Do you suffer from headaches, nasal congestion, increased mucus production and a feeling of pressure in your face? It could be a sinus infection. Find out which medications and home remedies actually help with sinusitis and which do not.
When we have a cold, we usually suffer from a runny or blocked nose. However, the cavities of the cranial bone connected to the nose and throat can also be affected by excessive secretion or constipation. If the corresponding cold viruses or bacteria from the nose get into our sinuses, they can trigger an acute inflammation there. Sinusitis of this kind usually heals on its own within a few weeks. From a period of 3 months one speaks of a chronic sinusitis.
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Sinusitis: causes and symptoms
In most cases, a sinus infection is due to a viral cold or flu. Bacteria are rarely responsible for this. In both cases, the pathogens cause inflammation in the nose, throat and paranasal sinuses, causing the mucous membranes to swell, the secretion to become thicker and turn yellowish-green. The following symptoms are typical of sinusitis:
- stuffy nose,
- difficult breathing,
- decreased sense of smell,
- feeling of pressure in the face,
- Headache,
- Fever,
- viscous, greenish-yellowish secretion in the nasopharynx.
4 tips and home remedies for sinusitis
Since most sinus infections are caused by cold or flu viruses, antibiotics are only effective in rare cases – if the cause is bacterial. As a rule, you have to sit out a sinusitis in the classic way and support your body in fighting the pathogen or infection with the usual measures. This includes a high fluid intake, a healthy diet with fruit and vegetables, easy walks in the fresh air, physical protection, lots of sleep and not consuming stimulants such as alcohol, cigarettes, sweets or fast food. In addition, the following tips and home remedies can help.
1. Nasal Sprays
A distinction must be made between cortisone-containing agents and purely decongestant nasal sprays. While decongestant sprays or drops clear the nose for a short time and thus reduce the level of suffering, they do not fight the underlying inflammation. In addition, decongestants should not be used for longer than a week, as this has the opposite effect and causes the nasal mucous membranes to swell up again. Nasal sprays containing cortisone are suitable for the causal treatment of acute and chronic sinusitis , as they actively combat the inflammation. However, they do not affect everyone to the same extent.
2. Nasal irrigation and inhalation
While the effect of nasal sprays has been proven, the data on home remedies such as nasal douches or inhalation is not quite as clear. However, a systematic review showed the soothing effects of nasal rinsing with a saline solutionfor upper respiratory tract infections. The salt solution can either be bought ready-made in pharmacies or you can mix it with table salt yourself (two to a maximum of five teaspoons of salt in one liter of water). Likewise, inhaling water vapor can help some people. However, there is insufficient scientific evidence for the home remedy. Even with most herbal remedies or combination preparations that are recommended in pharmacies, there is no evidence of effectiveness in sinusitis or only little convincing data.
3. Doctor visit for chronic sinusitis
If the typical symptoms of a sinus infection persist for several weeks and there is no relief in sight, you should definitely consult a doctor you trust to be treated professionally and to prevent the sinusitis from becoming chronic. In addition to nasal sprays containing cortisone, modern treatment options also include monoclonal antibodies (dupilumab) and operations to widen constrictions or remove nasal polyps.
4. Compresses and pads
To finally get your paranasal sinuses free again, you can also rely on expectorant compresses and pads. You can easily make horseradish dressings yourself by wrapping freshly grated horseradish in a compress and placing it on the sinuses for a few minutes. Radish’s anti-inflammatory mustard oils can help clear mucus from your sinuses and relieve pressure soreness.
