A sinus infection, also termed as sinusitis, is a condition in which the nasal passage and sinus cavities get blocked. Your sinus cavities are behind your forehead and connect to the internal respiratory system with the nasal passage so as to manage the flow of mucus and air. Usually, sinusitis occurs due to a bacterial infection, followed by a common cold and a viral attack. These are the major sinus infection causes. In sinusitis, the sinus cavities get swollen due to the infection, which results in the blockage of the air passage and causes pressure on the sinuses, which, in turn, leads to severe headaches. If not taken care of and treated in the initial stages, a sinus infection could develop into the chronic sinusitis. The symptoms and signs of sinusitis are as follows:
- Heaviness in the eyes and forehead with severe headache. A sinus infection headache can sometimes be unbearable.
- Pain in and around the ears.
- Sinus infection causes dizziness.
- Difficulty in breathing due to a blocked nasal passage.
- Pain in the throat.
- Sinus infection causes bronchitis.
- Thick mucus discharge when you blow your nose. It can be light yellow to greenish yellow in color. In severe cases, blood may also come out.
- Stomach upset and nausea as a result of repeated swallowing of the mucus.
- Restlessness and irritability.
- Mild to high fever.
Usually, sinusitis is diagnosed at a later stage. This is because initially, it is ignored and taken as common cold and headache and the patient relies on self-medication for a common cold. But you must be careful as soon as you experience the symptoms mentioned above and immediately seek expert medical advice. For sinus infections treatment, usually antibiotics are prescribed by most health care providers. Although, the antibiotics are good for sinus infection relief, these may lead to certain side effects in some particular cases. Cures for sinus infection also include a number of home remedies. Some of the most effective sinus infection home remedies are mentioned below:
- One of the best and easiest sinus infection home remedies is to eat pungent veggies such as garlic and onion. It is better to eat raw onion in a salad, and the best way to consume garlic is to fry three to four cloves in a little oil and eat it with some salt to taste.
- Another one of the most common and effective sinus infection home remedies is to eat adequate quantity of mangoes. Mangoes being rich in vitamin A make you immune against sinusitis and also help in clearing the blocked respiratory passage. For sinus infection relief during pregnancy, vegetables rich in vitamin A should be eaten in good quantities such as spinach, carrots, tomatoes, beetroot, and so on.
- For sinus infection headache treatment, pour three to four drops of eucalyptus essential oil in a mug full of steaming hot water and inhale the vapors, with your head and face covered with a towel. Do this just before going to bed. This is one of the best home remedies for sinus infection headache relief. This remedy not only relieves your headache but also helps in removing the mucous deposits from sinuses and nasal passage.
- Another one of the most commonly used sinus infection home remedies is to consume citrus fruits regularly. Citrus fruits are very rich in vitamin C, which greatly helps in curing the problem of sinusitis. This is probably the easiest sinus infection relief home remedies.
Now that you are aware of the sinus infection causes and cures, you should consult your doctor if the problem persists for more than one week despite using some of the home remedies.
answered by M W