The Solutions for Chronic Sinusitis

The line between acute and chronic sinusitis continues to be blurred in the Medical Community. I believe many people are wrongly being diagnosed with chronic sinusitis. The unfortunate thing is that this diagnosis usually follows with a suggestion of either surgical intervention or some other unproven chronic sinusitis treatment. Conventional medicine poorly understands and treats chronic sinusitis.

The best chronic sinusitis treatment is to first figure out if you truly have it. The sinuses are small pockets of air contained within your facial bone. They normal produce mucus and act as a filter for the air your breath. Inflammation of these areas is medically termed sinusitis. The best differentiating symptom that you have the chronic version is the extent and duration of this inflammatory response.

With acute sinusitis the symptoms are usually much more severe and short lived. A fever may develop, severe post nasal drip, head pressure, congestion and sore throat are common. In chronic sinusitis the inflammatory symptoms above are much milder and usually no fever is present. Most commonly though the congestion is more severe.

According to the standard medical community to be diagnosed with chronic sinusitis these symptoms must present for at least 8 weeks and they occur multiple times throughout the year. If you do not meet these diagnostic criteria than you most likely do not have the chronic version.

If you do, then you must focus on chronic sinusitis treatments and not acute sinusitis treatments. They are different and many doctors do not understand this significance.
As stated before the symptoms are different, and this revolves particularly around mucus product. Chronic sinusitis sufferers have much more mucus production and therefore all effective chronic sinusitis treatments must first start there; reduce the mucus production.
Netti pots and sinus irrigation are claimed to do this, but in my experience they are best at reducing allergenic caused sinusitis. So after clearing up your sinusitis using them will help prevent you from falling into a relapse.

Ayurvedic medical oils are my first choice for chronic sinusitis treatments. These oils contain herbs such as Ginger, Guggal and Eucalyptus; all herbs aimed at reducing mucus production and as well helping the existing mucus drain. The oils is applied topically over the nasal passages and massaged in for about 5 minutes. Many patients find this facial massage very relaxing. Within minutes of this process blood flow increases and mucolytic agents begin to liquefy build up. Quickly the mucus will run down the back of the throat or out the nose. Relief is found very quickly with these medicinal oils.

I suggest using these oils nightly for 7 days. This is enough time to remove mucus buildup. Steam inhalation after this treatment can also facilitate the process.

At this seven day mark switch to using a netti pot or a sinus irrigation technique. As discussed before they are the best at preventing chronic sinusitis, particularly those that are allergy mediated. If you believe your chronic sinusitis is fungal related use Vitamin C or some salt with your netti pot. Both are antifungal.

The biggest mistake I find is that people forget to remove the mucus buildup first. This is why so many continue to suffer with chronic sinusitis. It is only through removing this “plug” can you actually get into the sinus passages and treat the fungal or bacterial infection, or if it is allergy mediated removing these allergens. So remember, first get rid of the mucus, and then treat the cause. Please consult your local physician before making any medical decision discussed in this article.

Dr Walter Johnson is a sinusitis expert. For more information on chronic sinusitis treatments visit http://www.curesinusproblems.com