Let’s face it. Sinus pressure, or chronic sinus pressure (sinusitis) is not only annoying and frustrating, but can also be painful and difficult to treat long-term.
Sinus pressure can cause severe headaches, affect our quality of sleep, taste, and the ability to breathe air (Which I’ve heard is important).
What is Sinusitis?
Table of Contents
Sinusitis occurs when the nasal passages become inflamed, causing pressure, pain, and a stuffy or runny nose. This can be caused by colds, flus, allergies, deviated septum, or nasal polyps.
Symptoms of Sinusitis
- Pain and pressure around sinuses and forehead.
- Headache near the nasal cavities.
- Cough.
- Toothaches.
- Pressure or pain in the ears.
- Stuffy or running nose.
- Fatigue.
- Fever.
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Sinus Pressure Relief & Natural Decongestants
1. Steam
Steam is one of the best ways to unblock and clear your sinuses. You can do this by filling a large bowl with boiled water, then cover your head with a towel and inhale the steam.
A tip when doing this is to apply 2 – 3 drops of essential oils that assist breathing to the water such as: Rosemary, peppermint, eucalyptus, or pine.
Or, you can use an already mixed Breathe Blend.
- Proprietary blend includes Laurel Leaf, Cardamom, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Lemon, and Ravensara
- Maintains clear airways and breathing
- Supports overall respiratory health
- Perfect for nighttime diffusion, allowing for a restful sleep
2. Essential Oils
You can also apply the above essential oils to your chest or just under your nose to help open nasal passages. ALWAYS apply essential oils on top of a carrier oil like Organic Coconut Oil.
I like this brand because you can squeeze it out and use just a little like lotion!
- Nutiva all-natural cold press extraction process yields a pure, light-tasting, nutrient-rich oil containing 63% medium-chain triglycerides and 50% lauric acid without the use of dangerous and harmful chemicals, hexane, or heat
- Nutiva Virgin Coconut Oil is an ideal addition to Whole30, vegetarian, vegan, raw, whole food, paleo, ketogenic, and gluten-free diets
- Nutiva Virgin Coconut Oil has natural moisturizing and deep conditioning properties, making it an invaluable part of every body care regimen
- Nutiva partners with organic farmers to source the worlds finest fresh, organic virgin coconuts and stringently adheres to USDA certified organic and non-GMO guidelines to deliver food that is good for you and good for the planet
- Squeezable organic pantry staple that’s mess-free and easy to dispense and take on the go
You can also grab an Organic Breathe Essential Oil Blend that is much cheaper than DoTerra and also organic!
3. Humidifier
Sinusitis is often worse during dry, cold times of the year. A humidifier helps lessen this by filling the room with moisture, which helps lessen irritation in the nasal passages.
I recommend and use a Vicks Filter-Free Cool Mist Humidifier. It works great for our mid-size room through the fall and winter months, plus I love the white noise it makes!
- VICKS FILTER-FREE COOL MIST HUMIDIFIER: This cool mist humidifier won’t need replacement filters, and it’s 1.2 gallon tank can give up to 30 hours of soothing mist. Vicks cool mist humidifier is quiet, making it great for your bedroom or baby’s nursery
- VICKS HUMIDIFIERS FOR BABIES, KIDS, ADULTS: Humidifiers diffuse moisture into the air, and many women and men find that a humidifier for the bedroom becomes an essential part of a good nights sleep when the air is dry, in allergy season, or when sick
- COUGH AND CONGESTION RELIEF: When you or your kid has a cold, it can be difficult to sleep through the night. Humidifiers, vaporizers, and steam inhalers provide temporary relief from coughing and congestion, so your rest won’t be as disturbed by coughing fits
- VICKS VAPORIZERS, HUMIDIFIERS AND STEAM INHALERS: Moisture and humidity offer temporary relief from cough and congestion due to colds or allergies. Vicks line of humidifiers and steam inhalers, help you breathe easier wherever you are, from the bedroom to the office
- HUMIDIFIERS FOR BEDROOMS, DESKS, TABLES: Our humidifiers and vaporizers help you breathe better wherever you are.
I also like that you can add a menthol pad if you’d like and don’t have to constantly buy filters to change, which keeps costs low.
(Just use purified or distilled water! Tap water will cause the humidifier to leave a white film on your furniture!)
4. Warm Compress
Heat causes things to expand and can be very beneficial to expand nasal passages (to help them drain), and also reduces pain.
You can apply a warm compress by simply heating water, adding it to a bowl, and then soaking a towel or cloth in it.
Simply apply the wringed out, warmed compress onto your nose for about 5 minutes and repeat as much as desired.
