Natural Sinus Remedies

Natural Sinus Remedies page - link navigation:

(Clicking on the links below will take you farther down this page to that particular section.)

When to Use Natural Remedies

Natural Sinus remedies are effective for most kinds of sinus issues whether they are due to the flu or a cold, dust in the air or other conditions.

Use NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen sparingly because over use of these drugs can have serious health effects later in life. Drugs like these are very hard on the liver as well.

Natural sinus remedies are safe and have no side effects.

Some over the counter medications can even make your sinus issues worse by stopping the infection that's causing the problem from draining properly, thus carrying it deeper into your sinus cavities and/or spreading the infection to other parts of the body like the lungs.

A common prescription for Sinusitis is antibiotics. Unfortunately, this will only help if the cause is a bacterial infection.

Clicking on the link in the top section for causes will show you that there are many different causes for Sinusitis and a bacterial infection isn't even the most common.

If you still want to take the antibiotics, please make sure to add human strain probiotics to your daily regimen.

Take them "away from" the antibiotics; that means at least a few hours before and/or after you take your antibiotics. This will help keep your immune system strong by replenishing the good bacteria that are also killed with antibiotics.

List of Natural Remedies that Treat this Condition

(Clicking on the underlined name of the remedy below will take you the page that tells you specifically how to use it for this condition. It will open a new window.)

Cayenne Pepper - a powerful detox remedy and mucous thinner.

Echinacea - another powerful immune booster that you can drink as a tea or take as a tincture.

Garlic - a powerful immune booster and cleanser.

Ginger

Ginseng - anecdotal evidence has shown that Ginseng relieves chronic sinus issues.

Goldenseal Root – helps reduce the irritation and inflammation in the respiratory tract and kills bacteria that can cause infection helping relieve sinusitis. This is usually made as a tea and can be found in most health food stores or online.

Horseradish and Lemon Juice - take a teaspoon of crushed horseradish mixed with lemon juice as a powerful sinus draining remedy. – You may want to be near a sink when you do this.

Lavender Oil - relieves stress and allows you to go to sleep when sleep is difficult. This gives your body a chance to heal itself more quickly.

Omega 3 - Either from high quality fish, krill, green lipped mussels, or Flax Seed, Omega 3's will reduce the inflammation that causes sinus headaches.

Salt Water Rinse - using a Neti pot to rinse your sinuses with salt water can help clear out the infection faster. Use warm water, not hot, mixed with a sea salt. Do not use tap water! Use distilled or reverse osmosis water only. There are generally instructions for use included when you buy your Neti pot and they can be purchased at most health food stores or on the internet.

Tea Tree Oil - a power antiseptic that fights both bacterial and viral infections.

Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin C

Zinc – is very important in the function of your white blood cells, helping to fight off the infection causing your sinus problems. Be careful not to take too much of this mineral however – keep it under 100 mg per day and you should be fine.

Symptoms

You'll know you need one or more of the natural Sinus remedies when you experience the following symptoms:

Headache in the areas behind the eyes, in the forehead and/or in the upper cheek area

Pressure in those same areas

Cough

Nasal Congestion

Fatigue or feeling "drained"

Toothache

Post-Nasal drip (mucous dripping back down the throat)

You'll know when the infection has spread to other parts of your body if you develop a fever or bronchitis as well. If you're concerned, talk to your health practitioner to make sure you don't have something more serious.

Causes

The sinuses are cavities (empty areas) in the face behind the nasal area, upper cheek bones, and lower forehead. These cavities serve to make the facial area lighter in weight and also add resonance to your voice.

Additionally, the lining inside of the cavities serves to moisten and warm the air you breathe and acts as your body's fist line of defense against germs by catching them.

It's when the mucous gets trapped in these cavities (rather than dripping out of your nose) that you end up with a sinus infection or "Sinusitis", because trapped mucous can cause infection and swelling.

