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Sinus is one of the most common infections, every year around 30-35 million people suffer from it. Anyone who has ever experienced this infection will understand how irritating it can be and how it can affect your daily routine.
What is Sinus Infection?
There are hollow spaces within the bones of our nose that allow air to pass through and flow. However, inflammation and swollen nasal cavities prevent air from passing through freely, and because of such blocked sinuses, germs like bacteria, virus, and fungi grow multi-folds and lead to a sinus infection, making the situation even worse.
Minor sinus can turn into an acute sinus if not treated on time. Normal Sinus takes at least two weeks to get cured even if supplemented with proper antibiotics. However, if this infection stays for more than 14 days, then it can turn into an acute bacterial infection. Chronic sinus can also lead to multiple allergies and infections that can last for as long as 12 weeks.
Oregano oil for Sinus Infection
Compounds present in oregano make it capable enough to fight against various infections including sinus. Its antibacterial and antifungal properties make it the most effective herb to get over chronic infections.
Benefits of oregano oil to soothe Sinus Infections
- Oregano oil is the perfect natural alternative to antibiotics used to treat such infections.
- It can also help to relieve symptoms like congestion and blocked nose.
- It can also help to overcome problems like inflammation.
How to use Oregano Oil for Sinus Infection treatments
1. To fight against infections like cold, cough, sinus and allergies, using oregano oil is the most powerful remedy.
For effective results add few drops of oregano oil to boiling water. Now take steam from the same water while covering your head with a towel and keeping your eyes closed. Inhale the steam; it will give you some relief from the congestion and irritation due to the blocked nose. Regularly using oregano oil can help to get rid of this problem from the root.
2. You can also dilute the oregano oil with olive oil, and by using a sterilized dropper, put it under your tongue and hold it for about two to three minutes and after that swallow the same with a glass full of water. Water will help to calm down the burning sensation arising from the consumption of oregano oil. Taking it twice or thrice a day can help you to prevent reoccurring of these infections.
3. If you are hesitant to take diluted oregano oil in its raw form, you can also consume it in the form of capsules, pills, and tablets. To treat acute infections, it is recommended to have around 500mg of oregano oil pills four times a day. However, while taking these pills or capsules make sure to read the ingredients, and buy the one with high contents of thymol and carvacrol.
However, in the case of serious infections, it is best to take medical advice before consuming any medicine. Also, make sure not to overuse oregano oil as it can come along with certain side effects similar to plants like lavender, basil, mint, and sage.
Other ways of treating a Sinus infection
Complementing oregano oil with various other home remedies can help you to kick this infection out of your system with much ease and comfort:
1. Stay hydrated
Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water every day; it will help to flush out the viruses and bacteria from your system.
2. Green Vegetables
Consume as many green vegetables as you can, it can soothe nasal cavities and blocked passages.
3. Ginger
Consuming ginger tea with honey can give you relief from the congestion.
4. Garlic and onions
Food items like garlic and onion helps to boost immunity and will help in keeping the viral and bacterial infection out of the system.
5. Vitamin C
Try to consume food items enriched with vitamin C. Not only does it strengthen the immune system but also aids in speedy recovery from any type of infection.
Things to Avoid
When infected with a sinus infection, you must avoid the following food items:
- Sugar: You must avoid taking sugary items as it lowers down the level of white blood cells that in turn makes your body incapable of fighting against such infections.
- Juices: Try to take raw fruits instead of taking fruit juices, as juices may not provide you the high content of vitamins.
- Salt: Minimize the consumption of salt, as it may lead to dehydration and can slow down the process of healing.
Is Sinus Infection contagious?
Whether this infection is contagious or not, totally depends on the reason for the infection.
If the infection has occurred due to a virus, then it can always spread to the people around you. The person around you can initially catch a cold that can soon turn into a sinus infection.
However, if sinus has occurred due to bacteria, then it is less likely to be contagious. But bacterial infected sinus is always intense and lasts longer than the sinus caused by a virus.
How to figure out the type of infection?
It is really difficult to judge whether you have been infected with bacteria or virus, even your doctor can’t tell you about it without a few exams and tests. The only way to know about it is to keep track of the duration of the symptoms.
Viral sinus infection will not last more than seven days, whereas bacterial sinus infection may last longer making the situation worse for the infected person.
Signs and Symptoms of a Sinus Infection
The most common symptoms of sinus infection are:
- Blocked nose
- Thick and foul-smelling discharge from the nose.
- Pressure around your face, especially eyes.
- Severe cold that is not going away and is getting worse with each passing day
- Cough
- Viral fever
- Earache
- Fatigue
- Congestion
These are the symptoms that can happen with common cold as well, but if these symptoms last for more than ten days then you must seek medical intervention as it can be a case of sinus infection.
Also, if you are experiencing more than two symptoms at a time when it can be a case of chronic and acute sinus infection.
Symptoms of Chronic Sinus infection
- Runny nose
- Feeling tired frequently
- Constant tooth pain
- Presence of pus in the nasal cavity
- Foul and bad breath
- Discolored drainage from the nose
Causes of a Sinus Infection
- High fever
- Allergies from cigarette smoke, pollutants, and dry air
- Constant obstruction in nasal cavities
- Dental infections
- Virus, fungi, and bacteria
- Swelling and undesirable growth in the nasal passage.
- Poor immune symptoms
Risks Involved
Getting infected with sinus can be little riskier under some conditions such as:
- Asthma
- Trekking at high altitudes
- Pregnancy
- Overexposure to pollutants and smoke
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- If you have lately suffered from any head injury
- Frequent swimming
- Acute dental infection
To fight against any kind of infection, it is important to understand the symptoms and indulge in the right kind of treatment at the right point of time.
The most conventional method of treating a sinus infection is to take antibiotics. However, regular use of antibiotics can make the bacteria and viruses immune and thus the infection can reoccur time and again.
This is the reason why it is necessary to complement these antibiotics with herbal remedies like the usage of oregano oil. Oregano oil is one of the most sought after wild herbs that can help to cure such infections, preventing them from reoccurring.
