Chronic Sinus Infection Home Remedies: Methods for Sinus Infection Relief
Over 30 million Americans suffer from chronic sinusitis (1). Due to the millions dealing with sinus infections, treatments and remedies have been developed over the years to help ease the pain of your sinus infection. Many chronic sinusitis sufferers unsuccessfully self-manage their sinus issues between visits to Urgent Care or Primary Care; these include over the counter medications to natural remedies they read about on the internet.
Looking to treat your sinusitis issues at home? Natural remedies for a sinus infection include:
Sleep
An infection takes a toll on your body. Resting and getting sleep helps you better battle inflammation and increase the speed of your recovery. It is recommended to elevate your head while sleeping with a sinus infection, which may assist your sinuses in draining.
Hydrate
Recurrent acute sinusitis plagues a sufferer with frequent sinus infections. An individual with recurrent acute sinusitis may deal with three or more sinus infections a year. Each sinus infection may be treated in the short-term with medication, however, another sinus infection often develops because the root of the problem was never addressed.
Humidify
Similar to how hydration promotes drainage, keeping your sinus cavities moist helps reduce sinus pain and enables mucus drainage. To keep your sinus cavities moist, consider trying the following:
- Use an air humidifier
- Sit near steam, breathing it in from a sauna or hot shower.
- Wet a washcloth or towel with hot yet tolerable water and place over the areas that contain your sinuses (surrounding your cheeks and eyes).
Rinse
Nasal irrigation, including Sinus Rinse (NeilMed), allows you to safely clear your sinuses with contaminant-free water and a solution (saline). This remedy is also called nasal lavage and can be administered with a neti pot.
What Impact Are Sinus Infections Having on Your Life?
You've suffered for years with recurring sinus infections. The stuffy nose, bad breath, congestion, pain and pressure simply don't seem to go away. You're out of options for relief on your own. Time for a change!
Evaluate your symptoms to find out if you're a candidate for a procedure called Balloon Sinus Dilation, which greatly reduces the suffering experienced by chronic sinus patients.
References & Resources
- Chronic Sinusitis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Chronic Sinusitis (Mayo Clinic)