Monday, July 20, 2009

How To Preventing Sinus Infections

Prevention is the best way to fight health problems. Even the medical community believe in that cliché. For thousands of years, medical professionals have encouraged individuals to practice all the possible preventive measures to prevent the onset of a certain illness.

That is also true in the case of sinus infections. You’re already aware what it feels like when you’re sick or when you’re in excellent health. Any change in the body should be noted and it would be best to consult a doctor right away.

Be on the look out for these symptoms of sinus infection so that you can already start with the preventive measures –

1.Frequent colds

2.Frequent allergic reactions

3.Headaches

4.Increased congestion

5.Sinus pressure

When the infection is already in the full blown stage, the sinus will become more painful so you should act immediately on the onset of the symptoms.

Don’t delay and you need to follow a certain prevention program which may include a change in your daily diet. By starting on the program, you can reduce the chance of getting the infection.

Some of the things that you need to consider are the following:

1. Brushing the teeth everyday is already part of your routine. You also need to incorporate into your routine the nasal irrigation.

2. The sinuses should always be kept moist and you can do this by using a saline spray or you can also use a room humidifier especially at night.

3. Avoid soda, tea, and other iced drinks.

4. If you’re having an asthma attack or you have a cold, you must get enough rest and don’t exert yourself too much.

5. Get enough daily exercise and to increase blood circulation, try to do some outdoor exercises like walking, jogging, or running

6. To reduce the inflammation of the sinuses, you have inhale steam with eucalyptus, take frequent hot showers, use hot compresses, and you also dissolve some papaya enzymes inside your mouth (particularly between the gum and cheeks)

7. Prevent allergy attacks so that your sinuses will not be stressed out. Allergy attacks usually happen from 5am to 10am so you need to keep allergens at bay by using air purifiers or vacuums.

These are ways to prevent the onset of sinus infections. You must follow them carefully so that you can live a sinusitis-free life. Sinusitis can be very painful especially if it happens frequently.

Visit your doctor right away so that you can be given a prescription medicine for your sinus infection. There are also those who try home remedies first because they say that the natural home remedies are quite effective in treating sinusitis. If the home remedies don’t work, then you should follow the advice of your doctor.

Sinus infections can affect your day to day life because it can cause headaches and extreme discomfort. Individuals who have sinusitis tend to be irritable and so they can’t perform well in school or in the workplace.

Prevent sinus infections now by following the ways stated above. Sinusitis is treatable especially if you know the appropriate medicine or home remedy to use.

If you prefer a less costly alternative, you can try searching for information online on how to prevent sinusitis the natural way. If you can prevent the infection, then there is no need to purchase any medication or natural cure for the sinus problem.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Antibiotics for Sinus Infections

Are there really effective antibiotics for sinus infections? Antibiotics are used for patients who are suffering from certain infections like that of the sinus. The medicine kills the bacteria inside the body which is responsible for the infection.

Doctors don’t prescribe antibiotics for viral influenza and common cold because it is ineffective for fighting viruses. A healthy body can easily fight bacterial infections but this is not the case all the time.

Some individuals are not that healthy and this means that their immune system is not working at its best, in short, the immune system is impaired. The white blood cells and the antibodies in some unhealthy individuals are not enough to fight the illness.

The most commonly used antibiotics these days are penicillin, ,macrolides, cephalosporins, and flouroquinolones. Antibiotics can be narrow-spectrum and broad-spectrum. In most cases, doctor prescribes the former kind of antibiotic because it is much cheaper but very effective in treating the bacterial infection.

On the other hand, the latter often promotes antibiotic resistance and so it is given when badly needed. Penicillin and macrolides are both narrow-spectrum antibiotics while the cephalosporins and flouroquinolones are noth broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Penicillin Bacteria can easily reproduce, thereby multiplying at a fast rate especially when they have entered the host’s body. Penicillin can interfere with the building functions of the bacteria thereby stopping the infections. Amoxicillin is a very good example for treating sinus infections.

Macrolides This antibiotic blocks or slows down the bacteria’s protein formation. This medicine does not eliminate the bacteria since its primary function is to curb the multiplication of the bacteria. By using the medicine, the immune system will be the one to eliminate the said bacteria.

When this antibiotic is administered in large doses, it can also kill certain kinds of bacteria. Clarithromycin and erythromycin are very good examples of this kind of antibiotic. ENT specialists often prescribe clarithromycin for sinus infections.

Cephalosporins This is already a broad-spectrum antibiotic and it works by inhibiting synthesis in the bacteria’s cell walls. Individuals who have a penicillin allergy are often given ceftibuten dehydrate which is a 3rd generation cephalosporins. Most ENT experts prescribe this antibiotic for those with penicillin allergic reactions.

Fluoroquinalones Like the cephalosporins, this is another broad-spectrum antiobiotic and it is among the newest class. This antibiotic interferes with the bacterial DNA replication process. For sinus infections, Moxifloxacin is often given to patients. Doctors can’t just prescribe any antibiotic for the patient suffering from sinus infections.

There are certain factors to consider like the cost of the medicine, the allergies of the individual, the possible side effects or serious reactions to the medicine, the illness’ severity and nature, and the rate at which the medicine is eliminated by the body. Mild infections can be given narrow-spectrum antibiotics such as amoxicillin.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics are given to patients with chronic sinus infections. Oftentimes, medical practitioners can’t prescribe the same line of antibiotics because the effects vary from one individual to another. Having a personal doctor is an advantage because he or she is familiar with your medical history.

You can’t use a certain antibiotic without the prescription of your doctor because it can only worsen your condition. Consult your doctor right away if you’re having a sinus infection. That way, your current condition can be assessed thoroughly and a new line of medicines can be prescribed.