Prevention

Acupuncture Allergies Alzheimer's Disease Androgen Anxiety Disorders Asthma Atherosclerosis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Bacterial Vaginosis Biofeedback Bipolar Disorder Birth Control Pills Blood Donation and Transfusion Breast Augmentation and Reduction Breast Cancer Breastfeeding Breast Reconstruction Caregiving Cervical Cancer Chiropractic Chlamydia Cholesterol Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Clinical Trials Colon Cancer Contraception Depression Diabetes Dry Eye Syndrome Eating Disorders Endometriosis Epilepsy Estrogen Fibroids Fibromyalgia Fitness Flu/Colds Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Genetic Testing Genital Herpes Glaucoma Gonorrhea Health Insurance Heart Disease Hepatitis High Blood Pressure HIV/AIDS Homeopathy Human Papillomavirus Hypnosis Hysterectomy Incontinence Infertility Irritable Bowel Syndrome Legal Health Tools Liposuction Lung Cancer Lupus Macular Degeneration Medication Safety Menopause Menstrual Disorders Metabolic Syndrome Migraine Multiple Sclerosis Naturopathy Nonsurgical Aesthetic Procedures Nutrition Obesity Ocular Allergies Oral Health Osteoarthritis Osteopathic Medicine Osteoporosis Ovarian Cancer Overactive Bladder Pain Management Pelvic Organ Prolapse Pelvic Pain Peripheral Arterial Disease Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Pregnancy Premenstrual Syndrome Preparing for Surgery Progesterone Rheumatoid Arthritis Schizophrenia Scleroderma Sexual Dysfunction Sinusitis Sjogren's Syndrome Skin Cancer Skin Health Sleep Disorders Smoking Stress Stroke Substance Abuse Tai Chi Teen Health Thyroid Disorders Trichomoniasis Urinary Tract Conditions Urinary Tract Infection Uterine Cancer Varicose Veins Violence Against Women Vulvodynia Weight Management Yeast Infections Yoga

Because the most common cause of sinusitis is allergic or non-allergic rhinitis, the first step in prevention should be seeing a health care professional and defining your allergic triggers so you can avoid those factors. In most cases, good medical management controls the frequency and severity of sinusitis.

After that, the trick to preventing a cold from turning into sinusitis is to keep your sinuses as clear as possible. A few ways to do this are to:

• use an oral decongestant for a limited time or a nasal spray decongestant

• use nasal saline to wash impacted secretions

• block one nostril while blowing through the other when blowing your nose

• drink a lot of water; avoid caffeine and alcohol

• avoid air travel

• stop smoking cigarettes

If you have allergies:

• avoid contact with things that trigger allergy attacks or other substances like pet dander, dust, pillows or irritants such as perfume and cigarette smoke, which could inflame your sinuses

• seek allergy advice to reduce allergen exposure

• consider proper medical treatment, including allergy immunotherapy, to reduce the likelihood of recurring sinusitis.