Spring Brings Sinus Infections: Tips to Help Deal with Sinus Season

We make it through the cold winter, waiting for spring again. The beautiful flowers, warm weather. Letting the kids outside, so they are not destroying the house. We all have are reasons for waiting for spring, but sinus infections are one of the only reasons that I don't look foreword to spring as much as I used to.

Sinus infection, or sinusitis is a swelling of the sinuses and the nasal passages. It can cause pressure in the nose, eyes and on one side of the head. They also can cause an headache. You might have a cough with fever, and nasal congestion.

The reason we get sinus infections is our sinuses have defenses against germs. And if our defenses are down and the germs get in, those defenses may allow bacteria, which are present in the nasal passages anyway, enter the sinuses. Then the germs stick to the lining cells and a sinus infection is born.

Acute sinusitis will last less than 8 weeks, and you usually don't have it occurring more that 3 times yearly, and it will last about 10 days each time.

Chronic sinusitis last the longest and your symptoms can last up to 20 days.

Here are some tips you can do at home to get yourself feeling better.

Dry and de-congest

Drink plenty of fluids, and hot drinks like tea.

Boil water and then add to a bowl lean over own and breath in the steam about 3 times daily. You can also use a vaporizer inhale the steam, Hot showers work well, these should begin to loosen you up and start you draining.

You want to thin the mucus, So an expectorant is what you are going to be looking for, they help to expel the mucus from the lungs and respiratory passages. The best expectorant is quaifenesin, you can purchase this in lot of over the counter medicines, in my opinion Robitussin is the best. If you are unsure ask the pharmacist.

Now motrin, advil, tylenol you will want to take something to reduce swelling and pain, plus when the swelling goes down airways are opened more. And if you are like me I keep a constant headache with a sinus infection, so these medicines help with that too.

Now that you know how to make yourself feel better, let me give you some tips to prevent it from coming back:

Flu Shot, this helps reduce the instance of upper respiratory tract infections.

Wash those hands at all times, and avoid sick people if you can.

I personally take vitamin c tablets and zinc and that always seems to help me, plus it boosts my immune system.

Don't stay outside for long periods of time, and just hang in there. Before long you will be all better enjoying the beautiful spring weather.