The other day I was visiting with my friend who had a cold and she made a comment that her cold “wouldn’t go away”.  I asked her how long she’d had it and she told me it was almost a month.  Shocked, I asked her if she considered the possibility that she might have sinusitis.  She dismissed it quickly at first and said she has never had sinus or allergy problems before, but after doing some digging on the internet, it turned out that her “cold”, wasn’t a cold at all….She had sinusitis.

Because the symptoms of a cold and sinusitis are so similar, it is difficult to distinguish one from the other.  Although I have written on this subject before, I do think that it is a good time to re-visit this subject, because often times, sinusitis is confused with your typical flu and cold symptoms, and knowing exactly what you have, means making the right diagnosis, and treatment plan.

So How Do I Know My Sinusitis Isn’t a Cold?

A typical cold lasts approximately two weeks, so if your symptoms persist longer than that, you may have a sinus infection or sinusitis.  Having suffered from sinus conditions throughout my lifetime, it’s easy for me to distinguish one from the other, but if you are not typically prone to a sinus infection, how would you know the difference?  

Both colds and sinus infection cause fatigue, stuffy runny nose, sneezing and sinus congestion, so it’s understandable that so many people misdiagnose their condition.  To help you determine the difference, let’s look at what these two ailments DON’T have in common.  The following are sinusitis related symptoms:

·         Acute Sinusitis sufferers usually experience a green or gray nasal discharge, whereas a cold the discharge is usually darker and thicker

·         Clear thin discharge from the nose for chronic sinusitis sufferers

·         Foul tasting post nasal drip and bad breath

·         Occasional pain in the roof of your mouth or teeth

Understanding your symptoms is crucial when it comes to deciding on the remedy that’s right for you and once you rule out a cold, the next step is choosing the right sinusitis treatment . 

Now I know what I have…What do I take?

I am a strong believer in all natural remedies, so no matter what I have; I always look for the natural cure first.  I am not dead set against traditional medicines, in fact for years they were all I used, but now I know better and I have no doubt that there are natural remedies out there that are just as effective, if not more so, and by far, much safer, so why not consider these first? 

Having sinusitis or any kind of allergy symptoms is debilitating to say the least.  They make you feel tired, sluggish and dopey so taking a medication that only masks the symptoms but still makes me feel doped and tired, in my opinion, is NOT effective.

For my sinusitis treatment,  I use an all natural capsaicin based nasal spray called Sinol, because not only does it clear up my sinusitis fast, I can safely use it throughout the day as needed.  It is 100% all natural so there are no harsh chemicals or side effects, but the best part for me is that by using this product, it has reduced the amount of outbreaks I now get, and I never feel sluggish, dopey or tired like I did with antihistamines and decongestants. 

There are other capsaicin based products on the market and I’ve tried them all, but I like the softer delivery of Sinol’s formula the best.  I get terrible sinus headaches with my sinusitis and Sinol stops the headache pain in minutes.  I used to use Tylenol and Advil for them, but it took forever for the pain to stop.  I also use a neti pot on occasion, but for my on the go lifestyle, I keep a bottle of Sinol handy and now I never let my symptoms get in my way.

As Sinol’s Consumer Advocate, I look forward to sharing the latest news and tips on all natural ways to cure your allergy and headache problems.  Please feel free to email me at: a.pisani@sinolusa.com or learn more about Sinol Nasal Spray by visiting www.sinolusa.com