How to prevent sinusitis, from Harvard Women’s Health Watch

3/6/09 Posted in News  |  3 Comments

A cold that lingers—and lingers—isn’t something that happens only in winter. It may not even be a cold. It could be sinusitis, an inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages. You can relieve the symptoms of this common infection with several easy treatments, reports the March 2009 issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

When the sinuses become blocked, viruses or bacteria in the nose can become trapped in a pool of mucus with nowhere to go. The germs can grow out of control, causing infection and inflammation. The result: swelling, which causes headache and facial pain; mucus buildup, which produces congestion; and an influx of white blood cells to fight the infection, which thickens and tints the mucus. Other symptoms may include loss of smell or taste, bad breath, fever, and fullness in the ears.

The main cause of blocked sinuses is swelling produced by the common cold. More serious sinusitis can result from a deviated septum or nasal polyps.

Here are some suggestions from Harvard Women’s Health Watch for reducing your chance of developing sinusitis or relieving early symptoms:

Bathe your nasal passages daily. Use a small pot or squeeze bottle to run water into the nasal passages. This helps clear excess mucus and moistens membranes.

Drink lots of water. Good hydration helps keep mucus thin and loose.

Inhale steam. Linger in a hot shower. Or bring water to a boil, pour it into a pan, place a towel over your head, and bend over the pan to inhale the steam.

Avoid dry environments. A humidifier by your bed or at your desk can help keep nasal passages from drying out.

Sleep with your head elevated. Mucus pools when your head is down.

Harvard Women’s Health Watch is available from Harvard Health Publications, the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, for $28 per year. Subscribe at www.health.harvard.edu/women or by calling 877-649-9457 (toll-free).