Do you enjoy winters, waiting for the winter sales, and busting out your cute winterwear from your closets? Do you love the idea of traveling to colder climates, up in the mountains, but cannot due to developing Sinusitis?
If you’re one of those who suffer from Sinusitis during the colder climates and get even more irritable by taking heavy doses of antibiotics, this article is for you. Read on to find out how you can curb the symptoms of your malady through natural supplements.
What is Sinusitis?
Sinusitis is an inflammation of the nasal sinuses that are normally filled with air. These sinuses are cavities that are lined by a thin membrane of mucus-producing cells. In people who have allergies that flare up in cold climates, the air in the sinuses is replaced with increased mucus secretion. As a result, there is a constant feeling of congestion, swelling in the upper half of the face, pain, and feeling of pressure, headache, and flu-like symptoms.
These unfortunate souls then stock up on antibiotics, warm woolly clothing, and their dearest of all friends: the tissue box. They also barely leave the house in fear of the allergies flaring up again. The resulting lack of sleep, loss of taste and smell, and the constant sniffling would drive anyone over the edge.
However, dealing with the irritable symptoms produced from the constantly heavy doses of antibiotics is a whole other story. If you could find a way to control your Sinusitis by other, natural means, wouldn’t you go for it? Well, here’s the good news. You can find a way to avoid a bevy of medicines, numerous doctor trips and still control your Sinusitis by sitting at home. Read on to find out what you can do to help yourself.
What Can You Do to Control Your Sinusitis?
Before we start with the list of natural supplements to help your cause, we would love to help you find alternate paths to prevent an attack in the first place. Here are some of the natural remedies you can practice to control your sinusitis symptoms and prevent an attack:
Nasal Irrigation
This is known as the first line of defense and is perhaps the most important thing you can do to prevent an attack of Sinusitis. Constantly keeping your nasal passages clean by running water through them daily will keep them mucus-free, or at least reduce the amount of mucus lining your nostrils.
Stay Hydrated
A good level of hydration keeps the mucus thinner rather than in its more congealed form. This will help you in clearing out your nasal passages more easily. Keep a bottle of water on your nightstand, so you will remember to drink water first thing in the morning.
Saline Spray
This method has proven extremely effective using a homemade solution made from ¼ pints of clean water, ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, and salt. Using a clean, dry spray, inserting the nozzle into the nostril (one at a time) and spraying the solution in it keeps the nasal passages clean mucus-free.
Sleep with Your Head Elevated
Due to gravity, mucus tends to pool and collect during sleep when you’re lying down. As a result, you end up feeling even more congested when you wake up. To avoid this, you can sleep on two pillows or use a wedge to prop your head at an elevated angle while you sleep.
Steam Inhalation
This cannot be stressed often enough – steam inhalation is one of the most soothing techniques to relieve congestion and clear out blocked nasal passages. Bending over a hot pan full of boiling water at a comfortable distance would do the trick. Add in a couple of cinnamon cloves to give it an extra kick and produce a further soothing effect.
Avoid Dry Climates.
A dry environment would just propel you further towards developing Sinusitis. Dry nasal passages invite further mucus production and lead to more congestion. Keeping a humidifier by your bedside should help you inhale clean, humid air and keep your nasal passages moist.
Further Prevention Strategies
Although all the tips mentioned earlier would help you a great deal by controlling symptoms of early infection, you can do yourself one better and avoid developing Sinusitis entirely by adopting the following lifestyle alterations to your routine:
Avoid Inhaling Cold Air
When the winter season starts approaching, avoid venturing out unless you’re well covered by wearing a face muffler or anything else to protect your nose. This is a necessary course of action that you can undertake in order to prevent a full-blown attack of Sinusitis.
Avoid Smoking
Tobacco smoke contains harmful allergens and substances which could irritate your nasal passages. The biggest favor you could do yourself is to cut down on smoking and avoid environments where you see others smoking, as inhaling this smoke would flare up your allergies faster than anything else.
Exercise and Diet
It’s no secret that exercising regularly and eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet is the secret to staying healthy and happy. Adopting this strategy will serve you well in this regard as well.
Keep Your Windows Closed
During weather that leads to a flare-up of all your allergies, it is a wise solution to keep your windows sealed and avoid inhaling air that could be harmful to your nasal sinuses.
Keep Your Hands Clean
We constantly use our hands, perhaps to wipe our noses or to touch our faces. This could also lead up to catching infections, so it’s very important to wash your hands each time you get off the subway or use any other mode of transportation.
