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Dealing with Winter Sinus |
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Winter is meant to be a season when people enjoy the great outdoors with activities like snowboarding, skiing and other winter sports. But it is also a period of dread for millions who suffer from acute sinus problems that get worse in cold weather. According to an estimate, more than 37 million of Americans suffer from one bout of sinusitis every year. This makes sinusitis the most common problem requiring medical attention.
Winter sinus can be very tough to cure. If it becomes chronic then the sinus patient needs to be very particular about treating sinusitis. The winter sinusitis patient has to deal with the debilitating problem for twelve weeks or more at a stretch. There are numerous symptoms of winter sinus such as facial swelling and pain, thick nasal discharge, nasal obstruction, tarnished post-nasal drainage and low grade fever. There are also other symptoms such as constant bad breath, unrelenting headaches and fatigue.
Winter sinus can be chronic as well as acute. Initially, sinus infections begin as an after effect of colds and gradually may become chronic. The mucous membranes swell and lead to frontal headache and fever. There are a number of supposed causes of winter sinus. Amongst the causes are polyps, allergens and other factors that foster the development of sinus causing bacteria. As such, physicians recommend steam or vapor from boiled water to keep nasal passages clear. Humidifiers as well as warm compresses are also a helpful ways to treat sinus symptoms.
The medical fraternity in the West prescribes decongestants, pain relievers, antibiotics and mucolytics to cure sinus infections. Prolonged use of these medications can make the patient dependent upon them. Antibiotics can also work in only favorable conditions. Prescription medications can be effective, but they do have side effects. As such, natural medical treatments such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine have become quite useful to cure recurring bouts of sinusitis. Using herbs and acupuncture, one can treat acute sinusitis without any side-effects. Supplementary treatment in the form of Bromelain, Vitamin C, eucalyptus oil, Astragalus and Echinacea can be very effective in treating winter sinus.
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