How to distinguish sinus infection from a cold?

A sinus infection, also known as sinusitis, is a very common upper respiratory tract infection that affects millions of people every year.

It occurs when your nasal cavities become swollen and inflamed. It is usually caused by a virus and often persists even after other upper respiratory symptoms are gone.

This type of infection may be acute or chronic. Acute sinusitis only lasts for a short time, whereas chronic sinus infections last for more than six to eight weeks or frequently recur.

An untreated sinus infection can potentially damage the sinuses and lead to ear infections, vision loss or even meningitis, so it is important to treat it right away. But treating a sinus infection is often delayed because people do not recognize a sinus infection in the initial stage. 

Early symptoms of a sinus infection and a cold are very much alike, usually including a stuffy nose, slight fever, a scratchy throat, and feeling fatigued and just sick.

When it is a cold, the symptoms start improving in three to five days and you start feeling better within a week. But if symptoms persist for more than a week, you most likely have a sinus infection.

Here are some symptoms of a sinus infection that can help you distinguish it from a cold

1. Pain in Your Face

One of the best ways to distinguish between a common cold and a sinus infection is the pain and pressure you feel in your face with an infection.

Pain from a sinus infection can occur in and around your nose, in your upper jaw and teeth, and between your eyes. The accumulation of mucus in the sinuses also causes a feeling of heaviness or pressure in your face.

The pain may be worse when you move your head forward or touch the areas overlying your sinus cavities. Also, the maxillary sinuses located under your eyes may be painful when pressed or touched.

2. Yellowish or Greenish Discharge

Discolored nasal discharge – green, yellow or blood-tinged – is another sign of a sinus infection. This is mainly due to the virus in your system, which causes the discharge to change colors.

The discharge may also bypass your nose and flow down your throat, leading to tickling or itching sensations in the back of your throat.

Also, the discharge will be thick and hard to blow out of your nose. This is another major distinction between a sinus infection and a cold. The nasal discharge you experience with a common cold is clear and more liquid in nature.

When suffering from a sinus infection, you’ll find that you need to blow your nose more frequently to get rid of the thick accumulated mucus.

3. Coughing Up Phlegm

A cough often accompanies a sinus infection, but many people assume it is due to a cold or bronchitis.

Coughing due to a sinus infection usually is worse at night and in the morning. This is mainly because the sinuses drain down the back of your throat when you lie down, which triggers the cough receptor in the back of the nasal pharynx.

This type of cough also produces phlegm. Phlegm contains the bacteria or virus as well as inflammatory cells produced in response to an infection. The body tries to expel the phlegm that travels to your lungs through coughing.

You can reduce the frequency and intensity of your coughing by sitting upright to sleep. It will also help you sleep better, which is important for recovery.

4. Stuffy Nose that Lasts Longer

A stuffy nose is a classic symptom of both a sinus infection and a cold, but it usually lasts longer when it’s due to sinusitis.

This symptom is mainly due to inflamed blood vessels in the sinuses. Your inflamed sinuses may also make it difficult for you to breathe through your nose, giving you the feeling of a stuffy nose. Your voice may also sound “stuffy.”

To ease the problem, inhale steam or take a hot shower to thin the mucus so it’s easier to expel.

5. Headache

Another very common symptom of a sinus infection is a headache, but most people mistake it for a tension headache.

A sinus infection makes the nasal area as well as forehead feel so congested that it hurts and leads to a headache.

Also, the inflammation in the nasal area causes tightening of the muscles around the forehead and the top of your head, making the headache even worse. The headache can be unilateral (on one side) or bilateral (on both sides).

This type of headache usually gets worse when you bend forward and after waking up in the morning. The pain also can get worse if the temperature of your environment changes suddenly, like when it’s very hot outside and you enter an air-conditioned building.

6. Bad Breath

Bad breath, medically known as halitosis, is another common symptom of a sinus infection. In fact, they go hand in hand.

