22 Home Remedies for a Sinus Infection

A sinus infection happens when your nasal cavity gets infected. The nasal cavities itself becomes inflamed and swollen due to the infection. It should be noted that there are two different kinds of sinus infections: acute and chronic sinus infections.

An acute sinus infection quite normally comes with a cold and is triggered by the congestion. Most acute sinus infections last about four weeks.

The word chronic refers to the word long or constant. So on that note, chronic sinus infections either last for 12 weeks or longer or they keep happening within a short period of time.

 

Symptoms

There are a number of symptoms that sinus infection patients have. One common issue is nasal discharge that comes in different colors (namely cloudy, green, and yellow). The discharge can lead to further symptoms such as post-nasal drips and coughing. The post nasal drip is often followed by coughing, throat irritation, and a rougher than usual voice.

The congestion in your nasal cavity can result in headaches; pain in the jaw, teeth, and cheeks; and earaches.

 

Home Remedies for a Sinus Infection

Like with most illness, there is a time when the consideration of seeing a doctor should happen. For a sinus infection, it’s after ten days of facial pain, a fever, or nasal discharge. These symptoms do not have to continue through the ten days. If any of the symptoms come and go, talk to your doctor.

1. Nasal Spray

One way to help you to fight against congestion is to use a nasal spray, one with saline solution as the salt can help to break up the blockage. Do not use this more than three times a day for longer than a week. Using a nasal spray for longer than needed, especially a medicated one can make symptoms worse.

2. Allergy Pills

You can buy over the counter allergy pills. What they do to help is not limited to dust mites and pollen, but can do wonders for congestion caused by a number of different things.

 

3. Neti Pot

This is a way to literally flush out your nasal cavity. It is a little scary to use the first time, but many people find it very helpful. You can buy these small kettles looking contraptions over the counter. All you have to do is read the instructions on the box and you should be ready to go. Some people even find these to be helpful in treating seasonal allergies.

 

4. Bromelain

This is something you should ask your doctor about using before you look into purchasing as it can mess with other medication you may be on. Bromelain is a protein found in pineapple that helps to fight down and soothe inflammation. If you do not want to take bromelain supplements, simply eat a serving of pineapple.

 

5. Steam

Steam is an age-old tactic used for battling stuffy noses. Whether you took a hot shower or sit a sauna for a while, steam can help to loosen the blockage in your nose a bit so that it can come out.

 

6. Spicy Foods

Hot spices in food can also help to break congestion. So the next time you are looking for meal ideas online, look into some extra spicy taco food or maybe even some Cajun based goods. This will make your nose runny for a little bit, but it is great for getting out extra mucus.

7. Hydrate

Dehydrated is not something you want to be when suffering from a sinus infection as it can make the symptoms (namely the irritated throat and cough) worse. So make sure that you are drinking enough water.

Some of you may be unsure of how to know if you are truly hydrated. One easy way, though it sounds a bit odd, is to watch the color of your urine. The brighter your urine, the more dehydrated you are. You want your urine to be almost clear.

 

8. Humidifier

Moisture is almost always good. You want the air so that it is easier to breathe, but you do not want wet windows either. When using a humidifier, you want to check the filter about once a week. When the water level in the tank goes down that means that you either need a new filter or that the filter needs to be cleaned.

 

9. Warm Compress

Something that can relieve inflammation and be relaxing is a warm compress. All you really need to do is boil some water, let it cool enough so that you can touch it without burning yourself. Once it gets there, soak a cloth in it long enough to get wet, but make sure it’s not dripping. Sit back and drape it over your face. The slight heat from the boiled water can help to loosen the congestion by your cheekbones.

For further help with this tactic, you can use the warm compress from three minutes and replace it with a cold one for thirty seconds and switch back to the warm. For the best result, you can do this two to three times. If you find that it helps, you can do the cycle up to six times a day.

 

10. Chicken Soup

This is not just a mother’s tale that has been passed down for generations. The chicken soup really does help with the inflammation caused by the sinus infection. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidants from the chicken and seasonings help to fight off the infection while the steam helps with the congestion.

 

11. Horseradish

Horseradish is known to help with clearing the nasal passages. Add this food to your meals to take it in. While you can eat it alone, it is not likely to be very tasty that way.

12. Vitamin C

Everyone knows that vitamin C is one of the best things you can consume when it comes to battling a cold. So, enjoy some citrus fruits to ease the symptoms of your sinus infection.

 

13. No Dairy

Dairy can produce mucus that can build up in the nasal cavity and can increase the congestion. Some popular dairy products to avoid until your sinus infection clears up include cow’s milk, soft cheese, and yogurt.

 

14. No Juices with Added Sugars

While the fruit is good for you, the canned and bottled juices usually have added sugars. Sugar can slow the production of white blood cells that kill and fight infection. Only drink fruit juice if it does not contain added sugars. Orange juice and grapefruit juice can be especially helpful for someone who has a sinus infection.

 

15. Extract from Grapefruit Seeds

There are a lot of over the counter nasal sprays that have grapefruit seed extract in them. And no, it is just for the scent. The extract is there because of the naringenin and limonoids in the seeds that help to fight infection. Use these special nasal sprays as directed to get the best results.

 

16. Garlic

Garlic is a natural antibiotic. It can fight off infections while preventing them. Add more garlic to your diet to both prevent and treat sinus infections. If you do not like the taste of garlic, then try taking garlic supplement pills (as directed) instead.

17. Essential Oils

Chances are, no matter what the ailment or sickness you are suffering with, there is some kind of essential oil that can help you. The essential oils that are commonly used to help with a cold are peppermint and eucalyptus. These oils together can kill infections, open your sinuses, and get rid of mucus. There is a ‘food grade’ essential oil and that is the kind you are going to want for this. You take a drop or two of both oil and drink some water after rubbing the drops on the roof of your mouth.

Try to use these same oils (though not necessarily the ‘food grade’) as aromatherapy. You do not need one of those fancy $50 dollar diffusers. Simply put a couple drops in your humidifier tank.  

 

18. Vapor Rub

Vapor rub is a kind of paste-like substance that you can buy over the counter. Before you go to bed, spread a little bit on your chest and/or your upper lip to help you breathe at night since congestion can seem to get worse when lying down.  

 

19. Echinacea

This flowery herb boosts the immune system, fights of bacteria and viruses, and its an antiviral. While doing all of that, it also lessens inflammation and pain. You can get this herb as a tea and drink it or you can get in a capsule in some stores.

 

20. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar can help to clear up your sinuses. Some people can just knock back two tablespoons of the stuff. If you cannot stomach that or the taste, then you can mix it evenly with two tablespoons of honey. If that is still too strong, then you can dilute it further by mixing the two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and honey into a cup of water and sipping it.

 

21. Ginger

This here root naturally functions as an anti-inflammatory. You can get this as a tea or you can simply add it to your food as a spice.

 

22. Sleep

Sleep is beautiful; let your body rest and to let your body work itself out. With how stuffy your nose is, it can be a little harder than usual to fall asleep and stay asleep, but it’s one of the best things you can do.    

Which of these home remedies are you most likely to try the next time you suffer from a sinus infection? Comment below!

 

References

https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/sinus-infection-symptoms#types

https://www.everydayhealth.com/sinus-health-guide/natural-remedies-for-sinus-pain.aspx

https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/remedies-for-sinus-drainage

 

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