Sinusitis Symptoms & Home Remedies

Sinus is such a problem that a large population is suffering from today. In the medical world it is called ‘sinusitis’. It is a nasal disease, which starts with najla (cold), shortness of breath and pain in the muscles of the face. Later this problem can take a serious form. Keep in mind that not every cold and flu can be called sinus. It has some special symptoms, about which you should know. Through this article, we will inform you about the treatment of sinus and important information related to it so that you can know how sinus occurs and how it can be prevented.

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Let us know what is sinus disease.

What Is Sinus?

The sinuses are air-filled spaces in the skull. It is located on the forehead, bones of the nose, cheeks and behind the eyes. Healthy sinuses do not contain any bacteria, but when sinusitis becomes inflamed or mucus accumulates, germs start to grow in it. For this reason, infection occurs in the sinuses. This infection is called sinus infection and sinusitis.

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After knowing what is sinus, now we are telling the types of sinus.

Types Of Sinus

There are four types of sinus disease. What are those types, we are explaining in detail below.

• Acute rhinosinusitis – Acute and acute sinus is of shortest duration. This sinus due to viral infection lasts for four weeks or less. This acute sinus is also caused by common pathogens Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Haemophilus influenzae.

• Subacute rhinosinusitis – The symptoms of subacute sinusitis can last up to 3 months. This condition is usually caused by bacterial infection or seasonal allergies.

• Recurrent acute rhinosinusitis – This is a type of sinus that occurs repeatedly over time. This can happen four to five times in a year. Its symptoms appear every time for 7 days. It is called recurrent because of its frequent occurrence.

• Chronic sinusitis – Chronic sinus means long-lasting sinus. Its symptoms last for 12 weeks i.e. about 3 months. It can be due to allergy, infection, mucus and inflammation.

• Allergic sinusitis – Apart from this, there is also allergic sinusitis, which occurs due to an allergy in a person. The best way to treat allergic sinusitis is to avoid the things that cause allergies.

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Now let us know how sinus occurs, that is, what are its causes. Next we will tell about the symptoms of sinus disease.

Causes of Sinus

The causes of sinus can be many. We are describing some of these common reasons below.

• Cold and cough.
• Allergies.
• Virus, fungus and bacteria.
• Dander coming out of animal body.
• Polluted air.
• Smoke and dust.
• Small hairs of the nose i.e. cilia, which do not allow the mucus to drain properly from the nose.
• Elongation of the nasal bone in a pointed shape.

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After the cause of sinus, know what are the symptoms of sinus.

Symptoms of Sinus

After knowing why sinus occurs, it is also important to know sinus symptoms. In adults, the symptoms of acute sinusitis may start with a runny nose or cold. Instead of getting better, this condition of cold can get worse in 5 to 7 days. For this reason, below we are telling about some common symptoms of sinus.

• Bad breath.
• No smell.
• Cough, which gets worse at night.
• Feeling tired and sick.
• Getting fever.
• Headache.
• Pain behind the eyes and pain in the teeth.
• Very soft face.
• Nasal congestion or runny nose.
• Sore throat.

Some of the symptoms of sinusitis in children are as follows –

• Cold or respiratory illness, which gets better and then starts getting worse.
• Sinus symptoms also include high fever.
• Runny nose, which lasts for at least 3 days.
• Cough or runny nose without cough, which has been present for more than 10 days and is not improving.

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Let us now talk about home remedies for sinus.

Sinus Home remedies

We are giving below the home remedies for sinus, but note that these are not the cure for sinus disease. These can only help in preventing it and reducing the symptoms of sinus to some extent. In severe condition, do consult a doctor for the treatment of sinus.

1. Essential Oil

Material:

• Two to three drops of essential oil.
• You can use any essential oil like eucalyptus, ravensara, frankincense.

How to use:

• Put the oil in the diffuser and smell its fragrance.
• You can also do a light massage of the nose and head by taking oil in the palm.

How beneficial:

Smelling the scent of essential oils is called aromatherapy. This therapy can be helpful in preventing inflammation and bacteria in sinus disease. In fact, essential oils such as those of eucalyptus, ravensara, and frankincense contain monoterpenes such as cineol, alpha-terpineol, and alpha-pinene. All these monoterpenes exhibit anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. For this reason, it is believed that these essential oils can be helpful in relieving sinus inflammation and fighting bacterial overgrowth.

Whereas, basil (Origanum syriacum), peppermint, rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) can also be beneficial for sinus. A study states that these herbs and their oils have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral activities. For this reason, these essential oils can be helpful in improving the airflow in the nose as well as providing relief from respiratory tract discomfort and cough. In addition, the scent of the oils may also reduce sinus headache, which is an included sinus symptom.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

Material:

• 5 to 10 drops of apple cider vinegar or half a bottle cap.

How to use:

• Pour apple cider vinegar in a wide vessel.
• Now put about one liter of water in it.
• Then put the utensil on the gas and heat it.
• As soon as steam starts coming out of the water, take the vessel off the gas.
• Then, cover your head with a towel and inhale the steam.
• If you have a steamer, take steam with its help.
• Keep taking steam for about five to 10 minutes.
• This can be done two to three times a day.