The back of the tongue, which resides in the throat, is home to bacteria that cause bad breath. During a sinus infection, excess mucus that is produced often slides down the back of your throat.

As the bacteria are bathed in mucus, it causes bad breath. This type of bad breath usually goes away once the sinus infection clears up.

To improve the smell of your breath, maintain oral hygiene by brushing twice a day and flossing once daily. You can also use a mint-flavored mouthwash.

7. Toothache

Believe it or not, pain in the upper teeth is a fairly common symptom of a sinus infection.

This pain is not an indication of an actual problem with a tooth. Rather, the pain occurs due to all the pressure building up in the sinus cavities in different areas of your face, which gives the impression of a bad toothache.

Also, this pain is bilateral, meaning it occurs on both sides of the face and affects the upper back teeth, which are closest to the maxillary sinuses.

If you have a persistent toothache, consult your doctor to determine whether the pain is due to a sinus infection or other possible dental issues like periodontal disease, teeth grinding, cavities or dental abscesses.

8. Stuffy Ears

Along with a stuffy nose, a sinus infection can cause stuffy ears. It’s a muffled-ear sensation, like the one you may experience in a descending plane. Small children may even complain of mild ear pain.

Your sinuses and ears are connected inside your head. So, the congestion and inflammation of the nasal passages can affect the pressure in your ears.

Also, a buildup of pressure in the inner ear can make you feel dizzy at times.

Source of the article and pictures

Do you suffer from cough and chest infection? Treat it with ginger wraps within hours.

A cough has been a common problem in my family and I used to treat it with just ginger wraps. The procedure consists of heating a spoon of ginger powder in about 2 cups of water. Then you have to soak a cotton towel (the old one, I recommend) in this mixture and apply on your chest as hot as you can bear. Cover it with a sheet of film to avoid soaking your pyjamas and at best jump into bed. Leave it for a couple of hours and you should be relieved from a cough and a cold in general. 

Today I`ve found the article which presents another way of fighting with a chest infection - and those wraps seem to be more advanced method than my old one. Let`s try them if anybody suffers from a cough and leave your comment below that this cure worked for you. 

Aleksandra

Here is the article:

(...)A constant cough can also interrupt your sleep. Coughs are pretty common among young children since they are not able to fight colds and the flu as their immune system is too weak. 

When you have a cough, doctors prescribe cough syrups and medicines, as these are considered as the best ways to treat a cough. However, these pharmaceutical remedies can cause serious problems, such as long-term complications and negative side effects, which is especially worrying for parents of small children.

The most common negative side effects that are caused by taking cough syrups and medicines are migraines, sleeplessness and headaches. This happens as the most common ingredients in almost all cough syrups are codeine and dextromethorphan.

You are probably not aware of these ingredients and the negative side effects and complications they can cause.

You must know that the natural remedies, especially those which contain potent ingredients such as honey, are far more beneficial, safe and effective. The following recipe with honey and ginger wrap will solve a chronic cough almost immediately.

The recipe

Needed ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of ginger powder or fresh ginger
• Honey
• Flour
• Olive oil
• Gauze
• Adhesive tape
• Napkins

How to prepare the ginger wraps

• First, you need to mix the flour and the raw honey.

• Then, add the olive oil and the ginger. Mix all the ingredients well.

• Put the mixture on the napkins and wrap them up with a gauze.

• Fix the napkin wraps on the back or the chest by using an adhesive tape.

If you are preparing the ginger wrap remedy for your child, let your child hold the wrap on the chest for 3 hours before going to sleep.

The wraps may remain on adults’ backs or chest through the night. You should be aware that these wraps cause sweating.

There are no negative side effects or complications of using the ginger wraps. However, you must be careful when you use them on your children, as children’s skin is more sensitive and delicate.
Real experience

One mother tried to use the ginger wrap recipe on her child. The results were incredible. This mother also modified the recipe a bit. Instead of napkins and gauze, this woman used aluminium foil. She also replaced the olive oil with coconut oil but kept the ginger and the honey.

