Tips for Treating Sinusitis Naturally
Before we start with tips for treating sinusitis naturally, let's see what the sinuses actually are.
The sinuses are cavities in our skull, as very well depicted at www.webmd.com. So next time you think that someone is behaving empty-headed, remember we all partially are. Or at least we should be unless we have problems with our sinuses.
So we have cavities in our skull. Why? Nobody knows, at least not for sure. There are different opinions on that topic, and the most prevailing ones are that we need them to improve air filtering and humidifying, or those cavities affect our voices. Most of us have actually noticed how our voice changes when trying to speak with a congested nose and sinuses.
Even if we don’t know what the original purpose of the sinuses is, we know how they're built. These cavities have a thin lining called mucus, but apart from that, those cavities should be cavities. Which means there shouldn't be anything but air, at least in most of it. But if we are experiencing problems with our sinuses, those cavities get congested. We then feel discomfort and pain in the facial area or even a full-blown headache.
Also, avoid foods that cause acid reflux. This may sound unrelated, but let me explain...
A sinus specialist is called an otorhinolaryngologist. This is somewhat difficult to spell out, but it is a combination of Latin/Ancient Greek words for ear, nose and throat. The reason for these specialties being combined is because those three are connected, so if you can “feel” the acid reflux in your ears, you can be sure your sinuses get affected as well. One common activity that may also cause acid reflux is late-night eating, so try to eat at least 2.5 hours before bedtime. Dairy products and sugars (beware of the juices with added sugar) can also worsen sinusitis.
Another good way of treating sinusitis naturally is to increase the humidity in the sinuses. We can do that by using a saline nasal spray, which you can make at home, or by using Neti Pot which will not only add humidity, but it can rinse out mucus and help in relieving congestion as well. Simply breathing in the steam of herbal tea is also a very good way to add humidity.
Here is an unusual but natural solution... try eating horseradish. Have you ever tried to take pure horseradish, swallow it, and then breathe-out through your nose? If you have, you know how it feels! It feels as if it literally melted everything on its way and left your nose and sinuses clean. Unfortunately, it doesn’t entirely do that but it is very good for treating sinusitis naturally.
Dos and Don’ts in Treating Sinusitis Naturally
Sinusitis can be provoked by infection of the sinuses, or seasonal allergies. Infection can be bacterial or viral, and it also can be acute or chronic. If it lasts more than 12 weeks we are usually talking about the chronic one, while in the case of several days to weeks it is an acute one. Doctors usually treat sinusitis with antibiotics. Antibiotics work to reduce the amount of bacteria in your system and your white cells will try to clear the infection. In the case of viral infection, we have to rely on our immune systems alone.But is there something that we can do to actually help?
Yes, there is. We must remember, when we're suffering from sinusitis, not to consume food and drinks, especially drinks, which act as diuretics. Diuretics drain the fluids from our body. They cause the dehydration of the nasal membrane, which can increase discomfort and pain. The most widely and most frequent used diuretics are coffee and other caffeinated drinks, as well as alcohol. Actually, the opposite would be quite helpful – drinking plenty of water can dilute the mucus in the sinuses and improve drainage.
Also, avoid foods that cause acid reflux. This may sound unrelated, but let me explain...
A sinus specialist is called an otorhinolaryngologist. This is somewhat difficult to spell out, but it is a combination of Latin/Ancient Greek words for ear, nose and throat. The reason for these specialties being combined is because those three are connected, so if you can “feel” the acid reflux in your ears, you can be sure your sinuses get affected as well. One common activity that may also cause acid reflux is late-night eating, so try to eat at least 2.5 hours before bedtime. Dairy products and sugars (beware of the juices with added sugar) can also worsen sinusitis.
Another good way of treating sinusitis naturally is to increase the humidity in the sinuses. We can do that by using a saline nasal spray, which you can make at home, or by using Neti Pot which will not only add humidity, but it can rinse out mucus and help in relieving congestion as well. Simply breathing in the steam of herbal tea is also a very good way to add humidity.
Here is an unusual but natural solution... try eating horseradish. Have you ever tried to take pure horseradish, swallow it, and then breathe-out through your nose? If you have, you know how it feels! It feels as if it literally melted everything on its way and left your nose and sinuses clean. Unfortunately, it doesn’t entirely do that but it is very good for treating sinusitis naturally.