We’re in the middle of winter … cold season. Your baby’s nasal passages and possibly their sinuses are congested and you would like to know if it’s a garden-variety cold, sinus infection, and what to do about it.
When the mucous membrane of nasal passages and sinuses are inflamed and swollen, airflow is restricted and it’s difficult for baby’s sinuses to drain and to relieve the stuffiness inside their nasal passages. The congestion causes them pain and pressure. If you have an infant, they can’t tell you how blocked up their nose is and they don’t know to blow their nose, so how do you know what’s going on? And once you do know, can a health professional do something to get them relief?
Let’s look at Symptoms
The tell-tale signs of congestion are:
● A chronic runny nose. Baby is repeatedly wiping their face and there’s mucus.
● Noisy breathing. There’s a whistling sound when baby breathes in and out.
● Sneezing
● Baby picks at their nose (This pertains to older babies since it takes a bit of dexterity to insert fingers in nostrils)
● Snoring (Note that snoring can be a symptom of other problems, so consider this and other signs together.
What Causes Congestion?
Sinus congestion doesn’t happen by itself. It’s not a condition but a symptom for an underlying condition. That underlying condition could be one of many:
Common cold. The cold virus increases the formation of thick mucus and the inner nostrils become inflamed. Also with a cold, there’s sneezing, coughing, and possibly a fever.
Influenza (flu). Symptoms are similar to a cold, with body aches, loss of appetite, and dizziness added, and fever can be higher.
Sinus infection (sinusitis). Trapped germs and bacteria cause inflammation in the sinus cavity (located at the top and sides of the nose) and the formation of mucus, which will usually be thick and dark in color. This causes head pain and stuffiness, feeling tired, and problems eating and sleeping.
Allergy. Allergens like pollen, trees, or food allergies can cause a release of histamine. This prompts the increased flow of mucus, which can cause inflammation of nasal passages, making it hard to breathe through the nose.
Asthma. Constriction of air passages makes it difficult for baby to breathe, which can be a result of nasal congestion due to inflamed respiratory tissues. Asthma can cause baby to cough, be short of breath, and be fatigued.
Inflamed tonsils. Infected tonsils can become enlarged and this can put pressure on the nasal passages, constricting them and preventing normal breathing.
Environmental irritants. Irritants can be air pollution or dry air, which can trigger excessive mucus secretion.
DIY Symptom Relief
Some things you can try at home may provide relief:
● Use a nasal aspirator to suck out the mucus. The standard blue bulb syringe is a great option. The NoseFrida nasal aspirator is gaining popularity with families with younger children.
● Put a cool-mist humidifier in baby’s room. We recommend also placing a Vick’s Humidity Monitor to help monitor the humidity levels in their room to know when the humidifier should be used or if they are in the perfect breathing zone.
● Add a few drops of saline solution in the event baby’s nose. This can help immensely.
● Rub baby’s tummy and chest with an age-appropriate and all-natural respiratory cream. Speak with your pediatric certified chiropractor or pediatrician about which brands are best for your baby.
Treatment Through Craniosacral Therapy
Know when and who to call for help. We see sinus congestion a lot right now in the babies we treat. As pediatric specialized chiropractors, we can address the biomechanical reason of baby’s condition and offer solutions you may have never considered that are contributing to their congestion: restricted movement of the facial bones and/or musculature.
Here’s why. The craniosacral system plays an important role in maintaining the proper functioning of the central nervous system. This system consists of membranes and fluid that surround and protect the brain, spinal cord, and bones, including the skull, face, and mouth, which make up the cranium, as well as the tailbone area. Through adjustments of spinal and facial bones, we can perform craniosacral therapy (CST) to allow sinus cavities to drain and reduce or eliminate sinus congestion pain and pressure.
Craniosacral therapy helps baby’s body release restrictions through a light touch. This allows baby’s body to self-correct. CST not only relieves symptoms but it can help uncover the source of the problem.
Who We Are
We are Doctors Michelle Parker and Darcy Goode. Dr. Parker is certified by the Academy Council of Chiropractic Pediatric Association in pediatric chiropractic for pre- and postnatal specialties. She is the only chiropractor with the D.A.C.C.P. certification in Parker County. Both of us have specific pediatric chiropractic expertise in working on the nervous and muscular systems of newborns with numerous post-graduate chiropractic training in working on the muscles and bones of expecting moms and newborns by integrating craniosacral therapy, myofascial release, and pregnancy-tailored chiropractic adjustments.
Located near Fort Worth
The office of The Chiropractic Place for Mommy and Me is in Aledo, Texas, just 15 minutes west of downtown Fort Worth or 10 minutes east of Weatherford, Hudson Oaks, and Willow Park.
Feel free to visit our social media pages on Instagram @TheChiroPlaceforMommyandMe or Facebook @TheChiroPlace to get a feel for our atmosphere and how we work with entire families and fathers, grandparents, pregnant moms, mothers, and children. We are proud to offer a family-friendly, pediatrician-approved, and mother-oriented space to the community.
Give our office a call at 682-214-0408 to see if we can help answer your questions and help your baby on their wellness journey.