Chronic sinusitis can be caused by an infection, growths in the sinuses (nasal polyps) or swelling of the lining of your sinuses. Signs and symptoms may include a blocked or stuffy (congested) nose that causes difficulty breathing through your nose, and pain and swelling around your eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead.
Sinusitis is usually the result of a cold or flu virus spreading to the sinuses from the upper airways. Only a few cases are caused by bacteria infecting the sinuses. An infected tooth or fungal infection can also occasionally cause the sinuses to become inflamed.
Sinus pressure results from blocked nasal passages. When your sinuses cannot drain, you may experience inflammation and pain in your head, nose, and face.
While your chronic sinus drainage issues may have originated with allergies, a cold, the flu, or a combination of these or other underlying problems, chronic sinus drainage issues — symptoms lasting 12 weeks or more — are ultimately almost always caused by a chronic sinus infection (also called chronic sinusitis or ...
What dries up sinus drainage in the throat? Several medications may help dry up sinus drainage in the throat: Decongestants help reduce swelling in the sinuses, which can help reduce mucus. Antihistamines help reduce inflammation from an allergic reaction. Expectorants help thin mucus and make it less sticky.
Some natural ways to get your sinuses draining and relieve sinus pressure include drinking plenty of fluids; using a humidifier; avoiding cold, dry air; taking plenty of steamy showers; and drinking a cup of hot tea or soup.
Symptoms of Sinus Drainage
Some of these symptoms include: fever, headache, pressure in the ear, reduced sense of taste and smell, coughing, bad breath, and fatigue. Symptoms that are closely related to sinus drainage are most commonly thick drainage from the nose or down the throat.
The lung meridian 5 (LU5) points are located on the inside of each elbow. These points help to relieve sinus congestion and pressure, which may help relieve pain and a runny nose. The LU5 points are also linked to your lungs and breathing.
The best sleeping position for sinus drainage problems and other sinus issues is to sleep with your head propped up. Sleeping with your head propped up will help gravity naturally drain your sinuses and reduce the chance of excessive blood flow that can develop sinus congestion.
See a doctor if you have: Severe symptoms, such as severe headache or facial pain. Symptoms that get worse after improving. Symptoms lasting more than 10 days without getting better.
Balloon sinuplasty allows the surgeon to dilate a blocked sinus, creating open space, which allows the sinus to drain normally. The surgeon uses a flexible endoscope with a light to guide the insertion of a thin wire. The wire is then moved through the nasal passages toward the opening of the blocked sinus.
Left untreated, a sinus infection has the potential to spread to your meninges (the protective coverings around your brain and spinal cord), causing them to become inflamed — a condition called meningitis. Meningitis gives rise to the following signs and symptoms: Sudden, high-grade fever. Neck stiffness.
If you have a weak immune system , you are more likely to develop sinus infection from bacteria or mold. Other things that can cause sinus infections are colds, seasonal allergies, nasal polyps or a deviated septum.
But in a new study, they have found that doing so may actually make a cold worse, because the blow propels mucus into the nasal sinuses. Blowing one's nose creates a significant amount of pressure, according to Jack M.
Vicks VapoRub — a topical ointment made of ingredients including camphor, eucalyptus oil and menthol that you rub on your throat and chest — doesn't relieve nasal congestion. But the strong menthol odor of VapoRub may trick your brain, so you feel like you're breathing through an unclogged nose.
If a bacterial infection sets in, symptoms will generally last longer than 10 days. In severe cases, especially if left untreated, bacterial sinus infections can endure for weeks. However, if the bacterial infection is diagnosed and treated in time, symptoms should start clearing up within a few days.
While sinusitis is never pleasant, its symptoms can be worse at night for several reasons. For starters, allergies tend to be worse at night in general. And then there's the fact that when you lie down, fluids no longer drain as they do when you're standing or sitting. This can result in increased discomfort.