Could My Cough and Sinus Drainage Be a Sinus Infection? Nurse's Guide

Could Sinus Drainage and Cough Be a Sinus Infection?

Sinus problems are always a concern and often just a cough here and there will signal that there is a sinus inflammation, sinusitis or acute sinus infection going on.  You may not have even thought there was a relationship between your cough, sinus drainage and your sinuses but that is often the case. People think they have allergies or a cold or even a lingering cold but not often do they connect their symptoms or the cough with their sinuses.

Sinus Drainage

Sinus drainage may be trickling down into the back of your throat and irritating it enough to trigger your cough reflex.  The sinuses drain constantly down the back of the throat.  It isn't a signal that something is wrong, it's natural.  If you have a sinus infection starting you may feel an irritated or slightly sore throat from the drainage, which is a common sinus infection symptom.   If that's the case you want to do something about it fast.  You want to ward off anything that can irritate it.  There are many ways to treat your sinuses naturally at home.

Sinus Drugs 

Taking drugs or medications is no longer encouraged to get rid of a sinus infection.  In fact many drugs can make it worse, even though they're labeled for the sinuses. All drugs have side effects and can have adverse reactions when combined with any other drugs or medications you may be taking or if you're drinking any alcohol. The combination is not good.

You can have a cough here and there or actually go into fits of coughing just from the irritation.  On a rare occasion the drainage can trickle into your lungs and cause pneumonia but that is not common although it certainly can happen.  Sleeping propped up at night with pillows or wedges will help eliminate that possibility.

Sinus Mucus

Now the sinus drainage consists of mucous which is good and about four cups of mucous has to drain from your sinuses every day. If it can't get through and is blocked by swelling of the nasal passages then a sinus infection can start.

What to Do For a Sinus Infection

So you want to avoid getting a sinus infection as best you can.  Knowing what causes a sinus infection and how to treat it naturally, if you think one is starting up, is certainly beneficial and will save you a lot of grief in the long run.  So make sure to get familiar with the sinuses and what they are and how they work and what you can do about an infection if one starts or has turned into a full blown sinus infection. Sinus Cure Report