Tag: headache

Sinus Infection Prevention

You dont always have to wait for sinus infection to strike before you take action. In fact, there are steps you can take to prevent this from happening and here are a few.

1. Moisten the air in your home. You can do this by buying a humidifier or an air conditioning unit as this regulates the temperature during hot and cold weather.

2. Aside from humidifiers or air conditioning equipment, you can also install electrostatic filters which are designed to remove allergens in the air.

3. If you live in an area that is polluted, move somewhere else. You have to remember that sinus infections area also caused by strong fumes and chemicals that may irritate your sinus linings.

4. Drinking too much alcohol may also trigger a sinus infection because it swells the nasal and sinus membranes which leave them exposed to irritation. This simply means that you should drink moderately.

5. Smoking also causes sinus infections because it irritates the sinus lining which causes bad drainage of the mucus and the sinus to congest. So, you should quit smoking and stay away from people who smoke.

6. If you travel often, you should cut down the number of times you have to fly from one destination to the next. This is because a bubble of air within the body expands as the air pressure in the plane reduces. When this happens, this could result in the blockage of the Eustachian tubes causing your nose to clog during the planes ascent or descent. If you have to fly, be sure to bring with you a decongestant nose drop or inhaler and use this before the flight.

7. When you have a sinus infection, the best way to fight it is to stay hydrated. The same thing goes to prevent it by drinking lots of water, juice or any other liquid to replenish what was lost from the body.

8. You should also practice good hygiene since most sinus infections are caused by bacterial and viral infections. This means taking a shower twice a day and washing your hands with soap and water each time you go to the bathroom. You should also do this every time you sneeze because when you cover your mouth, the germs go to your hands.

9. For years, we have said that consuming dairy products will keep our bones strong. But studies have shown that too much can thicken your mucus and cause nasal passages to narrow down which results to headache and pain.

10. You should also get a flu shot every year.

11. Drinking liquids should also be followed with eating good food especially fruits and vegetables. After all, these are rich in antioxidants that will boost your immune system and help your body resist infection.

12. Lastly, stress makes us prone to sinusitis and many other infections. So we should get sufficient rest like 8 hours at least every night.

13. You should also take some multivitamins and supplements to add to your daily supplement.

You can prevent sinus infections from happening so that you dont have to call in sick and miss a day at work or school. It takes a little effort to take these safety measures which happen to be much cheaper than going to your doctor and buying over the counter medication.

Herbal Remedies For Sinus Infections

Sinus problems keep on increasing year after year. According to medical experts, once youre afflicted with a sinus infection, there is no guarantee that you will not develop it in the future. Symptoms like stuffy nose and headache usually persist despite the medications given. For centuries, herbal remedies have been used to treat sinus infections because they are safe. There are no harmful side effects and the herbal preparations are easily prepared.

For sinus infections, use these herbs:

Licorice for immune system stimulation, you can use the licorice roots; it is also effective in reducing the inflammation of the sinuses. Licorice is also used for ulcers so you have to choose the licorice capsules instead because it is aimed at boosting an individuals immune system for better health.

Eucalyptus sore throat problems are often treated with eucalyptus because of its antiseptic properties. Swollen or inflamed sinus passages can also be treated with eucalyptus. Throat lozenges are very convenient to use or if you want, you can also drink the tea form. You can also inhale steam with a few drops of eucalyptus to unclog your sinus passages.

Ginger headaches can be relieved using ginger. Ginger also has anti-inflammatory properties which can help in reducing the inflammation or pain in the sinus passages. Capsule forms of ginger are now available and be sure to take them as directed.

Peppermint like ginger, peppermint has anti-inflammatory properties. By taking peppermint tea or breathing its steam, the mucus membranes can be calmed. After taking it, you can breathe better.

Herbal supplements are now available in the market and some of these supplements can help in the prevention of sinus infections.

Lemon Balm this herb is very effective in treating viral and bacterial infections. Get the dried leaves of lemon balm and steep it in hot water for 10 minutes. Strain it and make sure that you drink it while it is warm. You can also use it as gargle.

Vitamins to manage the symptoms of sinusitis, take adequate vitamins, including zinc. This can help in shortening the duration of your colds. Lingering colds can cause sinus infections but if you take vitamins, you will get better soon. Lozenge and capsule forms of vitamins are widely available in wide range of prices. Take the vitamin supplements everyday for better results.

Echinacea this can help in improving the health of your immune system. Viruses found in the respiratory system can be eliminated by using this herb. Capsule forms are Echinacea can now be bought in drugstores all over the world. When you have a sinus infection, increase the dose but after a couple of days, go back to the regular dose. If youre allergic to ragweed, dont use Echinacea.

Antioxidants can also help so make sure that you eat plenty of foods containing antioxidants. Eat cranberries, pomegranates, red beans, artichokes, and blueberries. Adding these foods in your daily diet will surely improve the condition of your immune system.

Before resorting to drug medications, why not try using herbal remedies first? Herbal remedies are cheaper and effective as well. If you want to cut down your medical costs, use herbs for treating the sinus infections. There are lots of information resources online about these amazing herbs. You need to ensure that you follow the directions properly so that you can create an effective herbal preparation.

Treatments Of Sinus Infections

Every year, more and more individuals are afflicted with sinus infections. Since this condition can create a lot of discomfort, those who are afflicted with it want to find the best cure. But what are the best treatments for sinus infections?

