Are You Fighting A Cold That You Just Can't Get Rid Of?

Have you ever felt that your cold would never end? A cough that follows a cold can last several weeks making you feel like you will never get over it. However, if you have suffered from a lingering cough, it could indicate you are dealing with more than your typical cold virus. If you've had a cold with a cough lasting 3 weeks or longer you may have developed an infection known as sinusitis.

WHAT IS SINUSITIS?

Sinusitis is an infection or inflammation of the mucous membranes that line your sinus cavities and nose. A blocked sinus can prevent the proper drainage of mucous - usually because of a cold or allergy. The inflamed membranes cause swelling which can lead to a feeling of pressure or pain in the sinus areas.

A blocked sinus cavity is then susceptible to the growth of bacteria and fungus. The condition can come on suddenly (acute) after a viral infection such as a cold, or become long term (chronic) where the individual suffers from symptoms indefinitely.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE SINUSITIS?

The key distinction between a cold and sinusitis, according to one health manual, is that a cold usually lasts about seven days and symptoms begin to lessen. Sinusitis suffers may experience prolonged symptoms which can worsen with time.

A Mayo Clinic study reported on in 'Prevention' magazine claimed that approximately 1/3 of individuals with chronic coughs (lasting more than three weeks) could be suffering from sinusitis. The research was based on CT scans of the sinuses of 132 patients with chronic coughs.
Other symptoms, besides a chronic cough, that can be linked to a sinusitis infection are: headaches, bad breath, post-nasal drip, stuffy nose, fever and tooth pain.

WHAT DO I DO IF I THINK I HAVE SINUSITIS?

Mild cases of sinusitis can be treated at home with over the counter decongestants, keeping air moist with a humidifier (especially in the bedroom) and drinking fluids to thin the mucus.
If symptoms are not responding to home treatment you may need a doctor to prescribe antibiotics or other medication. Fungal infections, which are not treatable with antibiotics, will need to be treated with other medication or surgery.

A chronic case of sinusitis may also need more intense treatment. Your doctor should be able to determine if you are suffering from sinusitis based on your history. Sinusitis may not be identified based solely on a physical exam.

HOW DO I PREVENT SINUSITIS?

Taking care of yourself during a cold - keeping air moist, drinking fluids and resting - can help reduce the inflammation that can lead to sinusitis. However, repeated colds or allergies may make you more vulnerable. Seek the advice of your physician if you feel that your symptoms are not consistent with a typical cold or allergy and you just can't shake that cough.

Enhancing Energy Levels Through Meditation

While meditation is most often associated with relaxation and calm, the fact is that meditation can actually increase our level of energy. That is because the stress of modern life can often sap our energy, interfere with our normal sleep patterns and leave us feeling run down and drained of energy. By removing stress and worries from our lives, meditation can have a profound effect on our levels of energy.

Meditation is also important for those with poor self esteem, or those with feelings of inferiority and low ego. There are a number of strategies meditation experts can use enhance the effectiveness of their meditation.

The Aloof Meditator
Meditation can be highly effective at helping cure those with aloof personalities. The reasons for developing such an aloof attitude are many, but this type of attitude often stems from childhood. When children remain quiet, their parents often ask them if something is wrong. This can teach the child that remaining quiet and aloof is an effective way to get attention, and to get what they want. This strategy of aloofness can be inappropriate and harmful in adulthood, and meditation techniques have helped many to overcome it.

Various meditation techniques, including guided meditation, relaxation strategies, and breathing exercises, can be combined in order to allow the aloof individual to focus on his or her mind. This focus on one’s inner self is the first step to healing deep seated problems.

The Victim
Like the aloof personality, the victim personality has learned to gain attention through feelings of illness, or through complaining. Again, meditation can allow these individuals to focus on their inner world and to focus on changing their lives.

It is important for every person to understand their own unique personality, and an understanding of one’s background and personality can be crucial to success. It is important to remember that no one meditation technique will be appropriate for every person, and to understand as well that it may take some time to find the right technique or set of techniques. Every individual is different, and every individual will require a slightly different approach to the practice of meditation.

There are of course time tested strategies for learning to meditate, and most people will end up using a variation of one of these techniques. Some combination of visualization techniques, breathing exercises and calming exercises will be most useful for most personality types.

For many people, simply sitting still and relaxing is enough to enjoy a successful meditation session. Other people will have a much harder time turning off the thoughts churning in their minds. It can be difficult for dynamic Type A personalities to escape the thoughts of the day and clear their minds. While meditation may be more difficult to learn for these often highly stressed individuals, the benefits can be much greater as well. There are many health benefits to reducing levels of stress and anxiety, and learning to mediate is one of the best ways to escape from the stress of the modern world.