The sinuses are a kind of air-filled cavities which surround the nose. They can be present anywhere including eth forehead, near the eyes and cheeks as well. When the sinuses are clear, it becomes easier for the mucus to drain easily from the nose which clears the dirt and bacteria present inside as well. When we experience a sinus infection, the mucus get trapped in the sinuses and makes it easier for the viruses, bacteria, or fungi to grow especially when the environment is supporting, that is moist and stagnant environment. Sinus infections can result in painful, troubling and irritating symptoms among the humans

Symptoms

Some of the most common symptoms of a sinus infection include:

• a stuffy nose
• additional mucus in throat
• pain in head
• regular coughing and a sore throat
• High fever
• Felling of tiredness
• Pain in the jaw or teeth

In this blog we will discuss some of the easiest ways to get rid of a sinus infection at home:

Home remedies

It is easier to treat a sinus infection at home especially when we are experiencing painful and troubling symptoms and look for the best ways to get rid of it. Some of the steps which can help us to make our immune system stronger so that it can fight off the infection are mentioned beneath:

Some of the home remedies which we can use to treat a sinus infection at home

Over-the-counter medications

There are many OTC drugs available in the market which you can take to get some relieve from the painful symptoms of sinus infection. People are advised to take some kinds of OTC including acetaminophen, naproxen, aspirin among others to get instant relief. These kinds of medicines will give relieve from symptoms like pain, fever, headaches etc which otherwise trouble the infected person deeply.

Nasal sprays

Apart from OTC drugs, another popular option to use is nasal sprays that help in lowering eth swelling and congestion in the nasal passages. However, it is advised that people must take care when using nasal sprays, especially in case you are using some types of decongestant nasal spray. In case you are misusing nasal sprays or using it in a wrong way, then you might experience some kind of side effects as well. In case you are using a decongestant nasal spray like oxymetazoline (Afrin) for much longer period of time then it might make congestion levels worse and therefore it is advised not to use these kinds of sprays for much longer period of time as compared to the recommended duration mentioned on the packaging.

Besides affrin nasal sprays, there are many kinds of corticosteroid nasal sprays available in the market like triamcinolone (Nasacort) which can help in giving some relief. These kinds of sprays are useful in reducing sinus inflammation and swelling as well and are completely safe to use as well, especially when you are using them as per your doctor’ direction. It is important that you must adhere to the product advice carefully so that your nose doesn’t bleed and you don’t witness other kinds of side effects as well.

In case a person already has an existing medical condition or in case a woman is pregnant, then it is always advisable to speak to your doctor before starting using these nasal sprays.

Humidifiers

Many people with a sinus infection also use humidifier to add moisture to the air. By adding extra moisture in the air, one can soften the dried mucus which makes the flow more easier and lowers the congestion as well.

Nasal irrigation

Nasal irrigation is useful in getting relief from a sinus infection. According to many studies it is found that people who use nasal irrigation experience a significant reduction in headache and were less likely to need OTC medicines which they were previously taking to get some relief in their trouble. People can also a neti pot that comes with a small sized container for nasal irrigation.

Note:

People should take care that they are not using the water straight from the tap in a neti pot. Though tap water is safe to drink because the acid inside our stomach can kill off the bacteria or parasites present in the water but the nose environment is unable to kill these types of germs. So in case you are directly using a neti pot with tap water it might result causing or aggravating an infection. You can boil the water for some minutes and wait for some time to let it cool before pouring it inside a neti pot. Also, instead of boiling the water you can also use distilled water in a neti pot.

Also you can make an irrigation solution at home as well to use it with a neti pot or syringe. To irrigate the nose, you must:

• Combine half a teaspoon of noniodized salt aong with half a teaspoon of baking soda
• Now stir this mixture into 2 cups of sterile water
• You can use a small syringe or neti pot at the time of applying the solution
• Now repeat the same process for both nostrils
• After that clean neti pot and syringe with sterile water and let it dry for some time before packing it.

