Sinus Infection

There are natural methods for treating sinus infections. It includes steps and benefits you can get from certain natural cures.

Sinus difficulties are one of the most common illnesses we can get. Every one of us is experiencing and being bothered by this illness every so often. Throughout the years, many treatments and cures have been developed in order to cure this viral problem. Doctors offer medications that alleviate the discomforts brought about by this sickness. However, these remedies are oftentimes costly.

There are also effective herbal and natural remedies you can try. It is only up to you what kind of treatment you prefer. Natural treatments are generally anything that has not had any chemical or artificial alterations. Natural medicines come from pants and herbs. It is proven effective and is preferred mostly by advocates of the environment. They believe in the healing strength of plants around.

Natural treatment is cheaper because it does not need any machine or equipment. Some natural methods are described below.

First of all, you can try nasal irrigation. It is a preventive measure that you may consider in order to eliminate your sinus difficulties. Nasal irrigation with a saline solution is one method that will help you control sinus symptoms and may possibly lead to curing some mild infections. This includes procedures and steps that can be done at home.

It is not a new discovery but many professionals recommend it to their patients who are suffering from chronic sinuses and other respiratory disease. It is a very natural, and most of all, an effective method. It can be done any time, especially when you are feeling congested. In doing so, it will provide you with immediate relief.

Another natural treatment is drinking plenty of liquids especially water. Being hydrated can prevent the mucous membranes from thickening. Liquids can help thin the mucous. You need to drink water or tea and other clear drinks for fast relief. Some would make calamansi, orange or lemon juice. These are citric drinks that also help cure sinus.

Stay away from dairy products when you have a sinus. Dairy products have substances that trigger the formation of more mucous and make breathing more difficult. This is according to some doctors. Dairy food like cheese, milk and even ice cream may worsen the sinus. These products should be avoided especially when you have sinus problems.

You must also take in foods that contain high levels of antioxidants, like spinach, berries, tomatoes, broccoli, grapes and garlic. They help in boosting one’s immune system. They also help in preventing sinus problems and infections. These foods are proven to be helpful in treating sinus problems as well as other health problems.

You can also opt for the steam treatment. Steam helps keep the mucous loose so that it can keep it moving in the sinuses. Sinus infections occur, once the mucus thickens and is not properly drained. You can apply moist heat directly to your face in order to keep your sinuses open.

Hot compress will work as decongestant. There are many heat packs available in the market. They can be warmed up in a microwave easily. You can also boil hot water and dip a face towel on it as an alternative to heat packs. Or you can put hot water in a bottle. Wrap the bottle with a towel before applying to your forehead.

A cold compress on the other hand relieves sinus headaches when you put it in your forehead. The cooling effect helps shrink the membranes and will bring relief from your sinus pain and headache. You can also add some apple cider vinegar on the solution for the steam. You can also dilute it in water and drink it for relief, especially when you feel that a sinus infection is about to start. Apple cider vinegar is also helpful in other illnesses.

By David H. Urmann

Labels: chronic sinusitis, sinus, sinus infection, sinus infection symptoms, sinus problems, sinus relief, sinus treatment, sinusitis, sinusitis chronic, sinusitis treatment, symptoms sinus infections

Can an infection of the sinus be signaled by a toothache? The short answer to this question is yes. I personally had an experience with this phenomenon several years ago and was completely fooled by what was happening. Hopefully others might find clarification if they have a similar experience.

Several years ago on a trip to France, I started having minor toothaches in the upper right portion of my mouth. I took Tylenol at first, and that dulled the pain for a while. The toothaches gradually became more severe, and even though I doubled the dosage of painkiller, it got so bad that I could not sleep at night.

I finally asked our hotel to contact a local French dentist and schedule an appointment with him. The dentist took X-rays and examined my teeth, and he tried to identify which tooth was the culprit in order to diagnose the problem. He tapped on several of my teeth, and each time asked if the pain became worse. As much as I wanted to cooperate and pinpoint the source of the pain, I could not help him identify the exact tooth that was the source of my discomfort. The X-rays did not signal any problem either, so the dentist told me he could not do anything more with my teeth. He prescribed large ibuprofen tablets for pain. I called them “horse pills”, and he told me to take those until I returned home and could see my normal dentist. Unfortunately the “horse pills” made me violently sick to my stomach, and I’m not sure which was worse, the disease or the cure. It should also be pointed out as a matter of side interest that I had to pay in cash for the visit, and the price was 20 euros, or about $25 U.S. at the time, which included the X-rays. That amount was less than the co-payment required by my medical insurance coverage at home in the U.S.

The tooth pain did eventually subside, however, as did the upset stomach, and by the time I saw my dentist at home in the U.S., I was feeling well. He made an examination of my teeth, and also took more X-rays. He showed these to me, and I was quite surprised to see that the roots of several of my upper teeth were clearly visible inside my sinus cavity, which he pointed out was rather large. He eventually concluded that the problem had been an infection of the sinus, and not a tooth problem.

I’ve had many sinus infections over the years and have suffered through two painful sinus operations. This was the only time that an infection of the sinus affected me in this way. I did not have the normal deep headaches, runny nose and eyes, and nasal congestion, as was always the case in the past. This time, and this time only, the only symptom was the toothache. So it is apparent that an infection of the sinus can manifest itself in several ways, and sinus sufferers should be aware of this.

By Walter Ballenberger

Labels: chronic sinusitis, sinus, sinus infection, sinus infection symptoms, sinus problems, sinus relief, sinus symptoms, sinus treatment, sinuses, sinusitis, sinusitis chronic, symptoms sinus infections