Nasal Irrigation Can Help Keep Sinuses Cavities Clear Of Mucus and Other Irritants [News Release]
Any person who has to deal with chronic sinus infections understands when one is starting to strike… just by knowing the warning signs of the condition. Baylor College of Medicine doctors said knowing the warning signs means knowing when to use preventative measures like nasal irrigation. These preventative measures will decrease the symptoms or keep the infection from becoming worse.
What is nasal irrigation? It’s the cleansing of the nasal cavity using sterile salt water to rinse out any debris or mucus from the nose and sinus cavity.
According to Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology at BCM Dr. Mas Takashima, people become susceptible to sinus infections if they’ve recently suffered with a cold or flu or have allergies. These things will cause the nasal passages to become swollen and inflamed, which makes them that much more likely to attain a viral or bacterial infection.
To keep moisture in the nose, flushing it out with saltwater can help the sinuses function right and eliminate thick mucus debris that’s blocking them. The salt has the capability to bring moisture out from these tissues so the mucosa will reduce in sign, which enables a person to breathe easier. Plus, salt has the natural antibacterial properties along with the ability to combat infections.
Takashima said folks tend to believe that vitamin C will keep them from getting an infection. However, there is no proof that using vitamin C works. Nasal irrigation can easily be done at home and is very beneficial.
There are other home remedies out there that have not been effective in keeping sinus infection at bay: garlic, lysine and Echinacea. Takashima said many believed those remedies have helped them; but, a person can wash their hands on a regular basis and make a bigger difference.
He said humans carry germs on their hands and, by keeping them clean, you decrease the chance of spreading the bacteria to the sensitive nasal passages. Takashima said any person suffering from a sinus infection should see a specialist before starting a home remedy regimen.
Bad Breath And Sinus? [News Release]
Have you ever got that nasty feeling in your mouth where you know you brushed your teeth but if feels like you haven’t and your breath stinks? Believe it or not, not all bad breath comes from just the mouth… it can also come from your sinuses. And, there are several ways in which sinuses can cause that nasty, smelly breath:
- Post nasal drip
– Sinusitis
– Mouth breathing
– Cleft palate
Post Nasal Drip
Post nasal drop is that extra bit of mucus that drips to the back of your mouth, which can be caused by allergies, colds and even bacterial infections. When there is an extra bit of mucus, it causes an environment that allows bacteria to thrive – causing the bad breath.
Sinus Infection
Sinusitis is much like post nasal drip in the way it causes bad breath; but, it’s just the fancy name for a sinus infection. When you have this condition, the sinuses become inflamed, which will cause the mucus to stop circulating and accumulate. When this happens, bacteria can thrive and cause that filthy odor. Sinusitis can be caused by a number of things like colds, allergies and a tooth infection.
Mouth Breathing
Mouth breathing is actually a condition where the kinds of bad breath will overlap such as dry mouth and mouth breathing. There are a number of issues that can cause someone to breathe their mouth, leading to the condition dry mouth. When saliva is not present in the mouth, stinky bacteria can be a result of the issue.
Cleft Palate
Cleft palate is a condition that produces a region that allows bacteria to grow and thrive without being disturbed, resulting in bad breath.
Solutions To Bad Breath
Solutions… there are many of them but they’re not a one-size fits all for bad breath. The reason is that bad breath has a number of causes, which means treatment for them can vary. Remember, just chewing gum or sucking on a mint is only covering the problem, not curing it. To battle the bad breath, you need to fight the actual cause behind it, regardless of what it is. You might need to take antibiotics or have surgery (although that’s usually a last resort).
If you suffer with chronic bad breath, you should speak with either your doctor or dentist to find out what is causing it and begin treatment right away.
Antibiotics Don’t Help In The Treatment Of Sinus Infections [ News Release ]
According to St. Louis’ Washington University School of Medicine investigators, antibiotics are not any better than inactive placebos to lessen the symptoms people feel from sinus infections.
Otolaryngology professor Dr. Jay F. Piccirillo said patients are not getting any better quicker nor have less sinus infections when taking antibiotics. The results show antibiotics are unnecessary for the most basic sinus infections, as folks tend to get better themselves. This study can be found in February 15’s Journal of the American Medical Association edition.
According to the authors, in the U.S. alone, nearly one in five prescriptions for antibiotics is written for sinus infections. Now, there are a number of drugs that don’t work on bacteria. And, because of that it’s important if this is an effective kind of treatment. According to the research, the results are not effective.
Research Associate Professor of Medicine Dr. Jane M. Garbutt said antibiotics are being overprescribed in the primary-care setting. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is leading a movement to improve the prudent use of antibiotics. Garbutt said the study was done to provide scientific proof for doctors so that they can explain to their patients why antibiotics isn’t likely going to help with their acute sinus infection.
Researchers suggest dealing with the symptoms – cough, congestion and pain — using a wait and see method to determine if any further treatment is needed instead of using antibiotics.