5. Irrigation
Irrigation involves spraying, dropping, or running saline water through your nasal passages.
You can make your own saline solution by mixing 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink Salt with 1/2 cup lukewarm PURIFIED or DISTILLED WATER in a Dropper Bottle. (Do NOT use table salt or tap water! You will burn your nasal passages!).
Drop a few drops into your nose while tilting your head, allowing the solution time to penetrate nasal passages.
You can also try a Neti Pot Kit that includes the pre-mixed saline packets. The Neti Pot sounded like torture to me until I got addicted to nasal spray one really dry winter and couldn’t breathe without using it!
I’ve always been afraid of drowning, and am not a great swimmer, so I avoided nasal irrigation like the plague.
Finally, my sister told me it really wasn’t as bad as you’d think if you just breathe through your mouth while doing it, calmly and slowly.
I tried the Neti Pot after opening my nasal passages with essential oil inhalation twice/day for a week, and could finally breathe again without Afrin! (And, no, the Neti Pot really isn’t that bad! =)
- SinuCleanse Soft Tip Neti Pot Nasal Wash Irrigation System: Uses a gentle flow of gravity to deliver all-natural saline solution into the nasal passages with the soft tip creating a comfortable nasal washing-irrigation experience
- Breathe Easier with the Power of Salt: SinuCleanse Soft Tip Neti-Pot nasal wash system includes 30 All-Natural, pharmaceutical grade, preservative free, buffered saline packets for isotonic or hypertonic use
- Soothes and Relieves Nasal Symptoms and Congestion: This Soft Tip Neti Pot nasal wash system helps to quickly soothe and relieve nasal symptoms and congestion associated with cold & flu, allergies, viruses, sinusitis, rhinitis, and dry air
- BPA and Latex Free: SinuCleanse Soft Tip Neti Pot is designed with a unique, clear view to make nasal irrigation safe and easy, BPA and Latex Free
- Made in USA and FDA Registered: All SinuCleanse nasal washes and nasal mist products are proudly manufactured in the USA in a FDA Registered Drug Facility to ensure safety and efficacy
6. Cayenne Pepper
Capsaicin is a compound in cayenne pepper that dries up mucus, plus cayenne is anti-inflammatory, which helps nasal swelling go down. (1)
When I have sinus pressure and stuffy nose, I like to make a tea to help open my sinuses and ease inflammation.
Sweet Honey Fire Sinus Pressure/Stuffy Nose Tea:
Mix:
- 8 oz. Filtered Hot Water
- 15 Shakes Organic Cayenne Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Organic Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp Organic Raw Honey
Sip while warm and enjoy the sinus pressure relief and nasal decongestion! Another tip for opening sinus passages is to eat salsa!
The peppers, onions and garlic are great for relieving sinus pressure, pain, and decongesting mucus!
7. Eat Horseradish
Horseradish is an age old sinus remedy for clearing stuffy noses that works simply because horseradish is so pungent and hot!
It makes non-stuffy noses run when you eat it.
You can grate your own Horseradish Root or try holding about a teaspoon of Fresh Ground Horseradish in your mouth until the flavor fades to clear sinuses.
Repeat as often as you need until you can breathe again and then use the Neti Pot or other nasal irrigation to clear excess mucus and ease nasal passage swelling.
- Super fresh. Just harvested. Unbeatable, scintillating flavor
- Grown in our Horseradish Garden..Straight from our Farm to You
- NON GMO, No Chemicals or Additives
- Country Creek LLC Brand (Our Registered Trademark). We are the only supplier of this brand.
8. Drink Ginger Tea or Take Ginger Extract
Drinking hot liquids helps steam your sinuses and soothes nasal passages, but Ginger also contains Gingerol, an anti-inflammatory compound which reduces swelling in your nasal passages. (2)
I looove this brand for organic extracts that I can quickly add to hot or cold water and take on the go!
- Expertly extracted for digestive system support
- Prepared from the certified organic rhizome of Zingiber officinale plants
- Rapidly absorbed liquid extract
- Gluten-free and non-GMO
- Herb potency assured through High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) analysis
9. Vapor Rub or Essential Oils Salve
I always use organic or natural products whenever possible and I looove this Natural Vapor Rub!
It decongests stuffed sinuses and soothes the pain and pressure associated with sinusitis.
However, if you have coconut oil (to use as a carrier oil applied before essential oils), and any of the above essential oils, you can rub these on your chest and under your nose in a pinch!
(Just wear a shirt you don’t care about while doing so!)
