There are many unpleasant aspects of the cold winter season, and chief among them is the havoc it can wreak on sinuses. Even those who are not allergy-prone or actively sick can find themselves with never-ending nasal and sinus discomfort.
Dr. Navya Mysore, a primary care provider at One Medical in Brooklyn, told HuffPost that when our nose is exposed to cold and dry air, the lining becomes irritated and inflamed, producing mucus that can result in nasal congestion. That excessive mucus drips into the back of the throat and irritates it, causing a post-nasal drip cough. As if that weren’t enough, she noted, “excess mucus can also obstruct the sinuses and when it becomes trapped this encourages bacteria to grow. If it hangs out for a long time, the increased amount of bacteria can cause a sinus infection.”
This means that caring for your sinuses is not solely a comfort measure, but a preventative one if you are hoping to avoid more serious complications.
Dr. David Godin, an otolaryngologist and president of ENT and Allergy Associates in New York and New Jersey, pointed out that spending more time indoors while surrounded by drying central heating can also be sinus-wrecking because you’re more exposed to allergens such as dust mites and animals that could potentially aggravate sinonasal issues. “Wintertime is also cold and flu season, and therefore there are more cold-like illnesses and sinus infections,” he said. Being indoors and in close contact with other people makes it significantly easier to spread sinonasal infections.
Luckily, both experts agreed that there are steps you can take to assuage nasal and sinus discomfort using common over-the-counter products that you can find online and in stores. Below, we’ve rounded up a handy list of items based on their recommendations for cold-weather sinus care. Take a look and pick some up for yourself and your family, so you can keep everyone feeling their best for the rest of the season.
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One Medical primary care provider Dr. Navya Mysore loves the Honeywell Cool Moisture humidifier. She finds a humidifier to be an absolute winter essential for nasal and sinus health but notes that “you just want to make sure that you are cleaning your humidifier regularly and changing the filter as well.” This highly-rated Honeywell humidifier has an easy-fill tank and a run time of up to 24 hours. Best of all, it’s easy to clean in the dishwasher.
“Reducing the amount of salt in your solution, using the neti pot less often and changing the temperature of the water may help reduce side effects,” she noted.
We found this kit on Amazon that includes a soft-tip neti pot and 30 saline packets. Just don’t forget to clean it thoroughly and properly after each use!