How beneficial:

The steam can help reduce congestion in the sinuses. For this reason, taking steam using apple cider vinegar can also be considered beneficial for sinus disease. Apple vinegar is rich in antimicrobial properties. This property can reduce sinus infections caused by bacteria.

3. Lemon Balm

Material:

• 1 teaspoon lemon balm oil
• 1 teaspoon dried lemon balm leaves

How to use:

• You can massage the head, nose and throat with lemon balm oil in your hands.
• Dry leaves of lemon balm can be boiled in water and drunk as a decoction.
• Both the methods are beneficial. Both can be adopted or even one can be used.
• Apart from this, you can also smell lemon balm oil by putting it in a diffuser.

How beneficial:

The use of lemon balm is believed to cure headache, which is one of the symptoms of sinus disease. For this reason, it is used in many types of aromatherapy and massage. Lemon balm is rich in analgesic (pain-relieving) properties, which can reduce sinus headaches. For this reason, lemon balm can be considered as a home remedy for sinus.

4. Tea and Herbal Tea

(a) Cayenne Pepper Tea

Material:

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 small lemon
• A glass of warm water

How to use:

• Add all the ingredients to hot water (as hot as tea) and mix well.
• Consume this mixture to get relief from sinus symptoms.
• One to two cups can be drunk in a day.

How beneficial:

Cayenne pepper tea can be consumed for sinus treatment at home. Cayenne pepper can act as a decongestant (decongestant) to reduce cough and infection. The botanical name of cayenne pepper is Capsicum annum, which has been found to reduce sinus symptoms when used for two weeks. Due to the capsaicin present in cayenne pepper, it can be used as a nasal spray to treat sinus. However, it is not safe to use it as a spray at home, so it is recommended to eat it in the form of tea and add it while cooking.

(b) Ginger tea

Material:

• 1-2 tsp grated ginger
• Two cups of water

How to use:

• Add ginger to the water.
• Now let the water boil for some time.
• When the water boils for about two to three minutes in a light flame, then filter the water.
• Now drink it like hot tea.
• Honey can also be added to it for taste.
• You can drink two cups of ginger tea in a day.

How beneficial:

Ginger can be used to reduce sinus headache. It has analgesic ie pain relieving properties. For this reason, this tea can also be consumed in migraine headaches. Apart from this, ginger can also reduce cough.

(c) Green tea

Material:

• 1 teaspoon green tea or a green tea bag
• A cup of hot water

How to use:

• Put green tea in hot water and leave it for some time.
• Sieve the tea after a while.
• If using a tea bag, discard it.
• You can add honey and lemon to it for taste.
• Consume it now.
• One can drink two to three cups of tea a day.

How beneficial:

Green tea can be consumed for home remedies with sinus. It is believed that by consuming it regularly, the body is protected from the effects of viruses and bacteria. Actually, it has antiviral and antibacterial activities. For this reason, it can be called beneficial for sinus infection.

5. Honey

Material:

• Two teaspoons honey
• Half teaspoon lemon juice
• A glass of water

How to use:

• Mix two spoons of honey in a glass of lukewarm water.
• Now add a few drops of lemon juice to it.
• Drink it every morning and evening.

How beneficial:

Honey can also be used for sinus disease. Honey can help eliminate Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) and Staphylococcus aureus (SA) bacteria that cause chronic rhino sinusitis. For this reason, honey is considered a home remedy for sinus. Apart from this, nasal irrigation using honey and water is also considered beneficial for sinus problems.

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6. Hydrogen peroxide

Material:

• 30 ml filtered water
• Hydrogen peroxide (a quarter of water)

How to use:

• Pour 30 ml of water into a spray bottle.
• Now pour a quarter of the water into the hydrogen peroxide spray bottle.
• Then pour water from the spray in the right nostril.
• When the water comes out of the other nostril, then pour water into the left nostril.

How beneficial:

Studies show that hydrogen peroxide can clear the sinuses, which can provide relief from sinus congestion. Hydrogen peroxide also has anti-bacterial properties, which can reduce the symptoms of sinusitis by killing bacteria that thrive in the sinuses. It is a kind of chemical, so be careful while using it and use it only on the advice of the doctor.

7. Garlic

Material:

• 4 to 5 garlic cloves

How to use:

• To make soup, grind garlic buds and put them in hot water.
• Drink when slightly warm.

How beneficial:

Garlic is also included in the home remedies for sinus. It has anti-bacterial properties, which can prevent germs from growing. For this reason, it is also advised to consume garlic for sinus problem. Garlic is said to help remove excess mucus from the sinuses.

8. Grape Seed Extract

Material:

• Few drops of grape seed extract
• Juice or water

How to use:

• Add grape seed extract to water or juice.
• Drink it now.
• Alternatively, steam can also be taken by putting it in water.

