subject: Sinusitis and Mucous Production [print this page] Sinusitis and Mucous Production Sinusitis and Mucous Production
What exactly is sinusitis? It is an infection of the mucous membranes. There is no known cure for this irritating condition, and it is not usually dangerous, but there are ways to relieve its symptoms. There are some serious cases, however, where severe sinusitis infections have caused infections in other parts of the body, such as the eyes and ears, and this can become extremely serious. In addition, if the mucus caused by sinusitis is allowed to remain and becomes hardened, the pain and pressure can become so severe that surgery may be required.
How exactly does sinusitis work? Part of our body's way of keeping us healthy is to filter the air that we breathe. If our nasal cavity fails to do its job, we can come down with a cold that can turn into sinusitis. Sinusitis mucus production is normal but if our body over secretes the mucus, for example as a reaction to a cold, we can become very ill and it is very hard to overcome a serious bout of sinusitis.
In a nutshell, sinusitis is based on mucus production. If mucus production becomes a problem, it can throw everything else in our sinus cavities out of whack. If the mucus membranes continue to over produce, this creates a blockage in the nasal cavity when the mucus can no longer drain properly. When the hair like projections known as cilia stop moving because the mucus becomes too thick with debris, they will no longer do their job of sweeping the dirt away before the air we breath moves into the lungs. The job of these cilia is to clean the air we breathe of allergens, chemicals, dust and dirt before they can enter the lungs. If these do not get filtered before entering the lungs, more aggravating infections can occur. When functioning properly, all of this "debris" is moved to the back of the cavity and expelled through the actions of spitting it out, blowing your nose, clearing your throat or swallowing it.
When the mucus membranes become plugged because of dirt and allergens, the mucus does not stop secreting; it continues production and eventually builds up. You are more likely to get an infection in your sinus cavity when the infected mucus sits there and can no longer be expelled as it should. It is only common sense that some sort of infection, whether it is bacterial or viral, will eventually occur when the mucus just lays there not moving through. The intensity of the infection usually depends on the person and each individual case.
The most common reason that people get sinusitis is from a normal cold that turns worse instead of slowly getting better, as is the usual case. This type of sinusitis is usually called acute sinusitis, which has symptoms that can last up to 30 days. Chronic sinusitis is sinusitis that can last for months or even years.
There are methods that you can try to find relief. It may help to loosen the mucus by massaging the areas around your nose, eyes and forehead. Natural herbs have been used since the beginning of time and people swear they have positive effects on stuffy sinuses. Things like lemon, garlic, ginger, eucalyptus and peppermint can help reduce congestion and swelling. The steam from herbal teas can also make us feel better and soothe us. If we add a sinus irrigation treatment to our list of daily rituals, we may be able to slow the process of recurring sinus infections. Before we take any steps in trying to heal ourselves, however, we should consult an accredited doctor for advice.
