How to Treat Sinus Infection at Home

Sinus infection is a very common disorder that affects over 29 million people in the United States. If you are suffering from this disorder or if you want to prevent this from affecting you, then you should learn about its treatment as well as the causes and signs and symptoms.

The sinuses are cavities that are air-filled and hollow, located between and above the eyes, at the area that surrounds the nasal cavity and behind the ethmoids. These have several functions which include the increase in the resonance of the voice, insulation of the skull to reduce its weight and humidifying the air that you inhale. When these sinuses become inflamed, sinus infection or sinusitis happens. It can be acute or chronic, depending on the duration of the disorder. It is usually caused by infections which can be bacterial or viral that affects the upper respiratory tract. There are also substances that can trigger sinusitis such as allergens and pollutants.

The signs and symptoms of sinus infection will depend on the type. For acute sinusitis, you will experience nasal congestion, mucus drips at the throat behind the nose, sore throat, headaches, fever and pain over the affected sinuses. The pain can be located at the areas behind the eyes or surrounding them, at the cheekbones and around the upper teeth, at the top of the head and across the forehead. When the sinuses located behind the eyes are affected, there will be visual problems such as double vision. On the other hand, for chronic sinus infection, the nasal discharge will be chronic including the sore throat. The pain will definitely be worse especially if you are suffering from the flu or colds. The fever will be persistent and you might experience chronic bad breath.

When you are suffering from sinus infection, there are several things that you can do for you to recover and for your condition not to get worse. First, you have to promote drainage of the mucus that was accumulated in the sinuses. You can do this by drinking plenty of fluids like hot tea and water. You can also have steam inhalation for two to four times a day. You can lean over a bowl of hot water or if you have a steam vaporizer, you can use it for around 10 minutes. To thin the mucus, you can use over the counter expectorants such as guaifenesin (Robitussin) but you have to make sure that you are getting the correct dosage by asking your doctor or your pharmacist.

For pain relief, you can use analgesics like ibuprofen and aspirin. These medicines will help in reducing the pain and the inflammation of the sinuses. If you are having fever, drink acetaminophen (Paracetamol). Nasal saline irrigation is also recommended but it should be done with care. This is done by using a Neti-pot which is actually a ceramic pot that will help relieve the congestion, the pain and the pressure. If the home remedies do not seem to take effect and your sinus infection is getting worse, then it would be better to go to a doctor for a proper consultation. You might need antibiotics for the infection and other stronger medications to control the pain and the swelling.

When you have sinus infection, there are definitely several things that you can do about it so that you can recover in a speedy manner. Do the treatment methods that were mentioned above and you will surely get better in no time.