Sinus or Allergy: How to Tell the Difference and Find Relief
If you're dealing with a stuffy nose, sneezing, and congestion, it's easy to assume it's just a common cold or allergies. However, it's important to understand that allergies and sinus infections are distinct conditions that can often be mistaken for one another. In this article, we'll delve into the differences between allergies and sinusitis, including their causes and symptoms, helping you identify the likely culprit behind your discomfort.
Allergies and Sinusitis: What Are They?
Allergies occur when your immune system reacts excessively to allergens like pollen, dust, or pet dander. This immune response triggers the release of histamine, causing symptoms such as sneezing, itching, congestion, and even a skin rash. On the other hand, sinus infections, or sinusitis, arise when the nasal passages become infected and inflamed due to viruses, leading to mucus buildup, congestion, and facial pain.
How to Differentiate Between Allergies and Sinusitis
Both allergies and sinus infections can result in nasal inflammation, resulting in similar symptoms like a runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, and headaches. However, certain symptoms can help differentiate between the two. Allergies often come with itchiness of the eyes and skin, as well as frequent sneezing. Itchiness is rarely associated with a sinus infection. Conversely, if you experience pain around your cheeks and eyes, notice a thick, yellow or green nasal discharge, and possibly have bad breath or tooth pain, it could indicate a sinus infection.
Natural Remedy Options for Allergies and Sinusitis
Antihistamines, such as quercetin, can help alleviate symptoms by blocking histamine production. Quercetin is a natural plant flavonoid found in colorful superfoods like onions, apples, and berries. Known for its antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties, quercetin offers a range of health benefits, including supporting upper respiratory health, boosting immunity, fighting allergies supporting brain health, heart health, and so much more.
This flavonoid regulates immune response naturally, which helps relieve discomfort from sinusitis and seasonal challenges like itchy skin, eyes, nose, and throats. In addition, it helps fight free radicals, support healthy inflammatory response, strengthens the immune system, supports healthy blood pressure and glucose and reduces risk of infections.
Although we can obtain quercetin from foods, it is a poorly absorbed nutrient with only 0.001% being absorbed into the body. Thus, despite its many benefits, quercetin faces an absorption challenge that needs to be overcome before one can reap the full spectrum of benefits.
You may like to consider:
LABO Nutrition Perfect Quercetin
Structurally identical to isoquercitrin found in nature, Perfect Quercetin is formulated with patented SunActive® IsoQ which is 25 times more bioavailable than regular quercetin and 4 times better absorbed than other isoquercitrin. Its unique microencapsulation technology facilitates excellent solubility, absorbability and conversion to free quercetin in the body. Derived from rutin (plant pigment) extracted from the flower buds of the Japanese Pagoda tree (Styphnolobium japonicum Schott), SunActive® IsoQ is extracted into a water-soluble form via a patented, solvent-free enzymatic process.
Perfect Quercetin is further fortified with Vitamin C and BioPerine® black pepper extract, which further enhances its efficacy. Vitamin C, which is known to have immune-enhancing benefits, works synergistically with SunActive® IsoQ to modulate the immune system. And, BioPerine® black pepper extract further improves the bioavailability of SunActive® IsoQ. BioPerine® black pepper extract strongly inhibits the activity of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase enzymes (UGTs), which would otherwise break down quercetin in the blood plasma. This allows the quercetin to stay longer in the body for physiological effects.