Green or greenish-yellow phlegm is thick, mucus discharge from the throat and nose and it's one of the main symptoms of a sinus infection. And though it may look pretty bad, that phlegm being there is actually a good thing and tells you that your body's immune system is fighting that sinus infection. At the same time, just because you have green phlegm doesn't mean you automatically have an infection.
Your body can produce green or yellow phlegm or mucus as a response to various pollutants, viruses, and bacteria that it detects and deems appropriate to release while blood cells to deal with. In fact, the yellow or green color, however, isn't caused by bacteria at all. The color comes from white blood cells called neutrophils, which release a bacteria fighting enzyme that is greenish or yellowish in color. And the more of these neutrophils that are present, the more green or yellow the mucus can appear.
Most of us have noticed a greenish phlegm when we've blown our noses or cleared our throats, and really didn't feel bad or sick. That's probably because those neutrophils and other white blood cells have kept the bacteria under control so that an infection didn't occur. In some cases, however, the bacteria gain the advantage and multiply faster in our sinus cavities than the white blood cells can kill them, and then we have a sinus infection. And of course, that sinus infection comes with lots of green or yellow phlegm, and many of the other unpleasant symptoms.
How Do You Get Rid of a Sinus Infection?
Getting rid of a sinus infection may be as simple as rinsing your sinuses with a saline solution and a neti pot for a few days, or may require antibiotics. In early stages, a sinus infection can often be controlled or eliminated by using a neti pot or similar nasal-rinsing tool, and some people alternate between that and breathing essential oil vapors from aromatherapy diffusers or straight from the bottle. Most essential oils are highly antibacterial and antiviral so they can be quite effective at getting rid of a sinus infection.
To reduce the stuffy head or sinus congestion symptoms, you can use an over the counter decongestant or antihistamine (ask your pharmacist), but those do tend to dry you out so be sure to drink plenty of water, which helps thin out the mucus or phlegm as well. And to increase the thinning of that thick green phlegm, you might try Mucinex, which has a more concentrated does of guaifenesin and tends to work better for a lot of people than say, the traditional Robitussin.
If you've tried to handle your symptoms using the techniques above or feel like you have a fever, feel bad, etc, along with the green phlegm and other sinus infection symptoms, it may be best to see a doctor. They can easily run tests to see exactly what is going on and help you get the right treatments to get well quickly.
Preventing A Sinus Infection
Preventing a sinus infection isn't always possible, but there are things you can do to sharply reduce your chances of getting one:
1) Blow your nose when you leave an area where the air quality is questionable, there are odors, or a lot of people. The mucus in your nose traps a lot of would-be invaders and blowing your nose can get those bacteria and viruses out before they have a chance to become a problem.
2) Consider using an air purifier in your home or office. There are a lot of studies proving that most indoor air has significant amounts of bacteria, mold spores and viruses floating around. A quality portable air cleaner can remove over 99% of those airborne germs before you have a chance to breathe them. You might also consider a germicidal UV light system for your air conditioner, as these kill germs in the air conditioner ducts before they get out into the air in your home or office.
3) Keep your immune system strong: eat healthy and make sure you get enough vitamin C, Zinc, and Vitamin D3--all three of these play a large role in the strength of your immune system and you can often take care of this with the right multivitamin (but read the label and make sure you're getting enough of each nutrient)
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us below. We're here to help!
To Your Health!
Air Purifiers and Cleaners.com
http://www.airpurifiersandcleaners.com/hvac-duct-mounted-uv-air-cleaner-systems
http://www.airpurifiersandcleaners.com/hvac-duct-mounted-uv-air-cleaner-systems
1-800-701-2513
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.