How beneficial:

Grape fruit seed extract is also included in the home remedy for sinus. It has anti-microbial properties, which can help keep the body away from germs. Apart from this, it can also help protect against infection. Actually, sinus is a type of infection, which is caused by bacteria and viruses. For this reason, it is believed that grapefruit seed extract can prevent sinus infections by reducing the symptoms of sinus disease.

9. Horseradish root

Material:

• A horseradish root
• One to half glasses of water

How to use:

• First of all boil the root by putting it in water.
• Switch off the gas after the water starts boiling and changes its colour.
• Now drink it like tea.
• Alternatively, its root can also be sucked directly.

How beneficial:

Horseradish root can also be considered as a home remedy for sinus. According to a research available on the NCBI website, horseradish root is known to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. For this reason, it is used for the treatment of acute sinusitis. Actually, the anti-inflammatory properties can protect the sinuses from inflammation and antibacterial properties from bacteria.

10. Steam

Material:

• Steamer

How to use:

• Put water in the steamer and take steam from it.
• If there is no steamer, you can also take steam by boiling water in a vessel.

How beneficial:

Symptoms of sinus disease include a cold (najla) and congestion and heaviness in the nose. To avoid these, steam is used as a home remedy for sinus. Steam can reduce sinus congestion. For this reason, people take the help of steam to reduce the sinus problem.

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Let us now know about the compound treatment of sinusitis.

Yoga for Sinusitis

Yoga can also be a home remedy for sinus. Actually, special attention is paid to breathing and exhaling during yoga, due to which the respiratory system gets strengthened. For this reason, yoga is considered better for sinus infection. Many yogasanas like Gomukhasana, Bhujangasana, Adhomukha Svanasana are counted in the compound treatment of sinusitis. To know about it in detail, you can read the Yogasan article for the treatment of sinus. In this, along with better yogasanas for sinus, the right way to do them has also been told.

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Next, we are telling when to contact the doctor for the treatment of sinus.

When should a doctor be consulted for sinus?

If the symptoms of sinus mentioned above in the article last for three to four days, then it is mandatory to consult a doctor. If the symptoms of headache, heaviness in the nose and other sinusitis are not cured even by home remedies, then understand that the time has come to seek medical advice. Anyway, home remedies are not the cure for any problem, they can act as a prevention from the problem. For this reason, it is necessary to consult a doctor in case of illness or any problem. Yes, steam, compress, massage and other sinus home remedies mentioned in the article can be adopted on medical consultation along with medicines.

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Learn how sinusitis treatment is done.

Sinus Treatment

Now we are going to tell about what all the advice can be given by the doctor while treating sinus disease. Just note that don’t take sinus medicine without doctor’s advice. Let us know what can be the treatment of sinus.

• Analgesia – The doctor treating the sinuses may prescribe pain relievers for acute pain. This medicine can provide relief from headache and other pains caused by sinus.
• Decongestants – (i) Pseudoephedrine may be prescribed for oral use, but this sinus medicine can cause insomnia, anxiety or nervousness. Also, people with high blood pressure are advised to use this medicine with caution.
• (ii) Topical drug xylometazoline may be recommended for use for less than a week. At the same time, if used for more than a week, its side effects (rebound rhinitis, nasal congestion due to excessive use of this medicine) may appear.
• Intranasal corticosteroids – Intranasal corticosteroids are a type of spray that is inserted through the nose. It can be helpful in treating chronic, acute and recurrent sinusitis.
• Antibiotics – If the sinus has been caused by bacteria, then it may be advised to take antibiotics in the form of sinus medicine for 2 weeks. While treating sinus disease, doctors may prescribe antibiotics like amoxicillin (trimethoprim or ceflor) or co-amoxiclav (clarithromycin) depending on the patient’s condition and allergies.
• Ayurvedic treatment of sinus – Ayurvedic treatment of sinus can also be done. For this, contact an Ayurveda doctor.
• Surgery – Apart from this, sinus disease can also be treated with surgery, but, this condition occurs when the sinus medicine does not work. Only in severe cases, doctors can perform surgery for the treatment of sinus.

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Read on for tips on how to avoid sinus.

Some more ways to avoid sinus –

Along with having information about sinus, it is also important to know the measures to prevent it. Below we are telling this –

• Sinus symptoms can be prevented by hydration ie drinking sufficient amount of water.
• Use of lukewarm facial packs, which can reduce some of the blockage in the nose due to mucus.
• Stay away from triggers, which are things that make sinus worse, such as smoking.
• Protect yourself from dust and dirt. Dust allergy can also cause sinus.
• Keep steaming
• As we have already mentioned that viruses and bacteria can cause sinus infection. In such a situation, eat those foods, which increase immunity and give the ability to fight bacteria.
• Wash hands thoroughly, especially after shaking hands with someone.
• Sinus symptoms can be avoided by staying away from stress.

After reading this article, you must have got the information about sinus. Now you can avoid this problem by taking precautions. On the other hand, if the symptoms of sinus are not cured even after adopting the mentioned home remedies, then definitely contact the doctor for treatment of sinus disease. Let us now proceed to answer the questions asked by the readers.

Frequently Asked Questions :