Easy Natural Remedies Help Mucus Flow
In many cases, sinushome remedies including those things your mother told you to do can effectively improve inflamed sinuses, says Anthony Del Signore, MD, assistant professor of otolaryngology at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in New York City.
These treatments sooth irritated passageways and increase the flow of mucus so you dont feel so stuffed up, he explains.
What Are The Causes Of The Sinus Infection
When the tissues in the sinuses swell up, sinus infection occurs with the buildup of mucus. Such a condition results in discomfort and pain in your sinus.
The sinuses are like the pockets that are air-filled and found in the bones of the face. Due to lack of drainage, you may experience a sinus infection. Drainage problems can result due to different health conditions, such as non-allergic rhinitis, hay fever, changes in air pressure, allergens exposure, etc.
Nasal Irrigation With Sodium Bicarbonate
This home remedy for sinus infection involves the use of sodium bicarbonate, which can be an excellent option for relieving nasal congestion, reducing inflammation and eliminating secretion that caused plugged or runny noses. Sodium bicarbonate prevents the growth of bacteria in the sinuses and treats dryness within the nose, allowing for mucus to become looser.
Ingredients
- 1 nasal irrigator or a 20 ml syringe without the needle
- 1 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate
- 1 cup of warm water
How to prepare
Mix the water with the sodium bicarbonate until fully dissolved and place in the irrigator or syringe. Lean your body forward, with your head tilted slightly to the side. Place the irrigator or syringe in the nostril and press until the solution comes out of the other nostril. It is important to open and breathe through your mouth while performing a nasal rinse.
You can repeat this 2 to 3 times per day in each nostril.
Another way to rinse your sinuses is to use 0.9% saline, which can be prepared at home with warm water and salt.
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How Can I Tell If I Have A Sinus Infection Cold Or Nasal Allergy
It can be difficult to tell the difference between a cold, allergies, and a sinus infection. The common cold typically builds, peaks, and slowly disappears. It lasts a few days to a week. A cold can transform into a sinus infection. Nasal allergy is inflammation of the nose due to irritating particles . Symptoms of a nasal allergy can include sneezing, itchy nose and eyes, congestion, runny nose, and post nasal drip . Sinusitis and allergy symptoms can happen at the same time as a common cold.
If you are fighting off a cold and develop symptoms of a sinus infection or nasal allergy, see your healthcare provider. You will be asked to describe your symptoms and medical history.
Prescription Treatments For Allergic Rhinitis
If over-the-counter medicines arenât giving you relief, you might need prescription drugs. Prescription treatments for allergic rhinitis include:
Steroid nasal sprays. You already know about the OTC nasal sprays. There are also some versions that need a prescription. âThe great thing about steroid sprays is that with just one medication, you can treat the congestion, the itchiness, and the sneezing,â says Corinna Bowser, MD, an allergist in Pennsylvania. Examples include beclomethasone dipropionate , budesonide , fluticasone propionate , mometasone , and triamcinolone . Budenoside, fluticasone propionate, and triamcinolone are available without a prescription.
If you are concerned about taking a steroid, experts stress that these are very safe drugs. One key advantage of nasal sprays is that they focus the medication on the affected area â in your nose â and deliver with minimal risk instead of circulating it throughout your body.
Prescription antihistamines and decongestants. Your doctor may also recommend a prescription antihistamine pill like desloratadine or levocetirizine . Some prescription antihistamines also contain a decongestant. Azelastine is a nasal spray antihistamine thatâs often used alongside steroid sprays. Antihistamines also come as prescription eye drops.
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Yoga Can Help Drain Mucus From Sinus Passageways
If you are in the midst of a sinus infection, a supported yoga pose where your head is elevated will help you feel better without putting too much pressure on your sinuses, says Leslie Kazadi, a certified yoga therapist who teaches around Los Angeles and online at YogisAnonymous.com.
One pose Kazadi suggests is Supported Reclined Cobblers Pose.
How to Try Supported Reclined Cobblers Yoga Pose
Tips For The Prevention Of Sinusitis
- Minimize the risk of upper respiratory infections, which can be done by limiting close contact with people who have colds and washing your hands frequently with soap and water.
- Quit smoking. Tobacco smoke can cause irritation and inflammation of the lining of the sinuses and nose. Inflammation can result in blocked nasal passages.
- Avoid polluted air. Contaminants in the air can irritate and inflame your lungs and nasal passages.
- Use of humidifiers
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How To Get Rid Of A Sinus Infection Without Antibiotics
This article was medically reviewed by . Dr. Litza is a board certified Family Medicine Physician in Wisconsin. She is a practicing Physician and taught as a Clinical Professor for 13 years, after receiving her MD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health in 1998.There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 75,464 times.
Sinusitis is an inflammation of paranasal sinuses most commonly due to an infection, underlying allergy or various autoimmune processes. The sinuses are small cavities in the skull that are normally filled with air. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the tissue that lines these cavities. In some cases, the swelling of this tissue blocks off the entry of the sinuses, trapping mucus and air inside them. This can cause pain in the cheeks, runny nose, and headache over the forehead region sometimes, it may lead to a secondary bacterial infection. Acute sinusitis resolves in 4 weeks whereas chronic sinusitis goes beyond 12 weeks and may keep on recurring for years. However, in most cases, sinusitis can be easily treated even without antibiotics.
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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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How To Cure Chronic Sinusitis And Sinus Headaches Permanently
Chronic sinusitis and sinus headaches can have a significant impact on your health and wellbeing. It can be difficult to get on with your usual routine when youre in pain or suffering from serious congestion. You can also feel very upset and hopeless when it seems that the problem keeps coming back. What can you do to cure sinus problems permanently?
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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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Tips For Treating Chronic Sinus Infections
No matter the season, having a cold is never convenient. Its even worse when your cold turns into a sinus infection. A sinus infection will stick around long after symptoms of an upper respiratory infection are gone. You might even know its a sinus infection because you get sinus infections frequently. Perhaps your doctor diagnosed your sinus infection after you just couldnt seem to get better. After all, since almost 30 million Americans suffer from sinusitis, your doctor likely treats them a lot.
The question is, when do you need to see a specialist? If your sinus infection just isnt going away, or if you seem to get recurrent sinus infections, it may be time to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist.
When To See A Doctor For Your Sinus Infection
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that people should see their doctor if a sinus infection lasts for over 10 days, or if symptoms continue for longer than 10 days after treatment.
Chronic Sinusitis happens if the infection lasts longer than 8 weeks or when someone experiences 4 or more infections in a year.
You should also see a doctor if you have a sinus infection for more than 10 days, if your symptoms worsen, if you experience several infections in a year, no improvement after taking OTC medications or have a temperature over 100.4°F .
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Do I Need Antibiotics For Every Sinus Infection
Many sinus infections are caused by viruses, the ones that cause the common cold. These types of infections are not cured by antibiotics. Taking an antibiotic for a viral infection unnecessarily puts you at risk for side effects related to the antibiotic. In addition, the overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance, which may make future infections more difficult to treat.
How To Deal With Sinus Infection Treatment
The medical condition sinusitis is characterized by the inflammation, or swelling, of the tissues that line the sinuses . Sinusitis can be traced back to other pre-existing conditions, such as allergic rhinitis, polyps, and a deviated septum. There are different types of sinusitis, which is determined according to the duration and the localization of the infection.
Millions and millions of people around the globe have had at least one episode of sinusitis in their lives, regardless of severity. However, those who are living with other certain medical conditions are at a higher risk of acquiring this disease. People who are living with persistent common colds, blocked nasal ducts , structural abnormalities in the nasal cavity, and immune deficiencies are much more prone to sinusitis as compared to those who are living healthy lives.
In case you want to determine if you are living with sinusitis, you should look out for the following symptoms like: headaches and facial pains , nasal discharge , nasal stuffiness and congestion, and impaired sense of smell. In some cases, fever, fatigue, toothache, and bad breath may accompany the regular symptoms. However, in a chronic sinus infection, the symptoms persist for a much longer period of time. Also, some of the symptoms are much more serious than the ones experienced in a regular sinus infection for one, the nasal discharge produced by a person with chronic sinusitis has pus and/or blood in it.
