Sinus infections can be agonizingly painful, with symptoms that range from dull ache to intense pressure. You can help decrease their severity by following some home treatment tips.
Rinse your sinuses with a noniodized salt solution made from warm distilled or previously boiled water and noniodized table salt, taking special care not to blow your nose too forcefully or send bacteria-laden mucus up further into the sinuses.
1. Use a humidifier
When your sinus drainage channels become clogged, inflammation sets in. But there are steps you can take to minimize symptoms of sinusitis infection and speed recovery.
A humidifier can help alleviate dry air’s irritating effect on nasal membranes and help prevent crusting and cracking of nasal passages, making a humidifier in the bedroom especially valuable during winter when indoor air can often be dry.
Your sinuses can also benefit from being rinsed with a saline solution (salt water). Many health care providers suggest using a Neti pot or another sinus irrigation system to flush away allergens, irritants and excess mucus from your system. Drugstore saline spray may also be used; alternatively you could try dissolving 3 teaspoons of iodine-free salt in 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) of distilled or sterilized water to make your own solution at home.
People may also find relief using over-the-counter decongestant nose drops and sprays. But to minimize possible adverse side effects such as dependence, nasal dryness or thin mucous membranes they should only be taken as directed for no more than 10 days at a time.
Your health care provider can diagnose a sinus infection based on your symptoms and physical exam, including checking your ears, nose and throat for signs of swelling, drainage or blockage. If a diagnosis remains uncertain, imaging tests like CT scan or MRI may also be employed or an endoscopy procedure to take a sample of nasal tissue and view inside your sinuses.
2. Inhale steam
At times of congestion and pain, placing a towel over your head and inhaling vapors from a hot bowl of water or steamy shower can help relieve congestion and discomfort. Breathing the moist air soothes nasal and sinus passage lining irritation while simultaneously thinnng mucus layers so your nasal and sinus cavities drain more freely.
Heat from steam also promotes circulation, helping reduce any swelling around the nose or throat. By adding essential oils such as eucalyptus or peppermint drops to your steam inhalation sessions, additional decongestant benefits may be gained. You may even find products such as sinusitis steam inhalers and neti pots for nasal irrigation specifically designed to use steam inhalation therapy.
Studies on patients suffering from chronic sinusitis found that using humidifiers or neti pots with daily steam inhalation helped alleviate their symptoms and decrease medication intake significantly, while improving quality of life scores at three and six months as compared with those not using these treatment methods.
Take note that although home remedies such as steam inhalation may provide temporary symptom relief, they won’t speed up the healing of your sinus infection any faster. If symptoms last over two weeks or recur frequently, consult with a healthcare provider immediately – they may suggest “watchful waiting,” giving your body time to battle against infection naturally before prescribing antibiotics.
3. Eat a healthy diet
Consuming a well-rounded diet that features foods high in antioxidants is key to keeping sinuses healthy. Berries, green vegetables and oily fish contain vitamins and minerals which can strengthen your body’s natural defenses against inflammation-causing oxidants, while probiotics may help restore and balance microbiomes in order to prevent infections occurring in the first place.
Decongestants can help relieve sinus infection symptoms by loosening mucus blockage and allowing it to drain away, providing relief in an instant. You can try over-the-counter nasal decongestant sprays such as Afrin or Phenylephrine; but make sure not to abuse these medicines as overdoing them may lead to dependence and increased congestion, so only use them occasionally and only when needed.
As another way of moistening the nose and sinus passages, inhaling steam may also help. Simply drape a towel over your head while breathing in vapor from hot water in a bowl or take a hot shower and inhale its steamy air; steam is proven to relieve pain, reduce swelling, and clear away blockages.
Exercise can also help treat sinus infections effectively by improving circulation and moving lymph fluid, which supports your immune system and decreases mucus production. It is also essential to avoid irritants like secondhand smoke, wash hands regularly to stay healthy, keep the home humidified with a steamer and consume an antioxidant rich diet in order to protect yourself against future outbreaks of sinusitis.
4. Stay hydrated
An acute sinus infection can be painful and distressful, yet there are ways to alleviate its symptoms. Your doctor might prescribe decongestants, pain relievers or allergy medication; or you can try home remedies such as nasal irrigation, steam inhalation or essential oils – in addition to maintaining a healthy diet, getting sufficient rest and avoiding irritating substances as part of a holistic healing regimen.
Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to thin mucus and facilitate drainage more easily, and use a neti pot, saline spray or sinus rinser twice daily to clear nasal passages and flush out debris from within them.
Next, take a warm shower or sit in a bowl of hot water and inhale its steam several times daily to relieve pressure on your sinuses. Also apply a warm compress on both forehead and nose areas.
If you’re experiencing severe or persistent sinusitis, make an appointment with a healthcare provider as soon as possible. A physical examination and detailed history can often diagnose this condition; however, in order to confirm diagnosis and treat infection properly they may request viewing your sinuses through a fiberoptic scope (nasal endoscopy or rhinoscopy).
People often believe that drinking too much water makes their sinus problems worse, when in reality the opposite is true. Staying hydrated by sipping plenty of fluids – such as plain water rather than other beverages such as tea or juices – is key to staying hydrated; caffeine and alcohol consumption can lead to dehydration and should be avoided at all costs to stay properly hydrated.
5. Stay away from irritants
Polluted air, cigarette smoke and chlorinated water all can aggravate sinus passages and create an environment in which bacteria thrive. Irrigating with saline spray on a regular basis (from daily to once every week for some people) is one way to help combat infection by moistening cilia in nasal passages that helps clear away debris and bad bacteria; spices may help open up nasal passages by stimulating them; taking probiotics after taking antibiotics may replenish natural healthy bacteria that have been depleted by taking antibiotics.
Signs of sinus infections can be serious, so it’s essential that if you suspect one you visit a healthcare provider immediately. Your healthcare provider will take a history of your symptoms before performing an examination using an endoscope – a small lighted instrument – which looks inside ears, nose, throat. In addition, they might collect mucus samples for testing; sometimes even ordering CT scans of your sinuses might be recommended by their provider.
Many people with sinus infections receive antibiotics as treatment; however, this isn’t always necessary. Antibiotics may make symptoms of a sinus infection worse by thickening mucus and making drainage difficult; additionally, overusing antibiotics contributes to antibiotic resistance. As alternatives, try over-the-counter pain relievers for headache and sinus pain reduction, and decongestants to shrink swollen nasal membranes.
6. Get plenty of rest
Sleep is vitally important to overall health, but especially so during a sinus infection. Sleep helps reduce swelling and inflammation in your sinuses, so getting plenty of rest will speed your recovery time. In addition, avoid anything that might irritate nasal passages like smoke, chlorine or dry air to speed recovery even faster.
Your symptoms and an exam by either your primary care provider or an ear, nose and throat specialist (an otolaryngologist) will allow them to diagnose you with a sinus infection. An otolaryngologist may use a soft-tipped instrument called a nasal speculum to obtain fluid samples from inside your nose while ordering CT scans in order to get more detailed images of your sinuses and head structures.
Most sinus infections are viral infections and do not require antibiotics to be effectively treated. Overusing antibiotics may lead to side effects and resistance; for viral sinusitis, alternative treatments such as nasal irrigation with saline solution, decongestants or steroid nasal sprays over-the-counter and rest can all help you feel better quickly.
If your symptoms persist after one week or are severe, visit your physician immediately. Chronic sinusitis could be an indicator of more serious medical issues; getting professional assistance could prevent future infections. You could try taking allergy medicines or getting allergy shots to avoid sinus infections altogether.