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Sinus Infection (Sinusitis):
Causes, Symptoms and Temporary Relief

If you were asked: What do you prefer: (A) To continue addressing a sinus infection symptoms for temporary relief, or (B) To be permanently cured, What would you choose? If it is (A) you will find some suggestions by reading this page. If (B) then the publication being offered in the first paragraph, above, is what you want. Click.

Nothing like being sinus infection free. I struggled with it and other sinus problems since childhood. Then after four years of gathering information and experimenting with natural remedies, OTC medications, acupressure; the works, I found the cause and was cured, for good. Now in my seventies I have never felt better--no sinus issues of any kind to deal with! Then I felt a burden to share this information with others. The fine details on how I cured my sinus problems are offered at the end of this page.

Before continuing I would like to introduce you to something I wish it had been around years ago. It is an amazing irrigation technology. It can bring fast relief to mucus, sinus issues. It is considered to be the fastest, most effective natural method available to bring relief to mucus and allergy symtoms and thereby prevent sinus infection:

What causes sinus infections?
Our sinus and nasal cavities are designed so that air and mucus can be constantly flowing from the sinus cavities--with the help of the cilia--to the nasal cavities. Anything that obstructs that process, for example: swollen sinus membranes blocking the sinus openings to the nasal cavities, can lead to sinus presure and a sinus infection. Also:

• viral infections like the flu, a "cold" can cause a secondary infection: a bacterial sinus infection
• or a prolonged irritation of the sinus membranes, such as an allergic reaction to the environment
• mucus accumulation, if it is not cleared fairly soon, it will stagnate and cause a sinus infection
• dry air makes the nasal and sinus membranes swell blocking mucus flow
• weakened immune system from a bout with the flu or a cold

Nasal Cavity and Upper Respiratory Tract
a - vertebrae, b - esophagus, c - trachea
d - cricoid cartilage, e - laryngopharynx, f -
pharynx, g - nasopharynx, k - tongue,
l - hard palate, o - superior turbinate,
p - middle turbinate, q - inferior turbinate

What is a chronic sinus infection?
It is an infection that lasts longer than 8 weeks. The mucus lining in the sinus cavities remains swollen. The meatuses (sinus openings) remain blocked. The bacteria or virus causing the infection is not dealt with effectively and the infection lingers on indefinitely . While there is the usual nasal or sinus congestion and annoying secretions. Should the chronic condition continue for a long period of time the swollen nasal membranes could develop polyps, those fleshy growths nobody wants. Thus it is to our advantage to relieve sinusitis professionally if we see that it is becoming a chronic condition.

Symptoms
Not all these sinus infection symptoms need to be present at the same time:

• Pressure and pain in the sinus areas - forehead, face, around the eyes
• Swollen nasal membranes
• Yellow or green mucus secretion - sometimes with bad odor
• Fever
• Excessive drainage or post nasal drip
• Phlegm

How to relieve a sinus infection
What some of us do at the first signs of a possible, flu, cold or sinus infection approaching--whether viral or bacterial
it does not matter--is the following:

• Take botanicals A, B, G right away 3 times a day--there are no known side effects. For details Click
• Drink lots of fluids, especially plain water at room temperature
• A sinus infection can develop into bronchitis, thus take care of it
• Take zinc lozenges until the ailment is over
• Take OTC remedy containing guaifenesin to loosen mucus and phlegm
• Get into the bath tub or shower with water as warm as you can tolerate it safely for 15-20 minutes
  to induce perspiration--this gives the immune system a better fighting chance; and to loosen phlegm
• Go to bed and rest all you can
• Keep sinuses draining by using: steam inhalations or hot showers
• Do sinus pressure points (acupressure) to help drain the sinuses
• If phlegm is present a chest percussion procedure can very often be used to expectorate the phlegm which should not be swallowed
• Keep the sinuses clear and acupressure is the fastest, easiest way to do this
• If in a few days the infection does not seem to subside see your physician, you may need an antibiotic--if it is a bacterial infection
• Nip a sinus presure in the bud since many sinus infection and other sinus issues can start with sinus pressure
• If I have recurring sinus infections I may try fasting. It will boost the immune system, cleanse and detoxify the body

Even if I were wrong in the assessment of symptoms, the taking of the above steps would ordinarily not harm me. The adage: "Better safe than sorry" would definitely apply here.

Antibiotics
While it's true that antibiotics will not touch a viral sinus infection, many of them are secondary bacterial infections and they respond to an antibiotic. If I did not start the previous protocol soon enough and a bacterial sinus infection had already set in, the remedy I would try would an antibiotic. Common ones are: Keflex and Bactrim, but a prescription is needed to get them. If I do not use any of the latter remedies the infection would likely stay on with its misery for weeks. So, I go see my physician to take care of it. Again, I start relieving any bacterial sinus infection at the first sign and nip it in the bud, naturally.

Blood in the mucus
If at any time you see blood in the mucus, phlegm, be sure to go see your physician right away, since it could be a sign of a very serious respiratory system problem including: pneumonia and lung cancer.

Food and drink
Although there is some debate as to what extent, if any, some foods and drinks may play in causing or exacerbating sinus infections and other sinus problems, the empirical evidence is strongly convincing that they, indeed, do affect the sinus health of many people. Myself and many others I have spoken to would not hesitate to re-affirm this assertion. Especially foods containing: RG, D, S are the causes of many sinus problems, yet most of us don't realize it.

Better than a good cure is prevention. By right eating, drinking large amounts of plain water regularly, and tackling a sinus infection at the first sign--using the above protocol--sinus infections can be a thing of the past for you as it has been for me.