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What Are The Treatment Options
Sinusitis is treated differently based on the cause. Most cases of acute sinusitis, about 98 percent, are caused by a virus, not bacteria, and should not be treated with antibiotics. Acute viral sinusitis may be treated using pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, steroid nasal sprays, or salt water irrigation in the nose. These treatments are also good options for acute bacterial sinusitis. Most people get better naturally from acute bacterial sinusitis, called watchful waiting, but some patients with acute bacterial sinusitis may get better faster with an antibiotic.
Chronic sinusitis is treated differently than acute sinusitis. Because chronic sinusitis is caused more by inflammation than infection, the treatments for chronic sinusitis aim to control the inflammation. Salt water nasal irrigation and/or nasal steroid sprays are the main treatments for the symptoms of chronic sinusitis. Antibiotics may sometimes be helpful but not always.
Other factors, including allergies, nasal polyps, asthma, and problems with the bodys ability to fight infections, can go along with sinusitis and make it worse unless they are also treated.
X-rays or CT scans of the sinuses are not necessary to diagnose uncomplicated sinusitis if you have the symptoms of sinusitis . If your doctor suspects a complication or if you have repeated episodes or prolonged sinus symptoms, a CT scan of your sinuses may be needed.
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The Right Way To Treat A Sinus Infection
Your head is throbbing, especially around your eyes. You cant stop coughing, and for some reason, your breath is terrible. Blowing your nose is a mess.
Bad news: You could have a sinus infection. Most frequently triggered by the common cold, over 30 million American adults are diagnosed with sinusitis yearly.
So, what exactly are sinus infections? How can you tell if you have one? And holy cow how can you feel better as quickly as possible?
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When To See A Doctor
Usually, ear problems related to a sinus issue arenât severe and donât last long. Most of the time, they go away on their own. See your doctor if:
- You have a fever.
- You have head, face, or ear pain, or swelling that doesnât get better with non-prescription medication.
- Your symptoms last for more than a week or keep coming back.
Show Sources
American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery: âSinusitis â âDizziness and Motion Sickness â and âSinus Pain: Can Over-the-Counter Medications Help?â
Divers Alert Network: âEars and Sinuses Instructions for Equalizing Ears and Sinuses.â
Harvard Medical School, Womenâs Health Watch: âWhat to Do About Sinusitis.â
Tampa Ear, Nose, and Throat Associates: âSinusitis.â
Lindsey, H. ENT Today, July 2009.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Sinusitis
You have acute sinusitis when you have had cloudy or colored drainage from your nose for up to four weeks, plus one or more of the following symptoms:
- Stuffy, congested, or blocked nose
- Pain, pressure, or fullness in the face, head, or around the eyes
- Long-lasting cold symptoms
- Symptoms that do not improve within 10 days of getting sick, or initially get better then worsen again
You might have chronic sinusitis if you have at least two of the four symptoms note below for at least 12 weeks. An ENT specialist would also need to see polyps, pus, or thickened mucous in nose, or get a CT scan, to fully diagnose chronic sinusitis. Possible symptoms include:
- Stuff congested, or blocked nose
- Pain, pressure or fullness in the face, head or around the eyes
- Thickened nasal drainage
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Natural Cures For Sinus Infection In Children
Theres nothing more disturbing, especially to a parent, than to watch your little one sick, unable to breathe properly. Weve all had that overwhelming desire to find and do something that would help our child to feel better from a sinus infection. Our readers have sent us many suggestions and reports on what worked or didnt for them.
What are Sinus Infections?
Sinus infections, or sinusitis, occur when the moist air spaces around the nose become irritated and swollen. Usually sinusitis follows on the heels of colds or bouts with allergies and is a very common ailment. There are four sets of sinuses, or hollow spaces. They are lined with mucous membranes that are the same as those lining the nose and mouth. When nasal passages become swollen and produce more mucus, the sinuses do as well. When mucus cannot drain from the sinuses because the drainage system is blocked, the mucus becomes trapped in the sinuses. This becomes a breeding ground for viruses, bacteria and fungi. The initial cold has now become a sinus infection.
Symptoms
The symptoms for sinusitis vary according to the age of the child. Young children often have colds and a slight fever. However, if a fever develops 5-7 days after the onset of the cold symptoms, this indicates an infection has set in. The infection might be sinusitis, but could also signal the development of pneumonia or another infection, so get a diagnosis from your doctor.
Saline Rinse
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