As the weather becomes warmer, cold and flu season will shift into the season for sinus infections. Many people suffer from chronic sinus infections, either because congestion from allergies repeatedly lead to infection, or because bone structure prevents proper drainage (a deviated septum can do this). Others suffer only occasionally from sinus infections, as the lingering effects of a cold or from invading pathogens causing infections.
Sinus infections affect millions yearly and lead to thousands of surgeries; now is the time to take preventative steps to maintain optimum health of your sinus and nasal passages.
Your sinuses are more than just your nose, they are behind your cheek bones, and above your eyes along the eyebrow. These cavities generally warm and filter the air you breath, but if they become clogged sinus infection can set it, causing pain along the sinuses and sometimes in teeth, excess mucus, headaches and fever, and discolored mucus.
The best way to differentiate sinus infections from other problems is to test for pain in the sinus cavities by gently apply pressure along them. With children, mouth breathing can often be a sign of sinus infections. Other signs of a sinus infection may include bad breath (caused by mucus in the throat and stomach) and difficulty with taste and smell. Children are also more prone to suffer coughs, nausea, and gagging due to mucus in their throats.
Although your body has lots of good bacteria and other microbes that fend off dangerous pathogens, aid digestion, etc., there’s no real evidence that the staph, fungus, and other pathogens in your nose are beneficial. That’s why it’s important that sinus and nasal passages be able to naturally drain, and if they can’t, that you help clean them out.
Blowing your nose can be helpful, especially before bed if you tend to suffer from snoring. But it can also cause damage to nasal and sinus passageways if done often or overly violently, and may not work well when sinus infections are continually producing mucus.
Sinus flooding is a procedure that involves lying on your back and pouring pH and pressure balanced water into your nose and sinuses. The water rinses all the accumulated crud—this can be used to help prevent sinus infections by discouraging build up of mucus, and to alleviate some of the pain and discomfort of sinus infections by clearing them out.
For a more detailed how-to on sinus flooding (or rinsing, or flushing) Click Here.
The vast majority of sinus infections are caused by fungus, and cannot be treated with antibiotics. If you have a cold, allergies, or are prone to chronic sinus infections, prevention is key.
Do you have a story about suffering from chronic sinus infections? How did you overcome them? Share below!
