Sinus infections can be very uncomfortable. They can make
your eyes, nose, cheeks and forehead feel swollen for several days or even
weeks.

But first things first; what exactly are the sinuses?  Well, they are small cavities in the
skull that are connected to the nostrils. Healthy sinuses are filled with air.
However, when they become infected they swell, fill up with liquid and become
blocked making it difficult to breath.

Other symptoms include:

• Facial
  pain and pressure
• Thick, discolored mucus
• Reduced
  sense of smell and taste
• Pain
  in the upper jaw and teeth
• Ear
  pain
• Sore
  throat
• A
  cough that gets worse at night
• Bad breath

For most people, sinusitis is a temporary infection. For
others, it lasts more than four weeks and doesn’t respond to treatment.

Some common causes of recurring
sinus infections are allergies, a deviated septum, which is a shift in the
nasal cavity, and nasal polyps, which are unwanted growths.

Treatment Options for Chronic Sinus Infections

Before you can get rid of sinusitis you need to identify the cause. If a viral infection is responsible for your sinusitis, antibiotics might not be effective. It’s best to see a doctor and refrain from Googling and self-diagnosing. Your doctor can recommend one or more of the following treatment options.

1. Painkillers: Over-the-counter painkillers like Tylenol and Advil can help to ease discomfort until the infection clears up. However, you shouldn’t take OTC painkillers for more than ten days. Also, don’t forget to follow the instructions on the label. If your sinus infection doesn’t clear up after a few days of taking pain killers, see a doctor.
2. Allergy Medication: Since allergies can cause chronic sinusitis, getting tested and treated for allergies can clear up the infection. Antihistamines ease discomfort and provide short-term relief, whereas allergy shots make you less sensitive to allergens and may offer a long-term solution.
3. Decongestants:  Decongestants work by clearing the nasal cavities of trapped mucus. They are available in pill and spray form. However, you shouldn’t use sprays for more than three days because they can make your symptoms worse.
4. Antibiotics: Antibiotics will only work if your infection is bacterial. Therefore, see a doctor before attempting to treat a sinus infection with antibiotics.
5. Surgery: If all other treatment options don’t work, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the blockages and enlarge the sinus passages.

Aside from medical treatment, lifestyle changes and home
remedies can also be helpful. They include:

• Drinking lots of fluids to thin the mucus and reduce blockage
• Using a humidifier in the rooms where you spend most of your time
• Using a warm towel compress, or breathe in warm steam, to relieve pressure
• Chronic sinus infections can be painful and uncomfortable. However, there are more than a few treatment options available so don’t hesitate to see a doctor if your sinus infection doesn’t clear up in seven days.

The post Suffer From Sinus Infections? Here’s What You Can Do appeared first on Lifestyle.

For these people, hypoallergenic pets may seem like the obvious solution. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. In fact, hypoallergenic dogs or cats might be a myth after all.

A study of 60 dog breeds, including 11 of which were allegedly hypoallergenic, revealed that there is really no difference between regular and hypoallergenic breeds. Homes that have hypoallergenic dogs like Portuguese water dogs, poodles and schnauzers, have as much of the dog allergen known as Can F1 as homes with “regular” dogs. Any dog that has skin, saliva and urine can never be truly hypoallergenic!

There’s no comparable study on cats, but anecdotal evidence suggest that it’s pretty much the same story. Cat allergies are twice as common as dog allergies, so the chances of finding a hypoallergenic cat are really low.

Practical Tips For Pet Owners With Allergies

Having a pet allergy doesn’t always mean that you can’t be a pet owner.

Depending on the severity of your allergies, the benefits of pet companionship can sometimes outweigh the challenges of allergies. In fact, about a third of the people who suffer from these allergies live in a home with at least one pet.

If you have a non-life-threatening pet allergy and want to get a cat or a dog, start by figuring out the breeds that you’re least allergic to. It’s highly unlikely you will be equally sensitive to all breeds, so take your time and do your research. In fact, the only reason why people believe that certain dog or cat breeds are hypoallergenic is because those breeds are less irritating to some people than others.

If you already have a pet, create “allergy free” zones in your home and restrict your furry friend’s access to those areas. One of these areas should definitely be your bedroom.

Using a high-efficiency HEPA air cleaner can prevent dander from sticking to the furnishings. Moreover, using a “micro filter” bag in the vacuum cleaner, and washing curtains, pet beds and carpets regularly, can go a long way to reduce allergen levels in your home.

Bathing your pet every week is another great way to reduce allergen levels in your home. It can reduce the amount of allergens on the pet’s fur by up to 84%.

Lastly, allergy shots can also help to gradually desensitize your immune system to pet allergens. This will improve the symptoms but, unfortunately, it won’t eliminate them entirely.

The encouraging news is that a combination of allergy shots, treatments and good cleaning methods can make it much easier for animal lovers with allergies to live with pets.

The post Hypoallergenic Dogs and Cats: Myth or Reality? appeared first on Lifestyle.

Sadly, the beginning of spring is also the beginning of allergy season when plants release pollen and people start to sneeze, itch and experience sinus pain.

When is Allergy Season?

Although the term allergy season is thrown around a lot, there really isn’t a specific season when everyone’s allergies flare up. Nevertheless, most people experience allergic reactions during peak pollination season which goes from late February to November. And depending on the weather conditions, the allergens may remain in the air much longer.

The immune system recognizes allergens as harmful and reacts by releasing histamines into the blood. It’s these histamines that trigger the classic allergy symptoms such as runny nose and itchy eyes.

How Do You Know if You Have Allergies?

Typical allergy symptoms include sneezing, coughing, runny nose, watery eyes and dark circles under the eyes.

If you have these symptoms speak to your doctor so he or she may refer you to an allergist for a skin or blood test. For the skin test, the allergist pricks the skin and injects a small amount of the diluted allergen into your skin. If you are allergic to that substance, a small hive will appear.

Managing Your Allergies

The best way to manage your allergies is to minimize any triggers in your environment. For instance, the surest way to avoid an allergic reaction during allergy season is to avoid going outside! Obviously this is not a good option for most people and it isn’t much fun (it’s not healthy either).

Here are some tips to help manage your allergies without having to avoid the outdoors.

To reduce pollen exposure, change your clothes and take a shower as soon as you get home. This gets rid of all the pollen in your hair and on your skin.

Dust mites are another huge allergen. You can reduce them by vacuuming regularly. Also, keep the carpeting in your home to a minimum, invest in dust-mite proof pillows and mattress covers, and clean the air conditioner filter before allergy season starts.

Allergy Medication

It is not possible to completely avoid exposure to allergens but there are ways of managing your allergies to minimize allergic reactions.

Allergy shots help desensitize your body to the allergens. This way you can enjoy life without having to worry about avoiding the triggers. Antihistamines, on the other hand, prevent your immune system from overreacting to the allergens.

It is possible to manage seasonal allergies so they don’t disrupt your lifestyle. Reducing your exposure to allergens and talking to your doctor about allergy shots and medications should make life in the coming weeks more fun and enjoyable.

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