This mother shared her experience of her Facebook profile. Her child always coughed at night, probably two hours before going to bed. However, the results were incredible when she started using the ginger wraps.

The constant coughing was completely gone and her child was feeling well. The congestion disappeared completely. The child was relieved from the coughs and congestion after only four hours.

Honey and ginger are well known natural remedies that have been used for the treatment of many different health problems.

Source: http://healthfularea.com/ginger-wraps/ 
The original title: Cure a Bad Cough and Remove Mucus in the Lungs in a Single Night with Ginger Wraps

7 Must-Try Latin Home Remedies

(Photo : Cameron Spencer/Getty Images )

Sick of taking bad-tasting medicines or using chemically-rich beauty products? You have a choice of using more organic and affordable ingredients, and some of these natural treatments have its roots in Latin culture. They are probably already in your home. Below are a few popular Latin home remedies to try:

1) Vick's VapoRub. Abuela has relied on this eucalyptus-filled treatment for many ailments and minor conditions like achy joints, muscle pain, headaches, skin irritations and chapped lips. Aside from its healing elements, the ointment can also work to lubricate door hinges so that it no longer creeks, according to Step To Health.

2) Manzanilla. Next to Vick's, Abuela also relies on the manzanilla for treating stomach problems like cramps and gas pains. Manzanilla is otherwise known as chamomile, so whether you drink the tea or use the topical oil solution to relieve yourself, both can work wonders. For beauty treatments, manzanilla can help treat irritated skin, acne, psoriasis or eczema, per Live and Feel.

3) Tequila. A shot of tequila is great for parties and celebrations, but did you know that it's also effective against colds? Mix tequila blanco with agave nectar and lime juice to treat the sniffles, per Mental Floss. Tequila can also supposedly aid in weight loss, per She Knows. Tequila contains agavin, a type of sugar that helps control blood glucose levels and cleanses the digestive tracts so that overeating is managed.

4) Raw eggs. Uncooked eggs have been known as an effective hair remedy or facial mask but, in many Latino cultures, it's also regarded as a protection for "evil eye," according to Lucky Mojo. Otherwise known as "Mal de Ojo," many Latins believe that the condition causes injury and misfortune, and the eggs works like an amulet that also heals the person who has been victimized by it. Raw eggs are rubbed on the body for three straight days to ward off the evil eye.

5) Onion and Honey. Treating cough is possible by cooking onion with honey until it becomes a consistent syrup concoction. The properties of both ingredients work as an antitussive, according to the book, "Honey in Traditional and Modern Medicine."

6) Lemon and Warm Water. Feeling constipated? Drinking warm water with squeezed lemon should ease up the condition in no time, according to Mind Body Green.

7) Ginger. Aside from making dishes flavorful, the ginger is also one of nature's most useful and effective medicines. It is very common used for fighting colds, alleviating arthritis and menstrual pain, reducing inflammation and treating burns, per Web MD.


By Rachel Cruz media@latinoshealth.com                                      Jan 06, 2016 

http://www.latinoshealth.com/articles/15063/20160106/7-must-try-latin-home-remedies.htm

Natural remedies at your home

At your home, you have several natural remedies available. Using the things present in your home, you can naturally cure several problems.

http://www.doctortipster.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/natural-remedies.jpg

1. Garlic

Garlic is a natural antibiotic, antibacterial and antifungal. It can be used for curing different illnesses. You can mince 1-2 cloves of garlic and add it to one glass of water. Drink the water and it will help you in fighting different types of illnesses caused by bacteria and other germs.

2. Hydrate yourself and rest

Hydration is very important when you want to keep naturally fine without any type of infection. If you have a fever, it means your body is fighting against any possible germ attack. You can support your body by keeping in hydrated on water and different types of herbal teas. You also need to rest so that your body gets the extra hours for fighting the infection. Extra rest and extra water can help you in nature really eliminating and fighting several problems.

3. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is readily available at your home. It will not only help you in stabilizing blood sugar, but will also work as antibiotic and anti-viral. If you’re sick you can add 1 tablespoon of cinnamon along with 1 teaspoon of honey and make a tea. This will help you to get relief from cough and congestion immediately. It will also lower your fever.

4. Hydrogen peroxide

When you have the first sign of cold, sinus infection, flu and ear infection, you can put little bit of hydrogen peroxide into each ear. Lie down for some time and it will work wonders for you. This is more effective in case of kids. To completely cure infection, you need to repeat the process every few hours.

5. Eliminate white foods

When you see the first signs of any illness, you need to completely remove all types of white foods from your diet. Avoid foods like grains, milk, dairy, sugars, cheese, soda, sweeteners etc. Why do you need to avoid them? These foods can suppress your immune function, which will reduce the healing ability of your body, and thereby will increase the length of the infection, and the possibility of getting sick. When you are sick, your body needs to focus on the healing part and not on digestion, and so you should eat less amount of food. Foods like fresh chicken soup and hot liquids will help you to keep your required strength.

6. Hot liquids

This is a very simple and effective treatment. When you see the first signs of illness, you need to drink more hot herbal teas and hot lemon water. The heat will boost your immune system and the same time, the herbs will reduce the infection.

7. Face steam

This is a very simple natural remedy which can be easily prepared at your home. You can make one using different types of kitchen herbs. For preparing such a face steam, first, boil 1 to 2 cups of water and then remove the water pot from heat. Add 2 teaspoons of thyme, oregano and rosemary to the water. Cover it for five minutes using a lid. Now, bring your face directly over the pot. While doing that, you can cover your head using a towel. The towel will hold the heat for a longer duration. Now, breathe in the steam. Keep at it for about 15 minutes. It has many benefits. It will loosen any congestion beside killing bacteria and viruses present in your lungs. It will also kill bacteria and viruses present in sinuses and bronchial. Sometimes, you can also use 1 to 2 cups of vinegar in the steam.

http://www.doctortipster.com/34566-natural-remedies-at-your-home.html

Surprising Uses for Vicks Vapor Rub

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM4mmIevdNc

Cough and Cold Home Remedy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cEIo76Yh6U

Healing Coughs and Colds

Cough Remedies for Kids

Kids have it worse than adults. They go to school or daycare, which seems to be a cesspool of germs, and they bring everything home.(...)

Their immune systems are not yet strong enough to fight off things like that common cold, and while everyone can get it, kids are much more prone. Kids also have a tendency of not thinking about how germs can get transferred from Nancy’s crayon to Timmy’s mouth.(...)

What are some of the remedies that will work for your kids? There are so many cough remedies for kids out there, including over the counter and drugstore types, but what will actually work? According to the National Institutes of Health, kids suffer from about six to ten common colds per year. Unfortunately, there are not medications that will make a child’s cold disappear.

When it comes to the common cold, it is time that heals.

The common cold will last from about seven to ten days and most medications that claim to treat the cold usually only treat its symptoms. (...)

Cough suppressants and decongestants all provide temporary relief that make it easy to breathe and reduce coughing.

Cough Suppressants

Cough suppressants are designed to do just that; suppress the cough. (...) Coughing occurs when mucus builds up and causes a post-nasal drip down the back of the throat. Naturally, the body produces mucus to help trap bacteria from getting into the body’s system. When a child has a cold, his or her mucus can become thicker and make its way through the nose or the back of the throat.

The post-nasal drip will tickle the back of the throat and the natural urge is to cough,(...)  Some cough suppressants work by blocking the cough reflex. For a cough accompanied with phlegm, the best thing to do is get rid of the phlegm. Guaifenesin is a remedy that helps thin the mucus so it comes out much easier.(...)

