Search Results for: blog the sinus experiment day one

More Natural Remedies for a Sinus Infection

You may have noticed my ongoing fight against sinus infections. Whenever I get one, I start up my “sinus experiment”. The key component in my big plan is shooting salt water up my nose with a sinus rinse kit. It’s gross, but it really does work! I definitely wouldn’t have started doing it if an ear/nose/throat specialist hadn’t said it was that or another sinus surgery — the right motivation is everything. Now that I’ve seen it successfully fight off multiple sinus infections, I’ve been trying to get other people onto the sinus rinse bandwagon. If you can’t stomach the … Continue reading →

Score Another Victory For The Great Sinus Experiment

A few days ago, I woke up with a sore throat. It must be allergies, I told myself. Post nasal drip, because I have a certain brown dog who hogs all the pillows and I end up sleeping flat on my back. But the sore throat stuck around. Yesterday it was joined by a stuffy nose. And a headache. My nose and sinuses got more and more congested as the day went on, and I finally had to conclude that it wasn’t allergies. It was the beginnings of a sinus infection. I pulled out the Echinacea and goldenseal and took … Continue reading →

The Sinus Experiment: Day One

Over the last few days, I’ve been feeling the rumbles of an impending sinus infection. I’ve got the headache, with pain in the forehead and in the cheeks (below my eyes). I’ve started the nasal congestion, though so far my mucus has been clear. And I’ve got a general feeling of blah… my body is kind of achy, I have less energy than usual, and my appetite is funny. My usual method is to just live with the discomfort until it either goes away or gets bad enough that I go to the doctor. But not this time, sinus infection! … Continue reading →

Swine Flu and Fear

I’m writing this on day three of a fever, so I apologize if it isn’t as coherent as I’d like. I’m sick. It started off feeling like my usual sinus troubles, so I treated it in the usual way: irrigating my sinuses with salt water. This plan has worked in the past, fending off several sinus infections before they got to the point where I’d need a doctor or antibiotics. But while the sinus problem cleared up, the feeling of not-good stuck around. My head was still pounding. Two days ago, the headache was joined by an all-over body ache … Continue reading →

Clogged Ears

When I get sick, it usually goes to my sinuses and throat. And those are problems I know how to handle! I’ve had a lot of success holding off sinus infections by using an irrigation kit. But for the last few days, my left ear has been clogged. Maybe it’s lingering water from the shower, maybe it’s something more serious. I’m starting to get that achy feeling down towards my jaw that reminds me of swimmer’s ear. Time to turn to my trusty home remedy resources! The general consensus among my library of natural remedies is that water may indeed … Continue reading →

Health Advice I’m Glad I Took

I’ve been writing the Families.com Health Blog for about two and a half years now. With every piece I write, I learn something new — about myself, about the history or future of medicine, and more. But there are some bits and pieces that have really stuck with me. Probably the best advice I’ve ever gotten from a doctor — and one I’ve given out repeatedly here in the Health Blog is the sinus rinse. Whenever I feel a sinus infection coming on, I break out my sinus rinse kit and shoot warm salt water up my nose. It’s definitely … Continue reading →

The Headache that Just Won’t Quit

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I’m no stranger to headaches. When I was in high school and college, I had one sinus infection after another — and a sinus headache just about all the time. Once I had sinus surgery to cut away the infected tissue (and fix a deviated septum), the first morning I woke up without a headache was like a miracle. My problems with sinus infections have been few and far between since then. Alas, sinus headaches aren’t the only type of headaches I get. Every once in a while, I wake up with a real whopper. When I was still in … Continue reading →

Beat Colds and Flu Faster

Do you ever feel like your body WANTS to be sick? Over the last week or so, I’ve been feeling the first hints that there may be a cold on the horizon: a scratchy throat, a drippy nose, and a general feeling of fatigue. Here are some tips to help you beat colds and flu faster this winter! Work on your resistance. When I start to feel crummy, I reach for my Echinacea and goldenseal supplements — but there are lots of different options out there! Check your local health food store or the vitamin section of your favorite pharmacy … Continue reading →

Birch

Poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge called the birch tree the Lady of the Woods. This graceful tree isn’t just decorative — birch has been used in healing for hundreds of years. There are many different types of birch tree, including: White birch, also known as canoe birch or paper birch, is found in northern forests across North America — throughout Canada, in the Great Lakes region, in the Pacific Northwest, and in the northeast. Black birch, also known as sweet birch, is found as far north as Maine, as far south as Tennessee, and as far west as Iowa. River birch, … Continue reading →

The Natural Healing Debate

Herbal healing can be a somewhat controversial subject. To some people, natural remedies are outdated and useless. To others, natural remedies are far superior to manmade medicines and invasive treatments. I like to take a middle ground, and use natural remedies to supplement other treatments. You may have seen my occasional struggles with sinus infections here in the Health Blog. Because I’ve had chronic sinusitis and ended up having surgery to cut away infected tissue in my sinuses, I try to be very aware of what’s going on in my sinuses. At the first sign of pressure, I break out … Continue reading →