| What exactly is sinusitis? It is an infection of the | | | | back of the cavity and expelled through the actions of |
| mucous membranes. There is no known cure for this | | | | spitting it out, blowing your nose, clearing your throat or |
| irritating condition, and it is not usually dangerous, but | | | | swallowing it. |
| there are ways to relieve its symptoms. There are | | | | When the mucus membranes become plugged |
| some serious cases, however, where severe sinusitis | | | | because of dirt and allergens, the mucus does not stop |
| infections have caused infections in other parts of the | | | | secreting; it continues production and eventually builds |
| body, such as the eyes and ears, and this can | | | | up. You are more likely to get an infection in your sinus |
| become extremely serious. In addition, if the mucus | | | | cavity when the infected mucus sits there and can no |
| caused by sinusitis is allowed to remain and becomes | | | | longer be expelled as it should. It is only common sense |
| hardened, the pain and pressure can become so | | | | that some sort of infection, whether it is bacterial or |
| severe that surgery may be required. | | | | viral, will eventually occur when the mucus just lays |
| How exactly does sinusitis work? Part of our body's | | | | there not moving through. The intensity of the infection |
| way of keeping us healthy is to filter the air that we | | | | usually depends on the person and each individual |
| breathe. If our nasal cavity fails to do its job, we can | | | | case. |
| come down with a cold that can turn into sinusitis. | | | | The most common reason that people get sinusitis is |
| Sinusitis mucus production is normal but if our body | | | | from a normal cold that turns worse instead of slowly |
| over secretes the mucus, for example as a reaction | | | | getting better, as is the usual case. This type of |
| to a cold, we can become very ill and it is very hard to | | | | sinusitis is usually called acute sinusitis, which has |
| overcome a serious bout of sinusitis. | | | | symptoms that can last up to 30 days. Chronic sinusitis |
| In a nutshell, sinusitis is based on mucus production. If | | | | is sinusitis that can last for months or even years. |
| mucus production becomes a problem, it can throw | | | | There are methods that you can try to find relief. It |
| everything else in our sinus cavities out of whack. If the | | | | may help to loosen the mucus by massaging the |
| mucus membranes continue to over produce, this | | | | areas around your nose, eyes and forehead. Natural |
| creates a blockage in the nasal cavity when the | | | | herbs have been used since the beginning of time and |
| mucus can no longer drain properly. When the hair like | | | | people swear they have positive effects on stuffy |
| projections known as cilia stop moving because the | | | | sinuses. Things like lemon, garlic, ginger, eucalyptus and |
| mucus becomes too thick with debris, they will no | | | | peppermint can help reduce congestion and swelling. |
| longer do their job of sweeping the dirt away before | | | | The steam from herbal teas can also make us feel |
| the air we breath moves into the lungs. The job of | | | | better and soothe us. If we add a sinus irrigation |
| these cilia is to clean the air we breathe of allergens, | | | | treatment to our list of daily rituals, we may be able to |
| chemicals, dust and dirt before they can enter the | | | | slow the process of recurring sinus infections. Before |
| lungs. If these do not get filtered before entering the | | | | we take any steps in trying to heal ourselves, |
| lungs, more aggravating infections can occur. When | | | | however, we should consult an accredited doctor for |
| functioning properly, all of this "debris" is moved to the | | | | advice. |