Being sick can definitely put a damper on your day, especially if you are suffering from a sinus infection. Even though most cases are caused by a virus and tend only to last a week, the symptoms can interfere heavily with your life. Having a sore throat, sinus pressure, headaches, stuffy nose, and being fatigued are some of the common signs of a sinus infection. With symptoms like these, it’s no surprise that a person would want to feel better as quickly as possible. However, there is a possibility that while you are trying to manage your symptoms, you are making it worse without realizing it.
If you have a sinus infection, you may be making it worse without knowing. To help you get back on track, check out some of the ways you may be making your sinus infection worse and what you can do to get some relief.
• Watch out for airborne irritants that can irritate your nose and make your symptoms worse. Perfumes, pollutants, allergens, and cigarette smoke can make your symptoms worse. Inflammation occurs, which creates more pressure in the sinuses, so don’t smoke if you have a sinus infection, and lay off the perfume and cologne. Also, try to stay indoors on days that have a high allergen count and poor air quality.
• Even if you don’t feel like drinking, staying hydrated is key. When you have a viral infection, your body is producing more mucus. That means you should drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and help thin out the mucus. Dehydration can make sinus infection symptoms worse and can lead to thicker mucus, which is harder to expel.
• Talk to your doctor about using a nasal decongestant and use as directed, which can help offer relief for sinus infections. While decongestant sprays can help break up mucus and improve flow to help you breathe better, if you use it for too long, it can make your symptoms worse. If your doctor recommends you to try this method, do not use the decongestant for longer than what’s prescribed.
• If you live in a dry climate, the dry air that you breathe in can irritate your nasal passage and can make your symptoms feel worse. The winter months are often dry, which can also irritate your nose. To help balance this, run a humidifier or a cool-mist vaporizer to add some moisture back into the air. Having humidified air can help ease coughing, soothe a sore throat, and helps promote drainage.
• When you have a sinus infection, you must give your body the rest it needs to fight off the infection. Your immune system requires energy to do its job, so if you are feeling under the weather, make sure to take it easy and get plenty of rest. Also, remember stress can even exacerbate your symptoms, so remember to take it slow so your body can heal.
Similar Posts: