1. Prevent Bacterial Infection
If you dislike that feeling of stuffy sinuses followed by uncomfortable drainage down the throat, take steps to avoid contagious viral, bacterial or fungal sinus infection. Keep your respiratory system healthy by steering clear of cigarette smoke and pollution. Control your indoor environment with a humidifier and filtered air cleaner. Take any medications for allergies and asthma to keep respiratory function as high as possible.
To prevent the ingestion or spread of bacteria, wash your hands before meals. If you know that someone has a cold or sinus infection, or shows signs like coughing up phlegm, avoid contact with them. Don't share utensils or drinking glasses.
2. Clear Your Nasal Passages
A sinus infection, or sinusitis, is characterized by a buildup of mucus. Sinus cavities fill with fluid that must drain, although congestion can make drainage slow and somewhat painful. You will experience a runny nose or a flow down the back of the throat. If you already have sinusitis, you can thin the mucus by drinking lots of fluids or using a saline nasal spray. Then prevent throat drainage by blowing your nose gently and often. This should also improve your ability to breathe through your nose.
3. Take the Right Medication
The sinus obstruction creates an alternating pattern of congestion and drainage before you recover to normal, healthy breathing. To address symptoms and get relief from stuffiness or runny nose, you can take over-the-counter drugs. Choose the form of medication depending on how you feel. If you're too congested for a nasal spray, try a tablet. If your throat is sore from coughing, a liquid might feel better.
Today's antihistamines effectively clear up a runny nose. If you're working or driving, though, check to see if drowsiness is a side effect. Decongestants help break up the thick mucus that clogs sinuses if you are feeling pressure from nasal blockage.
