Sinus infections have many unpleasant symptoms that can interfere with your daily life. Research has shown that there were up to 73 million restricted-activity days related to sinusitis during one year in the United States.
Many infections can clear up with rest and at-home remedies. However, there are also some mistakes you need to make sure to avoid when trying to manage your sinus infection symptoms.
How To Know If You Have a Sinus Infection?
Sinus infections, or sinusitis, can have many of the same symptoms as a cold or allergies. While only a medical professional can diagnose you, if you have the following symptoms, you may have a sinus infection:
- Nasal congestion
- Facial pressure or pain
- Thick, colored discharge
- Headache
- Postnasal drip
- Loss of smell
- Fatigue
- Fever
Avoid These Four Mistakes
When treating your sinus infection at home, make sure to avoid the following:
- Ingesting or putting essential oils up your nose. Some people find an essential oil like eucalyptus soothing when they are congested. However, most oils are too strong to be put on the skin, let alone directly into your nostrils. If you find the smell soothing, try putting a few drops in a bath or use a special diffuser to stream it into the air.
- Using tap water for nasal irrigation. Using salt water to help clear your sinus passages is an effective way to soothe and treat sinusitis. However, you must use water that’s been sterilized as opposed to water directly from your sink or shower, as you may be putting yourself at risk of being infected with a dangerous parasite. Instead, purchase saline sprays from Jefferson Pharmacy or other local drugstores or use distilled water to eliminate your risk.
- Using steam that is too hot. Many people find warm mist an effective way to soothe the sinus passages. They do this by boiling water, placing it in a bowl, then tenting a towel over their head while leaning over the liquid. However, it’s important to wait a few minutes after boiling to let the water cool down and keep your face far enough away from the water to avoid burning yourself.
- Waiting too long to see an ENT specialist. While many acute sinus infections can clear up with home remedies and proper rest, consider seeing a specialist if you have symptoms lasting longer than a week. You may need additional treatments to alleviate your symptoms. Additionally, if you have chronic sinusitis, which is any sinus infection lasting 12 weeks or longer, you may have nasal polyps, allergies or other conditions that are contributing to your symptoms.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, call Blue Ridge ENT today.