Many things can cause a sinus problem. Colds and the Flu, as well as allergies are common causes of sinus infection. Sometimes just dust in the air or sudden temperature changes can cause temporary sinus irritation. Injuries to your nose, like a deviated septum, can also be the cause of your sinus problems.

Other possible causes for Sinus pressure and Sinusitis are irritants in the air such as cigarette smoke, smoke from a fire, perfumes and other chemical sprays, pet dander, and high levels of smog.

Some people experience problems when the air is simply too dry. Tooth and Tonsil infections can even cause a bit of a sinus issue as well.

Some research has shown that chronic Sinusitis is often caused by a fungal infection (such as Candidiasis) in the sinus cavities and can be treated by treating a systemic fungal infection. You can talk to your health practitioner about this possibility.

Another possible trigger for sinus pressure is anything that puts pressure on the sinus cavities like swimming, scuba diving or flying in airplanes.

Natural Sinus remedies can relieve the symptoms of pressure and pain and help your body heal itself faster.

If your symptoms continue for more than 2 or 3 weeks, or if the pain is very intense, please see your health practitioner for help because prolonged and severe cases of Sinusitis can lead to other serious health conditions such as pneumonia or meningitis.

These conditions may require more help than natural Sinus remedies can give.

Nutritional and Dietary Support

Keeping a strong immune system may help decrease the causes of sinus infections and doing this by eating a diet full of immune boosters is helpful.

Avoiding toxic food chemicals, preservatives, simple sugars and gluten can help with allergy causes as well.

Other nutritional support for natural sinus remedies would be drinking plenty of water, freshly made vegetable juices (not processed/store bought), broths, and chicken soup (again – freshly made, not from a can)

Another possible trigger for Sinusitis is a diet high in mucous forming foods such as pasteurized dairy.

If you can get Organic Raw milk and cheese in your area, experiment with that to see if your sinus problems go away. If these products aren't available, it's best to cut dairy out of your diet as much as possible.

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Side note:

Please don't switch to Soy products! Soy is not digestible at all unless it is fermented like miso, natto, or soy sauce are. Soy milk is not a health food. Almond milk, if you can find it without sweeteners and carrageenan would be ideal.

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Avoid eating refined flours (especially wheat), sugars, fried foods, chocolate, and eggs because they are all mucous forming foods as well.

In addition to not wanting to create too much mucous, you also don't want to over dehydrate your sinuses either.

Limit your salt intake and avoid alcohol while you have a sinus condition or the infection might just dig itself deeper into your sinus cavities, making your healing take much longer.

It's important to listen to your body when it comes to natural sinus remedies. Remember what it is that you ate or encountered right before a Sinusitis attack and use the process of elimination to find out what triggers it for you.

Additional Actions You Can Take

Other support for natural Sinus remedies can include:

Enzyme Therapy - many enzymes can decrease inflammation in the body as well as give a boost to your immune system.

Antioxidants to also boost your immune system and get rid of the infection that's causing the inflammation in addition to any of the natural sinus remedies you choose.

Vitamin A is a potent antioxidant and is vital to the health of your body's membranes and skin including the mucous membranes in your sinus cavities.

Hot broth or vegetable soups with plenty of garlic or onion will help you sweat out the toxins and infection.

Any kind of detoxification will be helpful by getting rid of toxins that can cause infection.

Vaporizers may help relieve the pressure of sinus headaches.

If you have a recurring problem with your sinuses, Stop Smoking. Cigarette smoke irritates the sinus cavities and the mucous membranes inside. If you are around second hand cigarette smoke, it's important to find a way NOT to be around it.

A heating pad or hot moist washcloth placed over the sinus area can sometimes help relieve the pain of a sinus headache.

Aromatherapy is a wonderful addition to natural sinus remedies and can be helpful in reducing stress and allowing your body to heal itself faster. Additionally, Eucalyptus oil is wonderful for clearing and draining your sinuses. You can use it in a pot of hot water as a steam therapy or simply smell the oil straight from the bottle.