There are natural cough remedies such as menthol and camphor. These treatments usually come in three forms. The liquid form is used with a vaporizer that will help the child to breathe easier. However with asthma this may not be a good idea. They can also come in the form of an ointment, such as Vicks, which can be rubbed on the chest or even on the feet with socks. If there is an odor free variety that would be best for asthma patients. There is also the lozenge form, which the child can suck on. This method may be the easiest for children as there are flavors that taste like candy and what child doesn’t love that?

Decongestants

The common cold causes the lining of your nose to swell by the blood vessels and tissues becoming larger. This swelling of the nose makes it hard to breathe and the nose becomes congested. (...)

Decongestants come in many forms such as nose drops, nasal sprays, liquids, and tablet. While children may be fearful of swallowing a tablet, liquids are an easy way of getting the medicine to the body.

Home Remedies

There are countless home remedies for the common cold, and chicken soup is one of them. Although the chicken soup itself does not prove to actually cause any physical changes in the body, it tends to have a placebo effect on children which can make them feel better.

(...)Vitamin C can come in the form of vitamin tablets, chewable vitamins, or gummy vitamins for children. It is also in citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruits, or even in orange juice. When your child has a cough, give them some orange juice and chewable vitamins. They will love the taste, and it can help them feel better sooner. The citrus of lemon mixed with honey is also said to help with sore throats when your child has a cough.

The best way to get rid of a cough soon is through much rest.(...) The body has everything it needs to feel better, but children need to sleep for it to do its work. Use these remedies to promote a more comfortable rest for your child and allow their body to heal itself.

By Pat Bass, MD Asthma Expert

http://asthma.about.com/od/asthmacam/fl/Cough-Remedies-for-Kids.htm

Natural home remedies: Colds and flu

It may be “just a cold,” but it’s nothing to sneeze at. And the flu can make you feel downright drained. Fortunately, fast action on your part—including these simple home remedies for colds and flu—can mitigate the misery

Natural home remedies: colds and flu

Is it a common cold or the flu? If your symptoms are above the neck—congestion, sore throat, sneezing, coughing—you probably have a cold. If you have all those symptoms plus a fever of 38.8˚C (102˚F) or more, headache, muscle aches, extreme fatigue, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, you’re more likely to have the flu.

What you can do for colds and flu

• For a sore throat remedy  fill a 250 mL glass with warm water, mix in one teaspoon of salt and gargle away. The salt really does soothe the pain.

• Add a squeeze of lemon juice to a glass of warm water for the more traditional sore throat gargle. This creates an acidic environment that’s hostile to bacteria and viruses.

• Chicken soup is a time-honoured remedy that is tried, tested and true.Chicken soup stops certain white blood cells (neutrophils) from congregating and causing inflammation, preventing large amounts of mucus from being produced. The hot soup also thins the mucus. Adding freshly chopped garlic to your soup gives the system a powerful boost. While garlic kills germs outright, it also appears to stimulate the release of natural killer cells, which are part of the immune system’s arsenal of germ-fighters. Spike your soup with red (chili) pepper flakes to increase the broth’s decongestant power.

• Drink as much water as you can—eight or more 250 mL glasses—to keep mucous membranes moist and to help relieve dry eyes and other common flu symptoms. Fluids also help thin mucus so that it’s easier to expel.

• Natural home remedies
• Our best healthy soup recipes
• 9 ways to boost your immunity

• To help keep mucus loose, stay in a moist, warm, well-ventilated room. To keep the air in your bedroom moist, place bowls of water near the air ducts or run a humidifier.

• Cut short your cold with a blow-dryer. As outlandish as it sounds, inhaling heated air may help kill a virus working its way up your nose. Set your hair dryer on warm (not hot), hold it at least 45 cm (18 in) from your face, and breathe in the air through your nose for as long as you can—at least two or three minutes—preferably 20 minutes.

• Wear wet socks to bed. Believe it or not, this soggy strategy can help ease a fever and clear congestion by drawing blood to the feet, which dramatically increases blood circulation. (Blood stagnates in areas of greatest congestion.) Best method: Warm your feet in hot water. Then soak a thin pair of cotton socks in cold water, wring them out and slip them on just before going to bed. Put a pair of dry wool socks over the wet ones. The wet socks should be warm and dry in the morning, and you should feel markedly better.

• Try soaking your feet in a mustard footbath. In a basin, mix 1 tablespoon of mustard powder in 1 L of hot water. The mustard draws blood to your feet, which helps to relieve congestion.

• Another oldie: try a mustard plaster for chest congestion. Grind up three tablespoons of mustard seeds, add water to make a paste, and then slather it on your chest. The pungent aroma helps to unclog stuffy sinuses, while the heat improves blood circulation and eases congestion. Don’t leave the plaster on for more than 15 minutes, however, or your skin may burn. You may want to smear on a bit of petroleum jelly before you apply the plaster to protect the skin.

• Breathe easy with steam. Pour just-boiled water into a large bowl. Drape a towel over the top of your head to trap the steam, and breathe in through your nose for five to 10 minutes. Don’t lower your face too close to the water or you risk scalding your skin or inhaling vapours that are too hot. To make steam inhalations more effective, add five to 10 drops thyme oil or eucalyptus oil to the water. Keep your eyes closed as you breathe in the steam, since both essential oils and steam may irritate your eyes. On the go? Dab a few tissues with eucalyptus oil and hold them under your nose whenever you feel congested.

A natural boost for colds and flu

• At the first hint of a cold, suck on a zinc gluconate lozenge every few hours. Don’t take zinc gluconate longer than a week, though, because excessive zinc can actually weaken immunity. Avoid zinc lozenges that contain citric acid or are sweetened with sorbitol or mannitol; these ingredients seem to weaken the mineral’s effectiveness.

• As soon as you notice cold or flu symptoms, start taking 500 mg of vitamin C four to six times a day. If you develop diarrhea, cut down on the dose.

• Take one 250 mg astragalus capsule, twice daily, until you’re better. This ancient Chinese herb stimulates the immune system and seems to be highly effective at fighting colds and flu. To prevent a relapse, take one capsule twice a day for an additional week after your symptoms are gone.

• Goldenseal stimulates the immune system and has germ-fighting compounds thatcan kill viruses. As soon as you begin to feel sick, take 125 mg five times a day for five days.

• At the first sign of the flu, take 20 to 30 drops of elderberry tincture three or four times daily for three days. Elderberry has been used in Europe for centuries to fight viruses.

• Oscillococcinum, commonly called Oscillo, is widely recommended by naturopaths and herbalists to reduce the severity of flu symptoms. Be sure to use it within 12 to 48 hours of the first appearance of your symptoms. It comes in packages of three to six vials. Buy the three-vial pack and take one vial every six hours.

• A dose of garlic—a natural antiseptic—will do a job on those viruses. If you’re feeling very brave, hold a small clove or a half-clove of garlic in your mouth and breathe the fumes into your throat and lungs. If it gets too strong as the clove softens, just chew if up quickly into smaller pieces and swallow with water.

• For a serious congestion-busting blast, buy fresh horseradish or gingerroot, grate it and eat a small amount. To guard against upset stomach, wait until after a meal to try this.

• Drink a cup of ginger tea. Ginger helps block the production of substances that cause bronchial congestion and stuffiness, and it contains compounds call gingerols, which are natural cough suppressants.

• During cold and flu season, take 20 to 30 drops of Echinacea tincture in half-cup of water three times daily.

Adapted from 1,801 Home Remedies, Reader's Digest

http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/home-remedies/natural-home-remedies-colds-and-flu