Avoid Dust Mites
Dust is one of the biggest enemies of people with allergies. Especially during autumn and winter, when the air gets colder and blows more frequently, it is vital to keep your home clean of any dust or the resulting dust mites. Wipe down your counters and tabletops regularly, and use dust mites covers for your pillows before sleeping to avoid inhaling them during sleep.
Swimming and Diving
Swimming is inadvisable for people who suffer from Sinusitis, especially during seasonal changes when the time is ripe for allergies to flare up. Sudden movements in motion like diving causes pressure changes in the nasal sinuses, leading to a sinusitis attack.
Natural Supplements for Sinusitis
Fortunately for those who suffer from this chronic condition, a slew of natural supplements have now been discovered to help combat the symptoms of this infection. It’s better to avoid medications and prolonged drug treatment for lifelong conditions such as Sinusitis since medications are accompanied by their own brand of side effects, which are equally just as irritable as those of Sinusitis. Here are some of the natural supplements that you can use in place of actual drugs:
Bromelain (B002SDZXIG)
Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme that contains digestive properties, and it is derived from the pineapple plant. Taking it between meals improves digestive health and the added benefit of soothing any soreness resulting from muscle swelling and overuse. It has been proven to help with reducing inflammation and relieving symptoms of Sinusitis. However, it would be wise to consult with your doctor first if you’re taking other medications such as ACE inhibitors since Bromelain may have some interactions with the drug.
Quercetin (B0013OSQ5I)
Quercetin is derived from the flavonoid plant and is known to act as an anti-histamine, which helps majorly in reducing inflammation and so soothes any symptoms of Sinusitis. It is proven to be most beneficial when taken in conjunction with Bromelain. However, people who are allergic to flavonoids or pineapple should practice caution before taking them.
Probiotics (B071DZQLPQ)
These are more commonly known as ‘friendly bacteria,’ which help maintain our normal flora in the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract. They help in fighting the ‘bad bacteria’ and may serve as allies in fighting off infections and preventing allergy flare-ups. They are commonly known as natural antibiotics. Dairy products like yogurt are usually rich in probiotics.
N-Acetyl Cysteine (B000QSLINE)
N-Acetyl Cysteine or NAC is a modified amino acid that works as a natural anti-inflammatory agent in the human body and helps to take down any swelling, which results from an inflammatory infection due to allergies. An added benefit of NAC is that it helps in the thinning process of the mucus which is produced during Sinusitis, simultaneously helping with the reduction of congestion. However, NAC may react with certain prescription drugs, so you should consult with your healthcare provider before taking them.
Other Non-Medicinal Approaches to Combat Sinusitis
In addition to natural supplements, other possible solutions can aid in relieving the symptoms of Sinusitis and assist with reducing swelling on the face. The following methods could be really helpful too:
Herbs
Sinupret is one such herb that is gaining popularity in the market as a potential means of treating Sinusitis – both in its acute and chronic forms. It is known as the best source of natural remedy to treat any number of respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to full-blown Sinusitis in Germany and Europe.
It presents as a promising solution for Sinusitis as an alternative for medicine and other drugs. Acupuncture relieves pressure from various pressure points and is immensely helpful when dealing with stress, headaches, or other such issues. Thus, it stands to reason that acupuncture is one of the most effective methods to treat Sinusitis and relieve its congestion-like symptoms. It has been proven to treat roughly around 99% of the diagnosed cases of Sinusitis.
Essential Oils
These are oils derived from plants, so naturally, they would work wonders in helping to soothe the symptoms of Sinusitis. Menthol, which is the most commonly used essential oil, helps enormously in the sensation of unblocking the nasal passages and allowing breathing to get easier during the flu-like symptoms of the infection. Adding a few drops of this oil to boiling water and then inhaling it for a few minutes would work twice as well, exhibiting the double effect of steam and menthol inhalation. Trust us, trying this approach would not just soothe your block passages but also work as a calming technique and will prove to be immensely relaxing.
Our Final Thoughts
Sinusitis is a very commonly occurring infection, and approximately one-third of the world’s population suffers from this ailment. Nowadays, every other person is inflicted with an attack of allergies due to increased urbanization in the ever-changing, modern world. Sinusitis is a condition that you can’t completely eliminate; however, you can surely manage it many different ways.
You may feel like taking preventative measures like avoiding pollution, smoke, dust, and cold air would only be helpful to a certain point, after which you are on your own. But do not worry! There have been several updates in the pharmaceutical world regarding potential, non-chemical solutions for Sinusitis. Trust us, by taking these recommended supplements and practicing the soothing techniques mentioned in this article, and you will soon be able to breathe the clean, fresh air around you and enjoy the true spirit of the winter season!
