Joseph A. Anticaglia MD
Medical Advisory Board
Rhinitis:
Sinusitis is almost always preceded by rhinitis, the common cold. Hundreds of cold viruses provoke symptoms of runny nose, sneezing, sore throats and coughing in people. Rhinitis is usually afebrile, of limited duration and antibiotics are of no value in its treatment.
It is during the first 48 hours of a cold that the virus is most contagious. It spreads most often when healthy people come into ‘hand to hand’ contact with the secretions of the person who has the cold. The individual touches his mouth or picks his nose and the virus enters the body.
Viruses can remain on surfaces for one to two hours. People working in common areas in the office, sharing phones, or computers are more likely to “pick up” this virus. It’s important to prevent rhinitis and therefore minimize the possibility of getting ‘rhinosinusitis’.
Prevention
- Wash your hands periodically; for example, after shopping, a bus ride, or ‘returning home’
- Get plenty of rest
- Avoid sharing utensils, cups, food
- Keep your immune system strong. . Healthy diet
- Cut down on your sugar intake, especially during periods of infections.
- Turn that frown upside down
- Stress management
- Drink enough water, not sugar water, hot tea
- Zinc lozenges… Take at first sign of cold
- Check your vitamin D level
- Exercise regularly
- You and fellow workers should stay home if you are sick
- Hand sanitizers
- Wash your hands, it’s that important
Rhinosinusitis
Rhinosinusitis is an infection or inflammation of the nose and paranasal sinuses. Medications and home remedies aim to eliminate the infection, establish normal sinus function and minimize future episodes of sinusitis. The goal of treatment is for the patient to be pain free, breathe normally and enjoy a good night’s sleep.
At times, there is a question whether the sinusitis is viral or bacterial in nature. If one complains of nasal congestion, colored nasal discharge and pain over the sinus areas for several days, that person should be treated for sinusitis without watchful waiting and without the need of image studies. But there’s a gray area where the infection can either go away on its own or worsen requiring medical treatment.
Here are home remedies which may help thin the mucus, reduce the tissue congestion, open blocked sinuses and allow the cilia (those tiny hairs inside the sinus cavities) to sweep mucus out of the sinuses into the nose and down the throat.
Environmental:
D/C Smoking… Second hand smoke is harmful to an allergic child and others
Treat seasonal and perennial (all year long) allergies (see medications below)
Remove or minimize contact with irritating chemicals from home and work environment
Molds
Keep your bedroom dust free as much as possible
Sick building syndrome” Ensure there is proper ventilation at work
Food:
Drink hot liquids; e. g. hot tea, chicken soup
Eat spicy foods if you can
Eliminate milk products
Read the food labels. Artificial dyes, transfats are not added to make you healthier. You may be allergic to dyes or some of the words (ingredients) that no one can pronounce on the label.
Medications:
Talk to your doctor before using these medications.
Acetamenophen or NSAIDs for pain
Decongestants… Do not use nasal spray for more than3 days;
Antihistamines
Cough medication
Mucolytic agents
Water:
Drink plenty of fluids
Use nasal saline sprays
Irrigate the sinuses with a Neti pot twice a day
Apply a warm washcloth to your face for 5-10 minutes 4x a day
Warm hot showers
Hot baths Add a few drops of menthol or eucalyptic oil to a bowl of hot water and inhale the vapors
Humidifier
Saltwater gargle if you have a sore throat
Miscellaneous:
Blow your nose gently.
Avoid drinking alcohol when infected
Use nasal strips
Prop your head up while sleeping;
Replace air filters and clean the air vents
Apply Vick’s vapor rub underneath your nose
Nasal ointments
Conclusion
Antihistamines and nasal steroids sprays are of no benefit for patients with a common cold and are of marginal benefit for those with sinusitis. Patients with uncomplicated viral rhinitis (cold) get better without the use of antibiotics. There are many other home remedies for rhinosinusitis that people swear by. A few of them are on my list to check out the next time you get a cold or sinusitis.
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