Understanding Your Sinuses: How to Keep Them Healthy?

Dr.Abhinit Kumar, 3 mins read

As you all know, the bones of our face are hollow from inside and are filled with air. These air filled hollow spaces are called sinuses. Or, we can say, a sinus is a hollow space or air-filled cavity in the skull and bones around the nose that is part of the respiratory system. Sinuses are also known as paranasal sinuses. They start to develop in the early stages of pregnancy and continue to grow until around age 19.

Since the sinuses are connected to our nose, so whenever we get cold, the common problems also involve the sinus spaces. Because sinus problems impact the facial bones, they often cause a sense of heaviness over the face, nasal congestion and difficulty in breathing.
For individuals who already suffer from headaches, these issues can exacerbate their headache problems. In very rare conditions, if the patient is diabetic,or having breathlessness problems, the sinus problems become severe in those cases. In this blog, we will discuss how we can make our sinuses healthy and treat sinus related problems with home remedies. The sinus problems are treated in the same way as we treat colds.

Functions of Sinuses:

Mucus production: Sinuses produce mucus to clean bacteria and other particles from the air you breathe.

Airflow and voice formation: The fresh air which we inhale through the nose comes and goes through the sinus and helps in producing resonance in our voice.

Sinusitis:

Viruses, bacteria and dust particles can sometimes enter the sinuses through the nose, leading to inflammation. In medical terms, it is called sinusitis, or rhinosinusitis, and in common terms as sinus problems. People with allergies, asthma, structural blockages in the nose or sinuses, or weak immune systems are at greater risk.

Symptoms of sinusitis are:

• Runny nose with thick mucus
• Stuffy nose (feeling of fullness in the nose)
• Facial pressure
• Pressure or pain in your teeth
• Ear pressure or pain
• Fever
• Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
• Cough
• Headache
• Tiredness

How We Can Make Our Sinuses Healthy?

Stay hydrated: We should keep ourselves hydrated by drinking lots of water to thin mucus and prevent it from building up in your sinuses.

Rinse with warm saline: Use a saline solution to wash out allergens, thick mucus, and irritating particles from your sinuses.

Avoid allergens: Control allergens like dust, mold, pet dander, and pollen. You can use an air conditioner, keep windows closed during pollen season, and cover your mattress and pillows in plastic.

Reduce moisture: Look for mold in your home, especially around showers, sinks, and water heaters. Clean away any mold and reduce moisture in those areas to prevent it from growing back.

Eat healthy: Eat a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and can help with nasal congestion.

Take enough rest: Take plenty of rest when you are sick and take pain relieving medicines such as paracetamol if required.

Inhale steam: Inhale steam from a hot shower or bowl of hot water with a towel over your head.

Massage your sinuses: Apply light pressure to your sinuses and slide your fingers downward on the outside of your nose towards your nostrils.

Get your flu shot: Get your annual flu shot to help prevent colds and other infections.

Conclusion

If the problem persists for a week or more than 10 days, it is essential to seek doctor’s advice. We recommend you to visit Aakash Healthcare, Dwarka, which has the top ENT specialists, known for providing the best treatment for sinus related problems. Book your consultation for proper evaluation and treatment.