Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Prevention

By Mayo Clinic staff

Take these steps to help reduce your risk of getting acute sinusitis:

  • Avoid upper respiratory infections. Minimize contact with people who have colds. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially before your meals.
  • Carefully manage your allergies. Work with your doctor to keep symptoms under control.
  • Avoid cigarette smoke and polluted air. Tobacco smoke and other pollutants can irritate and inflame your lungs and nasal passages.
  • Use a humidifier. If the air in your home is dry, such as it is if you have forced-air heat, adding moisture to the air may help prevent sinusitis. Be sure the humidifier stays clean and free of mold with regular, thorough cleaning.
Alternative medicine
References
  1. Sinuses|Sinusitius|Rhinosinusitis. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. http://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions-a-to-z-search/sinuses,-sinusitis,-rhinosinusitis.aspx. Accessed March 25, 2013.
  2. Lalwani AK. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. 3rd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=39. Accessed March 25, 2013.
  3. Fact sheet: 20 questions about your sinuses. American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/sinuses.cfm. Accessed March 31, 2013.
  4. Aring AM, et al. Acute rhinosinusitis in adults. American Family Physician. 2011;83:1057.
  5. Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM): Prevention & control. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/prevention.html. Accessed March 24, 2013.
  6. Meltzer EO, et al. Rhiosinusitis diagnosis and management for the clinician: A synopsis of recent consensus guidelines. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2011;86:427.
  7. Hayward G, et al. Intranasal corticosteroids in management of acute sinusitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Family Medicine. 2012;10:241.
  8. Leung RS, et al. The diagnosis and management of acute and chronic sinusitis. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2008;35:11.
  9. Sinupret+. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed April 1, 2013.
  10. SinuGuard. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed April 1, 2013.
DS00170 July 2, 2013

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger