It doesn't take much for your sinuses to get clogged. When they do, you can feel pretty miserable. The thing about a sinus headache is that more than just your forehead hurts. Your eyes, cheeks, and the bridge of your nose can hurt as well.
Sinuses that become swollen and inflamed don't drain the way they should. It's that excess of thickened mucus that causes the sinus congestion that can lead to a headache.
Sometimes the resulting pain and pressure seem unbearable. That's when something as simple as water can come to the rescue.
Drinking Water
Water is good for the body overall, but sinus problems are another reason to drink up. Fluids help thin mucus and keep the sinuses draining.
When your nasal passages get dry, they can get irritated. That's why it's important to keep your body well hydrated. In fact, as soon as you feel a sinus headache coming on, you should start drinking more water.
You can drink other fluids, too. Clear liquids, including hot tea, sports drinks, and soup broths, are best.
Drink decaffeinated tea since caffeine can be dehydrating, and you need to keep your nasal passages and sinuses moist. That means staying away from coffee and other beverages, including colas, that contain caffeine.
Alcohol has a similar effect. It acts as a diuretic, which can lead to dehydration. When your body loses too much water, sinus swelling can get worse -- exactly what you don't want when you have a sinus headache.
Inhaling Moisture
If dry air irritates your sinuses, inhaling steam several times throughout the day can help ease sinus congestion and pain.
Your sinuses like moist air, so give them what they need. Moisture helps relieve the inflammation caused by irritated tissue and blood vessels inside your nose.
If you're looking for quick relief, take a hot shower or sit in the bathroom with the door closed. Run hot water in the shower and breathe in the steam.
Another thing that might help is to spray the shower wall with some eucalyptus oil before you turn on the hot water. Chemicals in the oil have anti-inflammatory and decongestant properties that help to relieve pain by opening your nasal passages.
Flushing Your Sinuses
Use a sterile saline solution to irrigate your nasal passages and flush out the mucus causing your stuffed sinuses.
You can make your own saline solution by mixing 1 teaspoon of salt with 1 pint of lukewarm sterile water. Add ½ teaspoon of baking soda if the salt stings your nose. A bulb syringe or neti pot work well to flush sinuses.
Avoiding Chlorinated Water
Although moisture is normally good for your sinuses, in certain cases, you need to avoid water.
Swimming in a chlorinated pool can sometimes cause sinus problems, as the chlorine can irritate the mucus membranes in your sinuses and nasal passages.
If you're prone to sinus headaches after going for a swim, wear nose clips or irrigate your nose with a saline solution afterward. Try to minimize the amount of water that gets in your sinus cavities by not diving or swimming underwater.
If you happen to live near the ocean, swim there when you can. The salt water actually has beneficial effects on your sinuses. Talk to a specialist at a place like Allergy & Asthma Clinics of Fox Valley for more information.
Share13 November 2014
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