166 adults were involved with the study; every one of their symptoms fit the acute sinus infection criteria that was recommended by an expert panel with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For participation, a patient’s symptoms needed to be categorized as moderate, severe or very severe. They also have to report tenderness or pain in the sinuses and face and have a lasting nasal discharge of seven to 28 days. Patients with serious complication or chronic sinus infections did not get included in the study.
Patients were given either a 10-day course of antibiotics such as amoxicillin or a placebo. Whether they got amoxicillin or not, every single patient obtained medication for their cough, fever, congestion and relieving pain.
Researchers judged the symptoms of each patient at the beginning of the treatment then another three, seven, 10 and 28 days later. After three days, there was no change between the placebo and antibiotic groups. After seven days, minor improvement was seen with the antibiotic group. Garbutt said the minor change was implausible to show any major relief from the symptoms.
By day 10, about 80 percent of the patients in the amoxicillin and placebo groups conveyed that their symptoms were either cured or very significantly improved. There was also no difference in the placebo or antibiotic groups in the number of medications the patients used to deal with the cough, congestion, pain and fever.
Garbutt said sinusitis is a nasty disease with real symptoms. People feel miserable and will miss work, she said. She also said there is no easy answer to what will be beneficial to treating sinusitis especially if antibiotics are not the answer.
Acute Sinusitis: How It Affects The Human Body and How You Can Prevent It [ News Release ]
You may not realize it but sinusitis tends to result in emotional anguish, causing a disruption to normal activity routines. This is especially true if the sinusitis has spread to the brain, as an infection can be fatal. With the help of Dr. Rajesh Kr Bhardwaj, Head of ENY at Artemis Health Institute, people can finally get an understanding of what acute sinusitis actually is.
What Is Acute Sinusitis?
The majority of folks have a real hard time understanding the actual meaning behind sinusitis. In fact, the proper terminology is called paranasal sinusitis, which are filled paired cavities surrounding the nose. These are found in the eyes, cheeks, forehead and deep within the head. It’s believed that the sphenoid sinus alleviates the weight of the human facial bones and skull. They also help in the humidification of moved air and improve the human voice tone.
How Can Acute Sinusitis Affect Overall Health?
Acute sinusitis is the inflammation of sinuses. And, when inflamed, the sinus cavities are filled with pus. This tends to happen when you have a cold as well. Now, a simple “viral” sinusitis will cause a number of symptoms including but not limited to:
- Nasal congestion
- Fever
- Headache
- Post nasal drip
- Cheek heaviness
- Heavy infected nasal discharge
If it’s not treated with suitable medication – antibiotics, steam inhalation, nasal spray – it can cause the infection to become aggravated and spread to other regions.
When you’re sick and unsure of what you’re suffering with, it’s time to look at your symptoms. There are some classic acute sinusitis symptoms you need to be mindful of.
- Nasal discharge
- Loss of smell
- Bad breath
- Headache/pain in the face or behind the eyes
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Fatigue
How Can You Prevent Acute Sinusitis
Acute sinusitis is typically produced by a bacteria or virus. The initial infection is typically the result of a viral infection with a secondary infection being bacterial. If you’re suffering from acute sinusitis, you need to avoid either diving or flying. A clinical exam is plenty to determine if you have an acute sinusitis. However, blood work, CT scan and nasal discharge exam may also be conducted. When medication fails, you might need to undergo a drainage procedure.
A Look At Home Remedies To Treat Acute Sinusitis
If you’re suffering with acute sinusitis but want to avoid going to the doctor, you do have some home remedies you can try, which include siting in a sauna or using steam inhalation. When you have no infection, you can try the ‘Jal Neti’ naturopathy practice. This works by breathing in slightly warm water into both nostrils and blowing it out gently.
Don’t do any vigorous activities such as putting pieces of string into your sinus cavities to clean them out. After all, this kind of activity requires a good deal of practice and training and may not even work for you.
University of Maryland Medical Center on Keeping Sinuses Clear
“Treating chronic sinusitis can be just as complex as diagnosing it. Antibiotics are the main weapon used to fight the condition. The type that’s prescribed depends on many factors including patient allergies, sinus culture results and the most likely type of bacterium causing the infection.
The American Rhinologic Society says other medications that may be prescribed include oral decongestants, mucus-thinning drugs, topical steroids for the nose, systemic steroids like prednisone and nasal saline washes. Treatment of acute sinusitis is usually prescribed for a few days. For chronic sinusitis, treatment can last for up to eight to 12 weeks.
CLEARING THE CONFUSION: Because chronic sinusitis can be complicated to diagnose and difficult to track, researchers have developed a new way to do both using a simple blood test. After blood samples are taken, scientists analyze protein expression in the blood using a technology called surface-enhanced laser/desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy, or SELDI-TOF-MS.
The technology can quickly identify unique protein profiles of conditions like sinusitis. The protein profiles act like fingerprints found in the body.
In the study, researchers found the technique detected protein profiles involving patients with chronic sinusitis and separated them from healthy patients with 77.1 percent sensitivity and 65.8 percent specificity. Experts hope to eventually use SELDI-TOF-MS to assist in the identification of breast, lung, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancer. ”