Overview
There are thousands upon thousands of sinus infection home remedies out there, ranging from the hair of a toad & tail of a newt, to a number of practical solutions.
All these practical remedies are aimed at:
Easing discomfort.
Relieving congestion.
Curing sinus headaches.
Eliminating all the other nasty symptoms associated with both acute sinusitis (sudden onset), and chronic sinus infections (long-lasting and recurrent).
This article will focus on a number if proven, time-tested sinus infection home remedies that not only work, but also carry health care professional endorsement. Traditional ethnic medicine and folk remedies will be covered in detail in another article.
Home Care Medication
The first point we'd like to stress is that indiscriminate use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications could be harmful to your health. In fact, the wrong combination and dosage can be downright dangerous, and sometimes even life threatening!
If you must treat yourself, for Pete's sake, ask your pharmacist for help and read the instructions! (Sorry for nagging).
Better still, consult your doctor before committing to you medication regimen.
Here's a tip:
Beware of using OTC decongestants for a blocked sinus, and if you are allergy prone, limit the use of store-bought antihistamines during your sinus infection home remedy program.
Decongestant Strategies
Hot Showers
The simplest approach is to take two or three long, hot, steamy showers a day and to breathe through your nose while doing so if possible.
This will help loosen the disgusting yellow or green puss/mucous mixture in your nasal passages and, to a lesser extent, it will also help you cough up some of the phlegm blocking your chest.
Steam Tents and Steam Vaporizers
If you're a one-shower a day person or if you want something with a bit more punch, do the following:
Use a good quality steam vaporizer, or alternatively fill a decent size bowl with boiling water.
Add a teaspoonful of mentholated preparation such as Vicks Vapo-Rub or a dash of pure menthol extract or eucalyptus oil, and stir well.
Lean over the bowl/vaporizer and cover your head and shoulders with a towel to prevent steam from escaping.
Inhale the steam (through your nose if possible), for at least ten minutes.
Repeat 2-4 times a day - This is a highly recommended step in your sinus infection home remedy program.
Thin the Mucous
Expectorants will help by thinning mucous deposits, and that will allow you to clear your respiratory passages more easily.
Important note: Overdosing with expectorants can induce some nasty side effects.
A tried and tested natural expectorant is apple cider vinegar. A couple of spoonfuls dissolved in water and sweetened with honey will do wonders for you.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking the equivalent of at least 8 glasses of water a day is a fine tactic worth including in your campaign, because it helps to thin out mucous secretion.
Apart from that, it's a healthy step in the right direction and an excellent habit to cultivate.
Become a 'tea-aholic'... There is nothing better than plain, old-fashion hot tea to help relieve symptoms. This can be taken with or without milk and sugar. If you don't use sugar, try a teaspoonful of honey instead.
Sinus Flush
Nasal irrigation has been practiced in India for centuries as one of the disciplines of yoga. There are no harmful side effects, and what's more important, using sinus irrigation systems can be of enormous benefit to the acute sinus sufferer.
In addition, people prone to repetitive chronic sinusitis who practice sinus irrigation daily, invariably find that it improves quality of life and reduces the use of medication, including antibiotics and corticosteroids.
Most health care professionals and therapists wholeheartedly endorse adopting nasal irrigation as part of your personal hygiene practice. At the very least, this practice should be included as an essential part of every sinus infection home remedy program.
The simplest technique for a sinus flush is to snort lukewarm water from cupped hands, however this is not the most efficient way to do it.
A more effective method is to use a saline solution mixed with sodium bicarbonate as a buffering agent, and to ensure that the solution goes in one nostril and out the other.
Better yet, if you can prevent the mixture from draining down your throat and can also overcome the gagging reflex, spitting it out the mouth is best.
Employ a little pressure and pinch the other nostril closed. That way the solution tends to infiltrate the sinus cavities as well. Not only does it clean out the sinuses, but it also helps to flush away residual muck left behind by postnasal drip.
This is a rather challenging, more advanced variation of this technique, known in yoga as "Vyutkrama Kapalbhati".
A typical home recipe for an isotonic solution consists of half a liter (1 pint) of warm water, 5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) of salt and optionally, another 5 milliliters of baking soda.
There are a number of readily available nasal flushing appliances, such as the Tiki Pot, the Neti Pot (Neti is Sanskrit for "nasal cleansing", by the way), together with a number of more expensive electrical irrigation devices.
If you can't get your hands on one of the above immediately, snip a corner off a Ziploc bag, and use that. If gravity isn't enough to push the mixture through, you can gently squeeze the bag in order to help things along.
Treat the Sinus Pressure Headache
Ibuprofen, (e.g. Motrin, Advil, etc.), Aspirin and acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol), all help to reduce pain and inflammation caused by a sinus attack. However, if you suffer from chronic acid indigestion or heartburn, stick to Tylenol.
