How to Prevent Sinus Infections

Avoiding Risk Factors

Wash your hands frequently. Most viral and bacterial infections are spread by touching someone who is infected and introducing the germs directly into your mouth, nose or eyes. Infectious microorganisms can live for hours in body secretions such as saliva and mucus. Therefore, be cautious about touching people who are obviously ill during common cold season (sneezing, coughing, runny nose) and make sure to wash your hands frequently to reduce the risk of a sinus infection. To wash your hands properly, first wet them with water, then apply soap and scrub for at least 20 seconds. Make sure you wash between your fingers, under your nails, and both the front and back of your hands. Then rinse and dry your hands on a clean towel. Avoid touching your face when you're out in public, particularly your eyes, nose and mouth. Always wash your hands before eating, especially if you eat with your hands (such as pizza or hot dogs). Don't go overboard on the hand sanitizer, because it can promote the growth of antibacterial-immune microorganisms.

Keep well hydrated. In order to function normally and be able to keep microorganisms at bay, the mucous membranes of your sinuses, nose and throat need to be moist. When they get too dry, they are much more susceptible to irritation, inflammation and infection. Therefore, keep yourself well hydrated by drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses of purified water per day — it'll keep your mucous membranes moist and keep you hydrated. Avoid colas and energy drinks — they can promote dehydration because caffeine is a diuretic (triggers more urination). Limit coffee and black tea intake. During the winter months, your sinus membranes can become very dry due to the extreme aridity of your home. Adding moisture to the air via a humidifier may help prevent sinusitis. Make sure the air is a cold, not warm — warm humidified air can cause bacterial growth in the humidifier, making you feel worse.

Keep your allergies under control. Another risk factor for coming down with a sinus infection is having allergies. Allergic reactions to pollen or other irritants can cause a stuffy and runny nose, which is not sinusitis, but it can trap viruses or bacteria in your nasal passages and increase the risk of infection. Thus, if you have allergies or hay fever, avoid exposing yourself to the triggers or keep them under control with medications — typically over-the-counter antihistamines / decongestants. Be careful not to over-use antihistamines for your allergies because they can cause your mucus membranes to get too dry. Check with a physician before starting or stopping medication. An allergic reaction and a sinus infection can cause similar symptoms (stuffy nose, difficulty breathing, watery eyes, sneezing), but sinusitis is invariably more painful, causes a mild fever and leads to greenish or gray mucus discharge from the nose.

Avoid exposure to irritants. In addition to allergens, there are many chemical irritants that can trigger irritation and inflammation in your nasal passages, which makes them more susceptible to getting infected. As such, try to avoid common chemical irritants such as cigarette/cigar smoke, dust, bleach, most cleaning agents, environmental pollutants and asbestos particles. Wearing a mask when you know you will be exposed to these irritants may help, as it can be difficult to avoid them completely. Cigarette smokers develop more respiratory infections (upper in the sinuses and lower in the lungs) than non-smokers. Secondhand smoke, in particular, is a significant risk factor for sinus and lung infections in children. Never smoke around children, who are unable to understand the risks. Pet fur and dander can aggravate allergies. Remember to dust and vacuum your home regularly, so your nasal passages don't get irritated.

Don't give your child a bottle while lying down. Another major risk factor for sinus infections in young children (infants) is bottle feeding, especially while they lay on their backs. The milk or formula can easily get into the nose, nasal passages and sinuses, which not only increases the risk of choking, but it also provides nourishment to bacteria. Any bacterial in the infants' sinuses feed on the milk sugar and rapidly flourish, leading to an infection. Always feed your baby/infant/child while he is sitting upright in order to prevent food from going places it shouldn't. Although 90% of sinus infections in adults are caused by viruses (often the common cold), only about 60% are viral in infants and children. The other 40% are bacterial, which readily take advantage of feeding mishaps.

Maintaining Your Health

Maintain a strong immune system. For any type of infection, true prevention depends on a healthy and strong immune response. Your immune system consists of specialized cells that search for and attempt to destroy disease-causing microorganisms, but when it's weakened and malfunctioning, viruses and bacteria can proliferate in mucus membranes and lead to sinus infections much easier. As such, focus on ways to keep your immune system strong in order to naturally prevent sinus infections and other infectious diseases. Getting more sleep (or better quality sleep) (at least 7.5 to nine hours), eating more fresh fruits and veggies, practicing good hygiene, keeping well-hydrated and getting regular exercise are all ways to boost immunity. Pay attention to dietary factors. Your immune function will also benefit by cutting down on refined sugars (soda pop, candy, pastries, cakes, cookies, ice cream, milk chocolate), cutting back on alcohol and quitting smoking. Supplements that can boost your immune system include: vitamins C and D, zinc, selenium, echinacea, olive leaf extract and astragalus root. To go one better than supplements, get your vitamins from your diet in the form of oranges, papayas, grapefruit, and leafy greens.

Reduce your stress levels. Being over-stressed is another major factor for getting sick, especially catching viral and bacterial infections. Moderate-to-severe stress, especially when it's constant (chronic), weakens your immune system significantly. As noted above, weakened immunity allows potentially pathogenic germs to take advantage and grow out of control, which can overwhelm tissues such as mucus membranes. Consequently, reducing stress levels from your work and personal life is important for preventing infectious diseases such as sinus infections. Effective stress-relieving practices include meditation, yoga, tai chi and deep breathing exercises. Sometimes changing jobs and/or personal relationships are the best forms of stress relief. Talk to a licensed counselor if you need advice and guidance. In addition to emotional stress, immunity is negatively impacted by physical stressors, such as being overweight, not eating well (malnourishment), dealing with other diseases (diabetes, chronic infections) and exposure to toxins.

Flush with saline solution preventatively. Spraying some saline solution (a pinch of salt in some warm distilled water) into your nasal cavities can help keep them moist and deter the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Most viruses and bacteria either die or can't reproduce in salty conditions. Saline nasal sprays can also help wash away mucus build-up. Speak with your doctor before attempting to cleanse your sinuses. Put some saline solution in a spray bottle and spray it into your nostrils, but make sure you sniff / snort it up into your sinuses. Consider doing this a few times weekly during the cold / flu season (between December and February in the U.S.) for prevention. As an alternative, put saline solution into a Neti pot and pour it into your nasal passages through your nostrils. Neti pots look like small tea pots and are commonly used in India and Asia to clean / disinfect nasal passages. Search the internet for how-to videos.

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