While it may be difficult to perform strenuous exercise while you're suffering from chronic sinus infections, light physical activity can be good for you. It can boost the body's immune system to boost white blood cell production to help fight your illness. It can release endorphins, which can make you feel better.
Contracted blood vessels may help reduce the inflammation and swelling that causes a sinus infection. In other words, exercising with a sinus infection may help clear your sinuses and reduce some headache-inducing sinus pressure.
When you have a sinus infection you may not feel like being very active, but certain light exercises can help stimulate the flow of mucus and boost production of white blood cells, which help fight infection.
You're Not Getting Enough Sleep
Getting at least eight hours of sleep will help your body's immune system fight against sinus infection. Furthermore, resting throughout the day and exerting as little energy as possible while you're fighting a sinus infection is going to help your body recover even faster too.
Too Sick to Work: Sinus Infection
An acute sinus infection can cause yellow or green nasal discharge, nasal stuffiness, facial pain or pressure, headache, or aching in the upper jaw and teeth. If you feel too sick to work, stay home.
You need plenty of fluids, but steer clear of cocktails, wine, and beer. Even though booze is a liquid, it makes you dehydrated. It also can cause your sinuses and the lining of your nose to swell, which makes your symptoms worse.
Unclog Nasal Passages: Light exercise while you have a sinus infection can loosen sinus congestion and pressure by stimulating the flow of nasal discharge through the increase in circulation. Increasing your body's core temperature also loosens mucus.
Exercise can temporarily relieve nasal congestion. The increase in circulation clears sinus pressure and allows for easier breathing. An aerobic workout is especially successful in clearing congestion with its cardio focus.
Acute sinusitis lasts for less than four weeks. Chronic sinusitis can last for more than 12 weeks. The majority of sinus infection sufferers will see their symptoms start to resolve after about 10 days. While one to two infections a year is considering normal, more than four requires medical attention.
Often, exercise can help alleviate the symptoms of a sinus infection if done correctly. However, pushing too hard and vigorously exercising can cause a buildup of pressure around the nasal cavities and forehead, resulting in a sinus headache.
An “acute” sinus infection lasts anywhere from ten days up to eight weeks. A “chronic” infection lasts even longer. It is ongoing — it may seem like it's improving, and then it comes right back as bad as it was at first. Chronic sinus infections may drag on for months at a time.
As your body works hard to fight off the sinus infection, you'll feel more tired than usual. Fatigue can be also be caused by head pain, a lack of adequate sleep, and difficulty breathing due to sinusitis.
Use extra pillows — The higher you keep your head, the better. Grab a few extra pillows to keep your head above your heart, allowing your sinuses to drain. Don't sleep on your side — Laying on your side can increase congestion on that side.
Antibiotics are not needed for many sinus infections. Most sinus infections usually get better on their own without antibiotics. When antibiotics aren't needed, they won't help you, and their side effects could still cause harm. Side effects can range from mild reactions, like a rash, to more serious health problems.
Allergens and pollutants in the air - like dust, outdoor air pollution, and strong odors like perfume - may contribute to coughing, irritate your nose, and cause inflammation that can increase your risk of sinusitis, according to Dr. Bains.
In some cases, no relief may be found or symptoms worsen with the use of over-the-counter medications. People who are sensitive to dust, smog, smoke, strong odors and chemicals may experience nonallergic sinusitis. Temperature changes, along with changes in humidity and stress may also be triggers.
Viral infections are spread the same way as bacterial infections. The difference is that the viral infection will start to improve after 5 to 7 days of the initial onset of the symptoms. There is no one definitive way for a doctor to determine if you have a bacterial or viral sinus infection based on symptoms alone.