There are passages found behind the eyes, nose, and cheeks, and they are called sinuses. These passages are susceptible to infections which can be caused by allergies, viruses, and even colds. If you had an injury or a sinus disease in the past, you may also be prone to sinus infections. Swimming and infected tooth can also lead to this condition.

Sinus infections are easy to tell. Some of its symptoms are weakness or tiredness, fever, nasal congestion, runny nose, and coughing. A very evident symptom is when your coughing gets severe in the night. Other than that, you may also notice a greenish nasal discharge, bad breathe, and headache.

There are now different approaches on how to treat sinus infections. Aside from the medical prescriptions, afflicted individuals can also turn to alternative treatments. There have been claims that home remedies for sinus infections are quite effective.

For instance, if you have a sinus infection, try inhaling steam so that your sinuses will be unclogged. For more effective results, put a drop of eucalyptus oil or lavender on the water.

The trapped mucus will surely be released faster. While youre inhaling the steam, you can also massage the spots around your eyes, cheeks, and forehead. Do you like spicy foods? Well, if you do, the spicy foods are also a great help for unclogging trapped mucus.

Sometimes, home remedies dont work exactly the same way for you and the sinus infection becomes worse than ever. If you cant address the infection through natural home remedies or treatments, its time to consult a doctor and ask for a medicine. Most sinus infection medicines are aimed at reducing the swelling of the sinusitis and nasal passages. The medicine can eliminate the infection and promotes sinus drainage; that way, the passage is always open.

The root cause of the sinus infection should be identified and treated accordingly. If the infection is due to bacteria, antibiotics are often prescribed to get rid of the bacteria found in your sinus cavities.

If there is no improvement after the natural and medical treatments, youre left with only one option and that is surgery. A certain surgical procedure will be conducted to correct the health condition or problem.

Even if there are lots of medications for sinus infections, prevention is still the best answer. One way to effectively prevent sinus infections is to have a healthy immune system. If you have a healthy body, then it will be easier to fight infections and diseases. Always see to it that the surroundings are clean. Allergens can cause the infection so you need to get rid of allergens like dust and dirt.

Live a healthy lifestyle now. With a healthy body and immune system, sinus infections cant afflict you. Take nutritional supplements and eat the right kinds of foods at the right amount. Sinus infections can be prevented and if you already have the condition, there are different ways to treat it. Know more about the treatments for sinus infections. Visit your doctor or you can also ask a local naturopath for more helpful information.

Sinus Infections

Modern living has its consequences. There are now complex health conditions and problems that arise like sinus infections. But because of todays modern world, there are also lots of medications and treatments for different kinds of illnesses or diseases.

Achieving optimum health is not as easy as you think. People are already used to bad diets, polluted areas, and unhealthy lifestyles. Because of this, they are more prone to chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sinus problems, and many other health conditions.

Antibiotics are overused these days. People tend to use them in inappropriate conditions and so it complicates thing further. There are even times when sinus infections dont react or respond to antibiotics especially if the root cause is fungus. Antibiotics can be narrow or broad spectrum.

The right antibiotic should be prescribed at the right health condition or problem. This is to prevent resistance to the medicine. Are you aware that improper use of antibiotic can cause side effects? Thats true and if there is no improvement in your sinusitis, it only means two things the wrong antibiotic was prescribed or you need a new treatment.

For instance, if the sinus infection did not respond to the antibiotic prescribed by the doctor, you can turn to alternative treatments like Chinese herbal remedies, acupuncture, and Ayurveda. However, the effectiveness of these alternative treatments vary from one individual to another; so you still need to find a suitable treatment that can work for your current condition.

Some people afflicted with sinus infections tend to have white or clear mucus in their sinuses. This indicates that the antibiotics wont work. Other symptoms include fatigue, loose stool, and lowered appetite. The doctor must be informed of the symptoms youre feeling.

The usual symptoms of sinusitis are greenish nasal discharge, nasal congestion, dental or facial pain, headache, eye pain, and frequent coughing during the night. Other people feel ill, have sore throat, bad breathe, and fever. Chronic sinus infections are hard to diagnose. If you have the symptoms for over two months now, then you have chronic sinusitis; but still, only the doctor can properly diagnose your true condition.

Fungal sinusitis is also possible and antibiotics wont work for this kind of infection. It can be caused by molds and other irritants. You can use alternative treatments for this kind of infection and according to some individuals, some of these treatments can work miracles. You can drink a warm cup of apple cider vinegar (disregard the taste even if its nasty), use a saline solution, or you can also regularly take garlic capsules. There are still other ways to treat fungal sinusitis and you can easily obtain the needed information online.

Maintaining a healthy and physically fit body can prevent future sinus infections. A healthy body will also have a strong immune system which can easily fight off infections. If the sinusitis is caused by bacteria, then a certain kind of antibiotic might work for it but the doctor should consider the severity of the infection, and age/weight of the patient.

Sinus infections can be cured although there are times when the infection returns. A serious dialogue with your doctor is needed so that the two of you can come up with an effective solution to address your condition.

If you want, you can also join yoga practices and use other herbal treatments in conjunction with your medical prescriptions. Always talk to your doctor first before trying any medicine or treatment.