Tag: immunotherapy

How To Get Rid Of A Sinus Infection

Ever told someone you are a bit under the weather? Well that is what happens when you are suffering from a sinus infection. Here is what you should do so you can take care of it before it gets worse.

First, try some home remedies. Some examples of these include steam therapy, drinking lots of liquid, getting enough rest, using heat packs and taking some medicine.

If you want to drink something else aside from orange juice or water, try drinking chicken soup or some tea. A lot of tea products are made from herbs and you are sure to find one that will be likeable to your taste. You can try eucalyptus, ginger, peppermint, licorice, lemon balm and Echinacea. Just be careful when you mix herbs with certain drugs because they may have a negative reaction to your body.

You can also consult a homeopathic doctor who will prescribe medication that generally does not have any side effects compared to over the counter medication.

Smoking causes sinus infections. If you happen to smoke regularly, cut it down gradually and then quit the habit. Many people are unaware that smoking damages the lining of the sinuses and causes swelling the in the mucus membranes.

Should you be suffering from an acute sinus infection, you will be back to normal within a week. But if this lasts longer, then you may be suffering from a chronic sinus infection and you will need to see a doctor.

After doing some tests, the doctor will most likely prescribe some antibiotics which you have to take until you feel better if it has been determined that this was caused from bacteria. To reduce the swelling, you will also be given some corticosteroids which can be delivered directly through your nose.

You might be prescribed antihistamines or decongestants which you can take orally. The only downside is that although it can help dry up or shrink the backed up mucus, it is only temporary.

Another way to loosen the dried mucus is through moisture or humidification. Your doctor will not give this to you but suggest that you buy a humidifier which you can use at home.

Lastly, if the sinus infection is caused by an allergy, the only way to get rid of it is with immunotherapy which is a technique that stimulates your antibodies.

You can tell if what is given is working or not based on the color of your phlegm. If you spit out some and this is color yellow, it means that you are on your way to recovery. If this is color green, then a lot more has to be done to make it go away. If this is color brown or orange, there could be complications like pneumonia. Whatever happens, update your doctor regularly until so he or she can track your progress.

Fighting a sinus infection could last a few days to a few weeks. Regardless if this is acute or chronic, you have to take action fast to prevent complications from taking place. If you think that a cold cannot do anything worse, think again because there are times that this could put you into a coma or something fatal. So start out with home remedies and if all else fails, get medical help.

What Is Chronic Sinus Infection

There are two types of sinus infection. It could be acute or chronic and among the two, more people get afflicted with the chronic sinus infection.

The difference between chronic and acute sinus infection is the fact that this can last for 12 weeks or longer and this can recur once you get better. An acute sinus infection is gone after a week.

Common causes for chronic sinus infection include allergies, airborne fungus, nasal or sinus obstructions, trauma to the face, certain medical conditions and respiratory tract infections.

As a result, some of the symptoms that most people feel include headaches, congestion, difficulty breathing, reduced sense of smell, ear pain, fatigue, cough, nausea, sore throat and aching in the upper jaw or teeth.

Since you probably tried already to self medicate yourself without any positive results, the doctor is your only hope to make it go away.

After reviewing your medical history, some test will need to be done such as an MRI, CT scan, nasal endoscopy, extracting nasal or sinus cultures and an allergy test.

An MRI or CT scan is similar to an X-ray machine because they can show details of your sinus and nasal area without inserting anything into your body.

If this is needed, the doctor will have to do a nasal endoscopy by putting a thin, flexible tube with fiber optic light up your nose to see what is happening inside.

Not many people like that because it is like putting a similar tube up your anus. If possible, they will give a nasal or sinus sample instead so this can be checked.

If your doctor has not yet determined the exact cause of the chronic sinus infection, you may be referred to another specialist especially if he or she suspects that this is caused by an allergy so they can conduct an allergy test.

Once the results come in, the doctor will probably prescribe some antibiotics until you are free of the symptoms. To deal with the inflammation and swelling in the nasal cavity, you will be prescribed a corticosteroid. If this doesnt work, then you will probably try antihistamines, decongestants and expectorants.

The doctor may also try moisture or humidification to help flush the nasal cavity and loosen the dried mucus. Should the chronic sinus infection be caused by an allergy, it can be treated with immunotherapy. A method designed to stimulate the antibodies that block the bodys reactions to a specific allergy.

Chronic sinus infection can be prevented and the steps that you take are not that different when you are suffering from an acute sinus infection. You just have got to practice proper hygiene, get flu shots once a year, stay away from people who have colds as it is a contagious illness, limit your drinking, keep yourself hydrated at all times, buy a humidifier and avoid being in polluted areas or around people who smoke.

Should you already have chronic sinus infection, just follow the instructions of the doctor and update him or her on any progress.

Chronic sinus infection is no joke. Just to give you an idea of how serious it is, over 30 to 40 million Americans get it every year. If you dont want to be another person added to the statistics, do what is needed so you are always healthy.