If you are no stranger to waking up with a stuffy nose, headache, facial tenderness, bad breath and a general feeling that you are always fatigued, you could be suffering from a sinus infection. Just what is this sinus infection, you might ask? First, you need to know that in humans, there are eight sinuses, which are air-filled cavities in the skull. Each sinus communicates to the external environment through their tiny openings in the nasal passage to facilitate draining of mucus and aiding in air exchange. Sinusitis most often results from a common nasal infection, like that from a simple cold, from nasal allergy, or from any condition which alters the normal process of nasal drainage. The resulting congestion becomes a breeding ground for infection which then causes the lining in the sinuses to become inflamed and swollen. To make matters worse, the increased amount of mucus that is produced is not able to drain because the sinus openings to the nose are blocked. The resulting increased pressure in the sinuses is what causes the sinus headaches and facial pain. The conventional treatment for sinusitis is primarily a combination of drugs such as antibiotics, decongestants, analgesics, antitussives, and steroidal nasal sprays. However, if you don’t want to resort to all these treatments, you can also try these sinus infection home remedies: Load Up on Water Drinking the minimum eight glasses of water can already do something good. The increased fluid can thin out the mucus secretions so that they can more easily drain out of your sinuses. If you are not such a big fan of plain water, it’s good to know that the eight glasses required doesn’t have to be all purely water. Half of it can be from a combination of tea, coffee or juice that you gulp throughout the day. However, remember that water has the irresistible edge of being calorie-free. Also, stay away from dairy products and too much sugar which will only worsen your sinus infection symptoms. Boost Your Immunity Because sinusitis is a form of infection, you can help heal your body by strengthening your natural defense- your immune system. You can do this by increasing your Vitamin C intake. You can take 1-2 tablets daily to supplement your dietary intake of fresh citrus fruits and green, leafy vegetables. Alternatives If you are into alternative medicine, good for you! Yoga, acupuncture, acupressure, and reflexology are just few of the alternatives which can help you deal with your sinus infection by relieving stress and congestion of the inflamed sinuses. Aside from these techniques, you may also try another alternative- alternative route, that is! As previously mentioned in this article, sinus infections are usually treated with oral medications and nasal sprays. If you are worrying about the side effects, other sinus infection home remedies to try are medicated sinus irrigation and nebulized sinusitis therapy. Using products like ActiveSinus, a medicated irrigator, and SinusAero, a nebulizer, you can effectively deliver your medications directly into your problematic sinuses. Sinus Dynamics is one of the compounding pharmacies that customizes a complete line of sinusitis medications in a form suitable for use with your nebulizer or irrigator. For more information, visit http://www.sinusdynamics.com/
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