WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS AND WHAT CAUSES IT?
- SYMPTOMS can include nasal discharge, stuffiness, pressure and aching in the face or HEADACHE. This is something I’ve suffered from as recently as last week. And, I will tell you, I’ve experienced few things as debilitating as a good sinus headache.
- CAUSES are typically allergies or a cold causing the swelling of tissue that blocks the ostia, or opening of the sinuses. But, it can also be physical, such as having problems with your teeth or a deviated septum.
- TREATMENT: Most commonly, this is caused by a virus and will resolve in 10 days, so you need to treat the symptoms
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR THE ACUTE SINUSITIS?
Cleaning out the nose and opening up the sinuses:
- PSEUDEPHEDRINE: the best medicine to open up the inflamed tissue blocking the sinuses. I prefer to get a pill that’s mixed with Acetaminophen to treat the headache.
- NASAL WASHES: help clean out the sinuses. Also, the salt water in the mix also helps combat the swelling. IMPORTANT to rotate your head after to ensure full drainage otherwise, you can actually make it worse.
- HUMIDIFIER: use this as night, to help keep your nasal tissue moist as the medicines and the infection can help dry you out.
- STEAM INHALING: towel over your head with hot water… steam helps moisten and open up the sinuses and can help relieve the pain.
- SALINE SPRAY: helps keep the tissue moist
- HOT COMPRESS (better than ice): helps with the throbbing pain. Warmth, not ice.
- DECONGESTANT NASAL SPRAY: only for acute bouts with headache. These sprays if used for longer than 3 days, can cause a rebound effect that PROLONGS the illness.
IF IT LASTS LONGER THAN 10 DAYS or if you FREQUENT RECURRENCE, go see and ENT. They’ll get a CT and likely some Antibiotics. Surgery can always be an option.
Visit Matt Iseman at www.mattiseman.com and follow him on Twitter @mattiseman.
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