of Nasal Congestion

Congestion is when your nose becomes stuffed up and inflamed. Minor illnesses are the most common causes of nasal congestion. For instance, a cold, the flu, and sinus infections can all cause stuffy noses. Illness-related congestion usually improves within 1-2 weeks.

If it lasts longer than 10-14 days, its often a symptom of an underlying health issue. Some explanations for long-term nasal congestion may be:

• gastroesophageal reflux disease, especially in infants

Nasal congestion during pregnancy, usually during the end of the first trimester. Hormonal fluctuations and increased blood supply that occur during pregnancy may cause this nasal congestion.

These changes may affect the nasal membranes, causing them to become inflamed, dry, or to bleed.

What Are Other Remedies To Ease And Prevent Sinus Infections

• Run water into the nasals to clean it of excess mucus
• Inhale steam in the shower or bend over a pan with hot water
• Use a humidifier to moisten your air in your home to prevent the nasals from drying out
• Elevate your head to keep the mucus from clogging your sinus
• Dont forcefully blow your nose as it can irritate the nasals
• Use the decongestants with caution
• Dont use antihistamines unless prescribed by the doctor

• Balloon Sinuplasty clear the sinus by flushing the built-up mucus with saline solution
• Stereotactic navigation is a minimally invasive procedure that checks out any abnormal growths
• Endoscopic sinus surgery opens up the drainage passage of the sinus to restore its function
• Complex nasal polyp surgery. Nasal polyps are noncancerous growths on the sinus or nasal passages. The procedure, if done correctly, canclear the nasal passages and ease discomfort.

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Ear Congestion Causes And How To Relieve Clogged Ears

27th Jan 18 4:44 pm by admin

Taking off in an airplane, swimming completely submerged, or riving up a canyon, all of these situations can cause pressure in the inner ear . The result is ear congestion, or ear fullness. Symptoms like vertigo, pain, tenderness, itching, muffled hearing, and tinnitus can sometimes accompany the ear congestion.

Ear congestion is the name we give to every condition preventing sounds from being heard clearly. It is one of the most frequent ear problems, and there is an increase in recent years due to a rise in upper respiratory tract infections. Also, as we use airplanes as a mean for transportation more frequently, it is logical and normal to expect more ear congestion problems.

But when should you worry, and what are all the causes of ear congestion? Generally speaking, an ear congestion can be easily treated with home remedies. But if it persists for more than five days, you should visit a physician.

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Try These Home Remedies To Help Clear Sinuses

As weve already mentioned all these natural cures can help you improve inflammation and the pain caused by sinus congestion. However, they can never replace the treatment recommended by a doctor.

While the problem lasts, try to maintain an extra healthy diet that provides plenty of vitamins to strengthen your defenses and combat symptoms. In addition, if your condition allows it, dont stop doing light physical activity. This is because the release of endorphins relieves pain.

However, if the discomfort persists for more than 10 days without improvement, its a good idea to consult your doctor again. Also, make sure to see a doctor if an intense headache, facial pain, or a fever that least for more than four daysappears or if you get worse after having noticed an initial improvement.

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How Often Should You Flush

Its fine to do a sinus flush occasionally if youre experiencing a bout of nasal congestion from a cold or allergies.

Start with one irrigation per day while you have nasal congestion or other sinus symptoms. You can repeat the irrigation up to three times per day if you feel that it is helping your symptoms.

Some people continue to use it to prevent sinus issues even when they dont have symptoms. However, some doctors warn that regular use of nasal irrigation may actually increase the risk of sinus infection. Routine use may also hinder some protective features of the mucus membrane lining the nasal passages and sinuses.

More research is needed to clarify any long-term side effects of regular saline flushes. At the moment, its probably best to limit use to when youre experiencing sinus symptoms, or to ask for your doctors advice.

Rinse With Salt Water

The irritants from dust, pollution, and fragrances can make their way into your sinuses and cause congestion. To get rid of these irritants, use a saltwater saline rinse either an over-the-counter saline nasal spray or a saline rinse from a neti pot, which is designed to pour saline water through your sinuses, says Dr. Kern.

As Phillip Tanner, 44, of San Francisco, California, says, “I use very warm water and a super-saturated hypertonic salt solution. It’s definitely an odd experience, even once you get used to doing it, but I find that it really does help my symptoms.”

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The Balloon Sinuplasty Procedure Has Helped Over One Million People

Balloon Sinuplasty is a permanent sinus pain solution that we perform right in the comfort of our office.

These tell-tale symptoms are an indication you’re a candidate:

• Chronic sinus infections

If youâre suffering from any of these or other painful sinus symptoms, youâre likely a good candidate.

What Is The Best Sinus / Allergy Treatment

Theres plenty to be allergic to in the Triangle region of North Carolina: some of the main offenders are pollen, mold and dust mites. Often, these allergies cause sinus congestion, which can lead to a viral or bacterial infection.

While there are a lot of home remedies and over-the-counter solutions that will fix sinus congestion fast, only one of our internal medicine physicians at Raleigh Medical Group can help you get to the heart of the matter. Effective, long-term solutions go a long way toward helping you get back to the activities you enjoy.

At Raleigh Medical Group, were uniquely equipped to offer a wide variety of treatment plans tailored specifically for you. Schedule an appointment to learn more about how we can help you.

For more than 40 years, Raleigh Medical Group has served as the Triangle areas premier internal medicine provider. Comprised of three distinct practices: Raleigh Medical Group, Raleigh Adult Medicine and Cary Medical Group, we tailor our treatments to provide the finest personalized health care available for each stage of your adult life. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

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