How to Keep Your Sinuses Healthy This Fall

In New York City, the fall brings a welcome reprieve from the muggy heat of summer. But your whole body might not feel similarly relieved. As fall approaches, so do potential risks for your sinuses. 

Cooler, drier air can take its toll. On top of that, we’re about to enter the peak season for ragweed and other blooms that can trigger fall allergies. As leaves fall and decompose, mold often thrives in those piles, further aggravating your sinus passages. To top it all off, cases of cold and the flu tend to climb in autumn. 

Matthew W. Shawl, MD, and our team want to help you avoid sinus problems this fall. With that in mind, we built this guide.

If you do end up feeling discomfort in your sinuses or dealing with unwelcome symptoms like postnasal drip or headaches, come see us. Dr. Shawl has extensive experience helping people with sinusitis and similar issues here at our New York City office in Union Square. 

Ideally, though, these tips will help you keep your sinuses healthy this fall.

Compensate for drier air

By late September, we should see humidity start to drop. That might be welcome news for your sweat levels, but it’s not great for your sinus passages. As the air gets less moist, it dries out the mucus in your sinuses. That makes the mucus poorer at catching germs, heightening your risk for issues like sinusitis. 

To offset that, run a humidifier at home, especially in your bedroom overnight. If you don’t have a humidifier, you can use steam to help moisten your sinus passages. Put your head over a bowl of steaming water or apply a warm, moist washcloth to your face a few times a day. 

Treat allergies

Ragweed can cause a lot of fall allergy symptoms. In New York, its season usually starts in the middle of August and lasts until our first hard frost. And it’s not the only allergen that peaks during autumn, either.

Leaving allergies unchecked means suffering through symptoms. Beyond that, allergies can create conditions where sinus infections can thrive.  It’s worth exploring allergy medications to find what works for you. 

Don’t ignore symptoms

If you experience unpleasant sinus conditions this fall, you can try at-home care like a humidifier or allergy medications. If you don’t get relief within a few days, take action. Those symptoms are your body’s way of telling you something isn’t right. 

You might not just have a sinus infection, for example. A deviated septum could be the bigger underlying issue. 

Dr. Shawl can help you figure out what’s causing your sinus problems. This means you don’t just have to mask symptoms every fall. Instead, you can get a thorough treatment plan that helps you live more comfortably season after season. 

To schedule time with Dr. Shawl, call us or book your appointment online today.