What causes inflammation of the paranasal sinuses?
Inflammation of the sinuses could be caused by fungi in your environment. Mold and mildew are a problem in at least 50% of our homes right now. If mold spores are allowed to grow and you breathe and ingest them, you could suffer serious health consequences.
Researchers have discovered that most cases of chronic sinusitis are not caused by an infection, but are actually an immune disorder caused by fungi. In a 1999 study, researchers found that fungal organisms were present in the mucus of 96 percent of patients who underwent surgery for chronic sinusitis, and that inflammatory cells clustered around the fungi, meaning that the condition was an immune disorder caused by fungi.
You could also be getting fungus from the food you are eating. One of the main culprits is peanuts. Most people like peanuts and peanut butter, however this could make you sick.
Chronic sinus inflammation could be caused by anything that impedes the flow of air into the sinuses and the drainage of mucus out of the sinuses.
If you suffer from chronic sinusitis, you probably know what triggers it. If you don’t know, try to remember what you did, where you went, and what you ate before your last episode of sinus problems. You could learn to prevent problems before they start.
Sometimes you may eat something and notice that your sinuses get clogged up after a while. You may be allergic to that food and it may cause your sinuses to swell and you may be able to breathe properly, or your nose may suddenly start to runny.
Going outside on a windy day will clog my sinuses. No matter if it’s winter or summer, the wind is not your friend if you have sinus inflammation.
Dust and dust mites are a big problem for people with allergies and asthma, and also for people with chronic inflammation of the sinuses. It is important to wash your bedding weekly in hot water and vacuum your mattress and mattress pad regularly. Wash your pillows if you can, or have them professionally cleaned. I live in Minnesota, so I put my pillows outside on a cold day to chill the little critters, and it really cools down the pillows. Maybe the freezer would do the same, I’m not sure.
It would be better not to have carpet in the bedroom, but if you do, it’s important to vacuum all the cracks and crevices along the floor molding to pick up as many dust mites as possible. An air purifier in or near the bedroom will also help a lot.
You may need to take a vitamin D supplement if you live in a cold, not too sunny climate like I do. And it’s important for everyone to take a high-quality omega-3 supplement to prevent chronic inflammation in your body.
If you have chronic sinusitis or inflammation of the sinuses, it lasts at least a month and will come back periodically. It will make it difficult for you to breathe through your nose, and when you try to sleep it will be almost impossible for you to breathe. You may also have a headache when you wake up in the morning.
I always knew it was time to go to the doctor when I had a bad headache, toothache, and earache all at the same time. And I better not try to bend down to pick something up or I felt like my head was going to explode.
Doctors and antibiotics are always the last resort. If I do everything I can to prevent a sinus infection, and I still have one, and
it’s painful and interferes with my normal routine, so I go to the doctor and get antibiotics for a couple of weeks.
And it’s a vicious cycle from there, because the antibiotics kill the bacteria that’s causing the infection, but they also kill the good bacteria, often leading to yeast overgrowth.
If you want to relieve sinus congestion and get rid of sinus inflammation, you need to be something of a detective. Be aware of your body and the different reactions it has to the foods and environments you encounter. If you can train yourself to do this, you will prevent sinus inflammation and feel much better.