- Soothing Relief: Maty’s Vapor Rub soothes and comforts with Eucalyptus, Peppermint, and Pine that helps support your immune system. Its a modern spin on your grandmas home remedy from simpler times. Rooted in tradition, for todays modern family. Safe for children 2 years and older.
- Real Ingredients You Know & Trust: Maty’s Vapor Rub is a pleasant smelling, non-greasy alternative that was intentionally crafted with pure, simple, clean ingredients youll know and recognize.
- Petroleum Free & Hydrogenated Oil Free: At Maty’s, we use pure, simple, clean ingredients, each one chosen for its healthful properties. Free of parabens, phthalates, hydrogenated oils, mineral oil, and petroleum. No harsh chemicals or harmful ingredients.
- MATYS STORY: When modern medicine didn’t work for her baby girl, Carolyn Harrington began researching natural ways of healing. She worked tirelessly, combining Mother Natures real and authentic ingredients from her own kitchen to create remedies that would be powerful health-promoting agents. Backed by plenty of long nights of research and tons of testing, Matys Healthy Products were created.
- Multiple Uses: You dont have to save Matys Vapor Rub for those days youre sniffling. Customers also love this dermatologically tested vapor rub as part of their nightly routine.
If you don’t like the mess of decongestant rub on your chest, Vicks does make a Vapo Patch that you wear on the outside of your shirt!
I haven’t seen a vapo chest patch from the natural/organic companies as of yet, but am keeping my fingers crossed!
- SOOTHE YOUR SENSES: Soothing non-medicated Vicks vapors in an easy to use patch.
- EASY TO USE. Simply peel, apply to clothing and experience the soothing non-medicated Vicks vapors.
- SOOTHING SCENT YOU CAN TRUST. VapoPatch contains a proprietary blend of eucalyptus and essential oils + scents of menthol & camphor.
- GREASE AND MESS-FREE. Experience the soothing , non-medicated Vicks vapors you know and love without the grease and messiness of an ointment.
- SOOTHING VAPORS FOR THE FAMILY. Suitable for use on adults and children ages 6+.
10. Sleep Elevated
Add an extra pillow or Wedge Pillow under your head to keep your sinuses elevated while sleeping.
This helps drain the nasal passages and keeps mucus from pooling in them all night!
- Polyester
- SUPER COMFORTABLE BED WEDGE PILLOW, SNORING PILLOW: Available in 2 height options 7.5 inch and 12 inch height. (24 x 24 x 7.5 or 25 x 25 x 12) This is the 7.5 inch option Wedge Pillow
- LUXURIOUS AND STYLISH JACQUARD PILLOW CASE: Hey its your bedroom, not a hospital room, give it some style. The Klbs Wedge features a classic yet contemporary design. The removable jacquard pillow case protects the incline pillow from stains while promoting a comfortable nights sleep. Cover is machine washable and can be removed from the triangle pillow core. Husband pillow for reading
- MEMORY FOAM TOP LAYER: The upper layer of the pillow wedge features a 1.5 plush memory foam for a comfortable and relaxing nights sleep. A high density medical grade foam wedge core supports the memory foam top to ensure just the right firmness and proper support.
- IDEAL FOR GERD, HEARTBURN, ACID REFLUX AND OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS: Makes conditions more comfortable that often robs you of a good nights sleep. Includes: snoring, neck and back pain and post-surgery ailments. The best wedge pillow for sleeping.
- ELEVATED PILLOWS FOR SLEEPING: Ideal for head, foot or leg elevation. Great pillow for snoring. Sleep apnea pillow. Wedge pillow for sleeping comfort. 1 wedge pillow per pack.
11. Massage Your Sinuses
Massaging your sinuses and sinus passages may help relieve pain and pressure due to a sinus infection.
Try pushing your tongue up against the roof of your mouth while pushing inwards on your forward (right between your eyebrows).
This helps push your Vomer bone back and forth to help drain and decongest your sinuses. (3)
Also, try massaging around the sides of your nose just under your eyes while taking a hot steamy shower or bath!
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References for 11 Powerful Sinus Pressure Relief Remedies:
(1) Home Remedies for a Stuffy Nose. Retrieved 10 24, 2020 from https://www.readersdigest.ca/health/conditions/home-remedies-stuffy-nose/
(2) 7 Easy Treatments for Sinus Headaches. Retrieved 10 24, 2020 from https://www.seniorlifestyle.com/resources/blog/7-easy-treatments-sinus-headaches/
(3) Kill Sinus Infection in 20 Seconds With This Simple Method And Popular Household Ingredient. Retrieved 10 25, 2020 from https://www.stylecraze.com/trending/kill-sinus-infection-in-20-seconds/