Sinus health tips to help you feel better through flu and cold season

Posted by citiYellow

Saturday, 21 January 2012 07:30

(ARA) - If you're a "seasonal allergy" sufferer, you know the term "seasonal" can be a misnomer. Allergy symptoms can flare up year-round, even during the height of cold and flu season. Just as cold and flu season doesn't stop when winter ends, allergies don't necessarily disappear just because summer is over. Taking care of your sinuses year-round can help you feel better whatever the season.

"Sinus health is the foundation for good respiratory health," says Mike Tringale, vice president at the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). "And we are increasingly finding that relieving nasal congestion makes a huge impact on the quality of life for people of all ages."

AAFA offers some tips for reducing sinus symptoms, whether they're caused by allergies, a cold or the flu:

* To reduce your chance of catching a cold, avoid touching your face or nose. Wash your hands with hot water and soap regularly, especially after being in public places like stores, transit stations, schools or offices.

* To clear out nasal congestion, consider naturally derived saline moisturizers, available at most retailers, year-round. Drug-free and preservative-free options like Arm & Hammer Simply Saline can be used as frequently as needed because it's made of purified water and sodium chloride.

* Talk to your doctor about getting a flu shot each year to try to avoid getting the flu. However, if you feel flu-like symptoms, talk to your doctor within the first few days to get medications that will reduce the severity.

* Manage your seasonal allergies by reading daily pollen counts and limiting your outdoor exposure on high-pollen days, and keep windows and doors closed during the morning hours before noon, when pollen tends to be most prevalent in the air.

You can also log on to www.SimplySaline.com, the website of Arm & Hammer Simply Saline, for more information and allergy-management advice.