What Are Sinuses
Sinuses are air-filled spaces in the bones of your face. They help to moisturize and warm air that enters your lungs, which makes it easier for you to breathe. Your sinuses are behind your eyes, nose, and cheeks near the top of your head. Since they connect to both nasal passages and cavities (the back part), this allows drainage from a blocked nose when there is excessive mucus production or pressure inside these structures due to infection or inflammation.
What Causes Sinus/Sinus Congestion
Sinus congestion is a common problem, with more than 30 million Americans suffering from sinusitis yearly. There are many causes of sinus congestion, including:
Bacteria and viruses that cause infections: A viral or bacterial infection is the most common cause of sinus congestion. When you get sick, your immune system tries to fight off the invading germs. This causes inflammation in your nasal passages and sinuses, which can lead to more mucus production.
Nonallergic triggers: Irritants like smoke, tobacco, and pollution can also cause inflammation in your nasal passages and sinuses.
Seasonal changes in weather and temperature variations: When the weather changes, it can cause a drop in body temperature. This can trigger your body to produce more mucus and make you feel congested.
Cold and flu: When you catch a cold or the flu, your body’s immune system goes into overdrive. This can cause inflammation in your nasal passages and sinuses, which leads to more mucus production.
Nasal polyps: Nasal polyps are small, fleshy growths that can form in your sinuses. They can block the openings of your sinuses and make breathing difficult through your nose.
Pregnancy: Pregnancy is a typical time for sinusitis to occur. You may experience congestion and nasal discharge due to changes in hormones and increased blood flow going through your body during pregnancy.
Trauma to the face or head: If you experience trauma to the head or face, it can cause damage to your nasal passages and sinuses. This can lead to infection, inflammation, and other complications triggering mucus production.
Can I Exercise?
What Exercises for Sinuses Should I Do?
- Aerobic exercise: The best way to relieve congestion is by increasing blood flow, which is why aerobic exercise effectively reduces sinus pressure.
- Cardio workouts: Getting your heart rate up is a great way to help clear out the sinuses by increasing oxygen flow to your lungs and expanding the air passages in your nose and throat. Try walking briskly or jogging outside on a nice day or hitting the gym and doing cardio equipment like the treadmill or elliptical machine. You can also try swimming laps at a pool if you prefer water workouts over land-based ones.
- Strength training: Strengthening your muscles can also help reduce sinus pressure since it increases blood flow throughout your body and helps to clear out any congestion in your sinuses and lungs. Try doing light weightlifting at home or getting a personal trainer at the gym to help design a workout routine for your fitness level.
- Yoga: Some yoga positions can also help open sinus passages by stretching them out, making them more flexible; however, you mustn’t overdo any yoga poses because they could make things worse for you! Instead of forcing yourself into uncomfortable positions that you don’t enjoy—such as meditation when you’re not used to it or yoga poses that are beyond your abilities —try relaxation techniques whenever possible.
Tips to Enhance Exercise
- Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your workout.
- Wear a face mask to keep out dust and pollen.
- Don’t exercise when you have a cold or the flu.
- Try not to exercise outdoors in smoggy conditions.
- If you’re venturing outside, take an allergy pill an hour before exercise (if possible). It will help loosen up the airways so they can drain better when breathing heavily or exercising in cold weather.
- Don’t exercise if you have a stuffy nose or headache. If you feel like your symptoms are worsening while exercising, stop immediately and consult your doctor.
- Avoid exercising late afternoon or early evening because it can trigger sinus problems for some people with allergies or asthma symptoms linked directly with those conditions. However, if you have no issues with these triggers, you do not need to avoid them altogether! If this time frame is causing problems for you, then maybe try switching up your routine slightly not to disrupt your work/life balance too much.
What If My Symptoms Don’t Improve Through Exercise?
It is a non-invasive and relatively fast procedure that we can perform in our office or outpatient setting—moreover, insurance covers it. Our website will provide you with further information about this procedure.
FAQs
How do I know if Balloon Sinuplasty is right for me?
What are the risks involved with Balloon Sinuplasty?
Will I need post-procedure care after the Balloon Sinuplasty is complete?
Find the Best Treatment for Your Sinuses Today
You can prevent and treat sinus/sinus congestion with the right strategies and lifestyle changes. Staying active is especially important if you have allergies or asthma because it helps your body release less mucus, which can help block your airways.
- If you have sinus congestion and exercise doesn’t help, you might be a candidate for Balloon Sinuplasty.
- Find the best treatment for your sinuses today by answering a few questions to see if Balloon Sinuplasty is necessary.
Conclusion
If you have sinus congestion that has persisted for 12 weeks and exercising doesn’t help, balloon sinuplasty might be a treatment option. Take a balloon sinuplasty quiz to learn more about the procedure and determine if it might be right for you.