In case you don’t want to make a nasal irrigation solution at your home, then you can also buy the same from a pharmacy located near to you or from an online store as well.

Steam inhalation

Although there is not study that support the effectiveness of steam inhalation for a sinus infection, but still many people suffering from a sinus infection have found some relieve in their symptoms. To use steam inhalation to witness reduction in sinus infection symptoms, you can lean over a bowl of hot water, and keep a towel over your head and start taking steam. The steam will go inside your body deeply and will help in bringing some relief as well.

You can also add one or two drops of essential oil like eucalyptus oil in the water to witness enhanced relief in the sinus infection symptoms. Since Eucalyptus oil has anti-inflammatory benefits so it will help in fighting with the sinus infection. Eucalyptus essential oil is widely available in the market and you can use it to experience a relief.

Rest

Take out some free time and rest so that you can feel better, by taking enough rest, your body will feel better and will help you to recover as well. Give your body energy fighting time with the infection. BY staying at home for some time and taking proper rest, your body will be able to recover faster and you can also stop the spreading of the infection to other people.

Hydration

Drinking lot of water and fluids will surely help you a lot in experiencing a relied in your sinus infection. People are advised to stay hydrated which in turn will help them to loosen mucus and clear congestion. Some of the options in fluids to drink which you can have in case you are experiencing a sinus infection include:

• Normal water
• You can also have hot water by mixing lemon, honey, and ginger in it
• Herbal teas
• Vegetable broth

Apply a warm compress on your face

By applying a warm compress to the face, you can witness some relief in the pain and in the pressure from the blocked sinuses as well. You can easily make a warm compress in your home, to make a warm compress; you just need to soak a facecloth in hot water, wring it out and keep the warn compress on the affected areas of your face and within few minutes, you will experience a relief in your pain.

Treatments

There are various treatments available for a sinus infection whose main purpose is to lower the swelling in the nasal passages. In case you are experiencing a sinus infection from the last 7–10 days, and is not experiencing any kind of relief, then your doctor will prescribe antibiotic therapy for you, only in the case the infection is bacterial. In most of the cases, viral sinus infections improve without any kind of treatment.

Another popular option is using prescription nasal spray which will help to lower the swelling in the nasal passages, it will permit mucus to drain more easily from the sinuses. Your doctor might also advise a saline solution which will help in flushing the excess mucus out of the nose. In case a person is having a fungal infection in their sinuses, then he/she will be asked to take antifungal medicine to have some relief in the pain.

Even in antifungal medicines do not work, or in case your sinus infection is very major, you will be asked to have oral steroids by your doctor. Since these are strong medicines, so people must take them after referring to their doctors and should also discuss the possible side effects which they can experience post taking these medicines. In very severe cases when the sinus infection is not getting cured despite of every possible treatment and has spread to other parts of the face, the patient will be asked to undergo a surgical procedure to clear the blockages.

Doctor’s time

People must consult their doctors in case a sinus infection is not getting recovered even after 10 days as well and with the passage of time, the symptoms are also getting worsen. It is advised that both children and adults must visit a doctor in case they have:

• Sinus infection for last 10 days
• Symptoms are getting more troubling
• No improvement even after taking OTC medicines as well
• Have temperature more than 100.4°F (38°C)

A doctor is the right person who can help you in getting rid of a sinus infection, your doctor will examine your nose and throat properly before giving any kind of medicine or treatment to you. in case your sinus infection is not responding to antibiotics, then your doctor will examine the sinuses in a more detailed way with the help of a nasal endoscope which is a flexible tube and has a light and camera attached to the end for offering better results.

It is possible to treat a sinus infection by using home remedies like OTC medicines nasal spray etc, but in case still after doing all these treatments, you are not getting the desired results, then don’t wait further and contact your doctor regarding your problem and for its solution as well. Antibiotics or nasal sprays and irrigation are helpful in curing a sinus infection but in chronic cases, some people are asked to take oral steroids or undergo more complex medical interventions to get some relief, which only your doctor can tell you.

So consult your doctor at the earliest!!