Dr. Pushparaj Shetty

Sinusitis refers to a common condition characterised by inflammation and swelling of cavities surrounding nasal passages, commonly known as your sinuses. When something interferes with the flow of air into the sinuses and obstructs mucus drainage out of it, sinus infection or sinusitis mainly occurs.
The most common symptoms of this condition include headache or pain in the facial region, nasal congestion and discharge, loss of smell and fever in some cases. To ensure that you opt for the correct treatment it is necessary to identify the causes of blockage. Here are the chief causes responsible for giving you a sinus infection.

1. Viruses
In most cases, a sinus infection is triggered by common cold and flu, which are caused by viruses. Swelling of nasal tissues occurs due to cold, in turn creating a blockage for the holes that are meant for draining mucous. In this case, rather than opting for antibiotics, take precautions against flu and cold. You can even consider getting a flu shot.

2. Pollutants
Certain pollutants and allergens or deviation of septum can be the cause behind sinus infections as they trigger coughing, irritation of the nose and inflammation. Some of these pollutants are dust, smoke and harmful gases present in the air or substances with a strong odour (certain foods, flowers, perfumes etc). To minimize chances of sinusitis, try to stay away from these irritants to the maximum extent possible. Moreover, you can also use an air purifier to reduce the effects of air pollution.

3. Long term use of nasal decongestant sprays
Nasal decongestant sprays may help you get rid of congestion, but on the other hand they are responsible for the constriction of the blood vessels present in your nose. Moreover, if used for a long time, these nasal products may worsen the symptoms of sinusitis, especially if the directions for use are not correctly followed. Also, prolonged use of the sprays can give rise to rebound nasal congestion, which is basically a relapse of congestion. So, try to minimise the use of it and follow directions very carefully if you do need to use it.

4. Smoking
Smoke from cigarettes has an effect similar to pollutants on your nose. Cigarette smoke plays a significant role in degrading the natural sinus-cleaning system of your body resulting in more gunk build up in the sinuses, in turn clogging nasal passages. Moreover, smoking also leads to inflammation, triggering sinus infections. So, try to cut down on your smoking if not quit altogether. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ent Specialist.

Sinuses, also known as paranasal sinuses as they surround the nasal cavity, are hollow air-filled cavities. Humans have four pairs of such cavities which are known as:

• Frontal sinus - in the forehead
• Maxillary sinus - behind the cheekbones
• Ethmoid sinus - between the eyes behind the bridge of the nose
• Sphenoid sinus - behind the eyes

What is sinusitis?

Sinusitis is the inflammation or infection of one or more of the sinuses. It can be caused by a virus, bacteria, fungus, allergies or excessive nose blowing and results in the blockage of the sinus opening. Sinusitis can be acute (lasting 4 or lesser weeks), subacute (lasting 4 to 8 weeks), chronic (lasting beyond 8 weeks) and recurring (several attacks in a year).

Acute sinusitis generally causes pain in the sinuses, headaches, loss of smell, stuffiness, and coughs as well as may also cause bad breath, toothaches, and fever.

What does the homeopathic treatment for sinusitis entail?

Homeopathy is an alternative medicine system which uses plants and minerals to develop remedies that augment the body's natural defenses by stimulating symptoms of the disease the patient is suffering from.

Acute sinusitis finds a permanent cure in homeopathy. Though treatment takes time, it rebuilds the body's immunity to sinusitis. It drains the sinuses, kills the germs and wipes the infection off at the root, thus preventing it from recurring. When antibiotics are used to treat sinusitis, there may be side effects such as fungal infections. Fungal infection is a leading cause of chronic sinusitis.

Homeopathy can boost the body's immunity which can treat fungal infections from the root, hence eliminating chances of recurrence. It can treat the symptoms of sinusitis and provide relief from associated respiratory diseases and allergies. There are different remedies available to treat the different symptoms of sinusitis, which work together to completely cure it by boosting the body's immune system without having any side effects.

Homeopathy for Nasal Polyps:

With Chronic sinus, soft growths arising from the mucous membrane of the nose or paranasal sinus are referred as nasal polyps. The most common treatment option suggested by a conventional system in nasal polyps is surgical removal. In most cases, nasal polyps reappear after surgery. However, surgery is a temporary fix since it does not address the body's tendency to form polyps. Homeopathy, on the other hand, offers a permanent solution by treating the root cause. Following six homeopathic medicines are usually recommended for nasal polyps - Lemna Minor, Sanguinaria Can, Calcarea Carb, Kali Bichrome, Teucrium, and Phosphorus. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Homeopath.