Home Remedies for Coping with Sinusitis
A sinus headache can be downright debilitating. Don't let your sinuses get the better of you. Take note of the following home remedies to help avoid that next attack.
Take good care of yourself. Unless you're a hermit, you stand a chance of catching a case of the sniffles at some point in the year, whether from a loved one, the sneezing passenger next to you on a plane, or a cashier at the supermarket. But maintaining a healthy immune system will bolster your resistance to germs, leaving you less likely to catch a cold or come down with the flu and making the symptoms more manageable if you do get sick. To shore up your body's defenses, you can start by eating right, staying in shape, and getting plenty of rest.
Live the sanitary life. You don't have to move into a sterile, germ-proof bubble, or walk around wearing a surgical mask. Just use common sense: If the guy next to you at the bus stop is coughing his brains out, move away. If someone in your family has a cold or the flu, avoid unnecessary contact with his or her germs. For example, don't share eating utensils or drink from the same glass, and wash your hands often.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Wash your hands often to help avoid germs that could cause a cold or the flu. |
Hydrate. Keeping yourself well hydrated helps to ensure your sinuses are well, which can ease sinusitis. So drink plenty of fluids -- eight tall glasses of water a day is a good goal. Fill a tall bottle with cool water and keep it at hand so that you can take small sips throughout the day.
Clear the air. Avoid pollutants in the air, stay indoors if the air quality is poor, and above all, avoid anyone who is smoking a cigarette. Obviously, puffing on a cigarette yourself is like writing a request for a sinusitis attack.
Control allergies. Since allergies can cause sinusitis, know your allergy triggers and do your best to avoid them. If that is not possible, see an allergist to investigate desensitization treatments designed to help the body develop an immunity to the offending substance.
Take the pressure off -- use the home remedies in this article to avoid the next sinusitis attack. If the symptoms come on despite your best efforts, be sure to see your doctor before taking any medication.
In addition, some people with asthma have aspirin intolerance, and if they use any of the medications containing aspirin, they may unwittingly intensify their problems, perhaps triggering a stuffy nose or even an asthma attack. These reactions often don't occur until three or four hours after taking aspirin, so many users don't make the cause-and-effect association. For a list of precautions to take when using over-the-counter analgesics, click here. Nose drops and nasal sprays should not be used for more than three days in a row. If your symptoms don't improve within a few days of home treatment, see your doctor. |
- To see all of our home remedies and the conditions they treat, go to our main Home Remedies page.
- If you are under the weather, read our Home Remedies for Colds.
- Or if the flu bug has gotten ahold of you, check out our Home Remedies for the Flu.
- Better yet, think ahead and read How to Prevent the Flu.
- More generally, this will help you understand How to Prevent Respiratory Infections.
Timothy Gower is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in many publications, including Reader's Digest, Prevention, Men's Health, Better Homes and Gardens, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. The author of four books, Gower is also a contributing editor for Health magazine.
Alice Lesch Kelly is a health writer based in Boston. Her work has been published in magazines such as Shape, Fit Pregnancy, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Eating Well, and Health. She is the co-author of three books on women's health.
Linnea Lundgren has more than 12 years experience researching, writing, and editing for newspapers and magazines. She is the author of four books, including Living Well With Allergies.
Michele Price Mann is a freelance writer who has written for such publications as Weight Watchers and Southern Living magazines. Formerly assistant health and fitness editor at Cooking Light magazine, her professional passion is learning and writing about health.
ABOUT THE CONSULTANTS:
Ivan Oransky, M.D., is the deputy editor of The Scientist. He is author or co-author of four books, including The Common Symptom Answer Guide, and has written for publications including the Boston Globe, The Lancet, and USA Today. He holds appointments as a clinical assistant professor of medicine and as adjunct professor of journalism at New York University.
David J. Hufford, Ph.D., is university professor and chair of the Medical Humanities Department at Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine. He also is a professor in the departments of Neural and Behavioral Sciences and Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Hufford serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine and Explore.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.
