Sinus infections are the worst. No, there not the most serious or life-threatening disease ever, but that’s why they’re so bad: you’re sick enough to be miserable, but not so sick to stay home from work, school, or your other responsibilities. Life goes on, just as your sniffling, choking, and sneezy nose does.
But, here’s the thing. You can fight sinus infection symptoms, and you can make it through your day.
It’s important that when you’re sick… heck, even when you feel like you might be getting sick, you make time to rest as much as possible. While a sinus infection may mean you keep going to work, try and find other commitments you can get out of so you can get some rest that your body desperately needs.
And eat! When you have a cold, sinus infection, or other mucus-y problem, not only may your appetite be suppressed by illness, but your stomach can fill up on snot, your mouth lose flavor, and the difficulty of eating when you can’t even breathe through your nose might just be too much. But eating will help your body keep going, giving your caloric strength, energy to get through the day, and the nutritional building blocks necessary to support your immune system and your recovery.
Then, when you need to head in to the office, make a presentation, join in on a phone call… whatever, rinse, flood, or nebulize, but don’t blow.
Honestly, there are entire books written about why you shouldn’t blow your nose. How certain nose shapes are more likely to get sinus infections, and more likely to be damaged by blowing. How blowing can hurt your nose and ears. I’ll confess, I still occasionally do it, but I try to stick to the better ways.
Sinus Rinse: A sinus rinse is a quick way to remove light to moderate gunk from your nose, and many people do it daily (especially if they have allergies or are prone to get sinus infections). A neti pot is a great way to rinse.
Sinus Flood: Sinus floods are a heavy duty way to get serious stuck gunk out. They’re great before an important performance, game, or meeting. They’re also perfect for ensuring you get as much sleep as possible. How to do it? Here’s a kit and instructions.
Nebulize: A great way to moisten your airways. Great before or after a rinse.
Now, you’ve removed a lot of the gunk. You can breathe, you can get through another hour or more until you can rest, and your body has less to work through while fighting off the virus (most sinus infections are viral, a few fungal, and rarely are the bacterial—so antibiotics won’t help!).
How do you make it through a sinus infection? Share in the comments!:
