10 Ways To Avoid Sinus Problems - Nurse's Guide

10 Ways You Can Avoid Sinus Problems 

Sinusitis is simply inflamed or infected sinus cavities. Sinus anatomy - there are four sets of sinus cavities and the problem can be in any of them. If you think you have sinusitis symptoms or signs, such as irritated throat, lightly coughing, sinus headache, yellowish mucous, stuffy nose, blockage, pressure or pain, etc., here are a few tips you should know.

First of all knowing if you can prevent it or how to prevent acute or chronic sinusitis is important.  You may be continuing to expose your self to the same situation that's caused your sinus problem to begin with. In some cases it will be difficult to prevent if an unknown factor is causing it - for example an undetected food allergy.

Here are some of the ways you can help prevent sinus problems:

1. Try to keep your nose and nasal cavities as moist as possible.  You can carry a saline spray and spray throughout the day. Let me caution you about sprays.  I would never put anything up my nose that was not a saline solution - that is salt and water. There are numerous products out there that claim to cure sinusitis and want you to put a foreign substance up your nose like the capsaicin in capsaicin spray.   This may create other problems. You don't know what is absorbed into the bloodstream, etc.

2. Sometimes humidifiers are recommended but these can create other problems increasing the chance of development and growth of mold in your bedroom. Many people are allergic to common household molds. Molds are a type of fungus.  But there are many types of fungi that are not molds.

Recent research has shown that a majority of sinus infections are due to fungi. Dust mite allergies are common too.  Dust mites can cause serious sinus problems. 

3. Exposure to cigarette and cigar smoke can cause an inflamed mucous lining in the sinus cavities. Exposure to chemical fumes is another one - fire extinguisher fumes, even perfume and cologne fumes, harsh chemicals, etc.

4. Avoid walking outdoors if there's a lot of smog. Even a little bit of smog bothers some sinus sufferers. Listen to the weather report and check for a smog or air quality advisory before you head out.

5. Avoid diving into water. Water is forced into the sinus cavities from the nasal passages.

6.  Also swimming in pools treated with chlorine can irritate the nasal lining and cavities. If you must swim seek out salt-water treated swimming pools.

7. Traveling by air may cause a problem if you're already suffering from acute or chronic sinusitis. When air pressure is reduced it can build up in your head, causing a blockage in your sinuses and force it into the Eustachian tubes in your ears.

8. Get checked for dust mite and food allergies if you have recurring sinus infections.

9. People with celiac disease have a lot of sinus problem because they have a suppressed immune system from improper digestion so they're not absorbing the nutrients they need. You may want to think about getting tested for it.

10. Eating a diet predominately of fruits and vegetables can help prevent sinus attacks. Some people report they improved significantly after giving up dairy products.

If you make an effort to find out what exactly is causing your sinus problems and do all you can to prevent them you may experience far fewer sinus attacks. Taking a natural approach without sinus medications is always the best approach to get relief.  Many people have cured themselves by prevention and a simple treatment - a sinus cure they can do at home.

copyright©2008 Helen Hecker all rights reserved. No permission is given to copy or reproduce this article in any way or in any form.