Good sinus health can help prevent infections. Here are 7 easy-to-apply tips to avoid common sinus problems.
Do you suffer from sudden headache, facial pain, runny nose and nasal congestion? It can be a cold, but also a sinusitis. A sinus infection, or sinusitis, is an inflammation of the sinuses, or air-filled cavities in the face. Sinus infections occur when fluid builds up in the sinuses, allowing germs to grow.
Common symptoms of a sinus infection are:
postnasal drip
Discolored (greenish) nasal discharge
nasal congestion or congestion
Facial tenderness (especially under the eyes or on the bridge of the nose)
Headache in the front of the head
tooth pain
Cough
Fever
Tired
Bad breath
A sinus infection can be caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection. Allergies and asthma are also linked to sinus infections. A bad cold is often mistakenly thought to be a sinus infection. Migraine symptoms can also be confused with those of a sinus infection: many people think they have a “sinus headache” when it’s actually a migraine attack.
You can help prevent sinus infections by staying healthy and avoiding germs and allergens. These tips can help you:
1. Wash your hands
Viruses are the most common cause of sinus infections. Thorough and regular hand washing can help you avoid viruses, as can avoiding close contact with people who have a cold or upper respiratory infection. Try to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If you don’t have soap and water, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
A healthy diet and lifestyle of nutritious food, sleep, and exercise, along with limiting alcohol intake, will also protect you from disease. Just like wearing a mask to avoid infection.
2. Avoid cigarette smoke and other gases.
To avoid sinus infections, don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke. Tobacco smoke and pollutants from polluted air can irritate and inflame the lungs and nasal passages and increase the risk of chronic sinusitis.
Besides tobacco smoke, anything you inhale is bad and can inflame your nasal passages and lungs.
A November 2022 study published in Radiology found that inflammation and emphysema or lung damage were actually more common in marijuana smokers than in non-smokers and tobacco smokers. According to the study, this could be because marijuana joints don’t have a filter and you can hold your breath longer.
Some people also have inflammatory reactions to strong vapors such as chemicals, bleach, and perfumes, causing inflammation. Poor air quality due to pollution, fires [et autres] exposure to particles in the sinuses and lungs increases, predisposing you to further infections.
3. Keep your sinuses moist
If the air in your home is dry, adding more moisture to the air with a humidifier can help prevent sinusitis. But be sure to clean your humidifier thoroughly and regularly to keep it free of mold. Empty the tank and dry all surfaces of the humidifier once a day. You can also fill the reservoir with bottled water labeled “distilled” or “purified,” which has a lower mineral content than most tap water and is therefore less likely to support the growth of bacteria and mold.
4. Get the recommended vaccinations
Being up to date with recommended vaccinations, such as the flu shot, can help you stay healthy and avoid sinus infections.
For example, the pneumonia vaccine protects against the most common bacteria that cause sick sinus syndrome and pneumonia. It is indicated for many people over the age of 18 who suffer from a chronic illness or are smokers. Many do not realize that this is not just a vaccine for the elderly. Flu boosters are also important, given the recent triple epidemic we find ourselves in, and they make up the majority of cases with other viruses.
5. Avoid common allergens
People who suffer from allergies and asthma are more prone to sinus infections. Both allergies and asthma cause inflammation and mucus buildup in the sinuses and lungs. As a result, you are more likely to have trouble clearing viruses and bacteria from your lungs and get sick more often. When people’s allergies and asthma are under control, they get sick much less often. Allergic sinusitis is a reaction to inhaled substances such as dust, pollen, smoke, and animal dander. Avoiding these allergens is the best way to avoid allergic sinusitis.
6. Clean and irrigate your sinuses
Nasal irrigation is an easy way to prevent and treat sinus problems. You can do this with a small bulb syringe or a neti pot.
Follow these steps one or more times a day:
Mix half a teaspoon of non-iodized salt and half a teaspoon of baking soda in 2 cups of warm distilled water or previously boiled and cooled water. (Do not use tap water, which is not sufficiently filtered or treated and may contain low levels of organisms that can cause potentially serious infections.
Fill a small pear with the homemade saltwater solution or use a neti pot to swish the solution up your nose.
Lean over the sink, insert the end of the syringe into one nostril, and gently squeeze the bulb. The water will come out of the same nostril (or the opposite nostril) and flow into the sink. Use at least one vial filled with saline.
Repeat these steps in the other nostril.
Rinse the bulb syringe or neti pot well with distilled or cooled boiled water and dry after each use.
However, while sinus cleansing and irrigation is a temporary solution that may relieve symptoms, it is not necessary to treat sinusitis. The main way to treat sinusitis is to address the underlying cause: allergies or infections. If you decide to irrigate your sinuses, be sure to talk to your doctor first, as some diabetics may be prone to fungal infections that can be made worse by irrigation.
7. Drink fluids for healthy breasts
To reduce the risk of developing sinusitis or alleviate the early symptoms of sinusitis, it is important to drain the nasal passages and keep them clear. One way to do this is to drink plenty of water throughout the day, as proper hydration helps keep mucus thin and loose.
* HealthKey strives to convey health knowledge in a language accessible to all. In NO EVENT can the information provided replace the opinion of a health professional.
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