Before I go on to describe the most effective and proven natural
home remedy for sinus infection, we must first understand the anatomy of
the sinuses and the major cause leading to a sinus infection.
A
sinus is a hollow space in the body located within the bones of the head
encircling the nose. The frontal sinuses are over the eyes, the
maxillary sinuses are inside the cheekbone, the ethmoid sinuses are
in-between the eyes and behind the nose-bridge and the sphenoid sinuses
are behind these ethmoids-that is the upper nasal area and at the back
of the eyes.
These sinuses are lined with a continuous soft
tissue-like membrane.This lining of the sinuses provide a very important
and essential function in that they protect the body from dust,
pollens, other foreign matter and pathogens in the air we breathe in.
The surface of this lining is densely populated with microscopic
hair-like cilia. The cilia act like oars to drain the mucus produced
naturally by the body. These mucus, together with trapped allergens and
pathogens, are then flushed out to the stomach via the back of the
throat on a regular basis. You may regard this as the body's natural
waste removal system. In this way, your body prevents bacteria load from
building up. Healthy and proper cilia function is essential for good
nasal health. When mucociliary function becomes dysfunctional,
inflammation of the mucous membranes results. This leads to an abnormal
buildup of mucus in the sinus cavities. Henceforth, the bacterial load
within the sinuses increases leading to a sinus infection for those with
a weakened immune system.
The only way to prevent a sinus
infection is to assist our body to rid these pathogens quickly before
they have a chance to proliferate within the sinuses. This is done by
flushing out the sinuses with saline solution before a sinus infection
can occur. Nasal irrigation is the name of this process.
So which
is the best home remedy for sinus infection? Many have used a product
called a neti pot. Some have found this to be useful while others find
it cumbersome and difficult to use effectively. In cases where there is
severe nasal congestion, the flow of saline solution from the neti pot
may be disrupted and nasal irrigation cannot continue.
The most effective home remedy for sinus infection requires you to have the following items:
1. A teaspoon.
2. A 10 ml plastic syringe WITHOUT needle.
3. A small cup.
4. 100gm of Sodium Bicarbonate powder.
The steps taken to perform nasal irrigation are as follows:
1.
Mix 1 teaspoonful of the powder into a small cup of water and stir the
mixture. Fill up the syringe with the sodium bicarbonate solution by
pulling back the plunger of the syringe after immersing it into the
solution.
2. Lower your head into the basin and tilt your head to
one side and slightly down toward the basin. Ideally, the chin and the
forehead should be level with each other.
3. Place the opening of
syringe into the upper nostril creating a complete seal and inject the
saline solution slowly and gently so that it flows into that nostril,
through the nasal passages, and out the other lower nostril. You may
either hold your breath while doing this or breathe through your mouth,
whichever is more comfortable to you.
4. Expel the remaining
saline solution and mucus trapped in the nasal passages by blowing them
out of the nostrils. For best results, it would be better to keep one
nostril shut and blow out the contents through the other and repeat.
5.
Repeat the entire process by alternately tilting the head to the other
side and inserting the syringe through the other nostril. When most of
the solution is used up, pour what is left into the mouth and gargle for
a minute before spitting the contents out.
This nasal irrigation
method works well even for those with blocked sinuses caused by the
common cold or influenza. Regular cleansing of the sinuses via this
nasal irrigation method can help those who have contracted sinus
infection recover quickly. To prevent recurrent sinus infection, nasal
irrigation must be done on a regular basis.
By
Marcus Wong
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