Get A Good Night’s Sleep
Sleep has been proven to bolster the T cells in your body that fight off infection, says Dr. Nasseri. Bonus tip: To minimize congestion, adjust your sleep position. Use an extra pillow to prop up your head. Keeping your head elevated while you sleep can help drain mucus and relieve some of the pressure.
How Is Sinus Headache Prevented
If you have reoccurring headaches as a symptom of sinusitis or seasonal allergies, you may need to consider prescription medication to manage the condition.
Lifestyle changes to reduce congestion, like avoiding allergens and incorporating aerobic exercise into your routine, might decrease how many headaches you get.
In cases of chronic sinusitis, a nasal surgery like a balloon sinuplasty might be the only way to stop getting more sinus headaches.
Keep Your Body Hydrated
Staying hydrated is beneficial for your general health and helps to flush out toxins from your body.
Drinking plenty of fluids also helps to thin nasal secretions, hence making your sinus passages less congested. When you are dehydrated, your sinus passages tend to dry out, leading to increased pressure, discomfort and pain.
If you feel bloated from drinking lots of water, or dont enjoy drinking water in general, there are other types of fluids you can take to help you stay hydrated.
Drinking more soup during meal times, having tea or sucking on ice cubes can also help you stay hydrated. Additionally, increasing your intake on water-based vegetables and fruits will help to increase fluid intake in your diet.
Just as there are things that help hydrate, there are also some that do the opposite. For example, caffeine and alcohol dehydrate your body and should be avoided.
Fried and oily foods are also not the best options if you have sinus, and you should stay away from unhealthy food in general as they could worsen your condition.
Its important to be mindful of what you eat and drink to speed up your recovery from sinus. Healthy lifestyle habits like drinking more water and eating healthy, even while youre well, will also go a long way towards benefiting your overall health.
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Apple Cider Vinegar For Sinusitis
You Will Need
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 6 ounces lukewarm water
What You Have To Do
Mix the ACV in the water and drink this. You can also gargle with this mixture for added benefits.
How Often You Should Do This
Drink twice a day.
Why This Works
The vitamins and minerals present in ACV minimize the symptoms of allergy. It balances the pH in the nasal sinuses and clears out the excess mucus that has built up. It antibacterial and antifungal properties treat the infection that is causing the sinusitis .
What Are The Treatments For A Sinus Infection
Prescription medications and home remedies can treat sinus infections. Prescription treatments will help clear up a bacterial or fungal sinus infection. Home remedies will not make the sinus infection go away, but they could help relieve some of your symptoms. In rare cases, surgery may be necessary.
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How To Prevent A Sinus Headache
Once you learn whats causing your headache, you can take the steps to prevent them in the future. If the inflammation comes because you have allergies, then identifying what you are allergic to and implementing reduction strategies can be helpful, Dr. Epstein states.
Related: Should I Get Tested for Allergies?
First, avoid environmental triggers. Since seasonal allergies are a common cause of sinus headaches, its wise to limit your time outdoorsat least until your symptoms start improving.
Avoid irritants such as strong perfumes/colognes and smoke that trigger inflammation of nasal mucosa and secretion of mucus, says , pediatric otolaryngologist. Keep the nasal passages moist with nasal saline spray and/or a humidifier. If there are underlying allergies, treat the allergies or avoid allergens when possible. Maintain good hydration to prevent nasal congestion.
To minimize the chances of getting a headache in the midst of allergy or cold season, Dr. Stephenson recommends avoiding the following:
- Vacuuming daily during allergy season to minimize indoor allergens.
- Change bed sheets every few days, to minimize allergens.
- Use an indoor air purifier and clean the filter regularly.
- Avoid alcohol when congested, which can trigger more pressure.
- Avoid flying, as that can also increase sinus pressure and trigger a headache.
- Use a humidifier at night, but keep it squeaky-clean, to avoid mold.
- When you have a cold, use a neti pot daily.
What Can I Do About Recurring Sinus Headaches
Many sinus headaches, especially those that recur, are actually migraines. But its smart to see your healthcare provider to figure out the cause of your headaches.
You may find that the best long-term solution is figuring out what triggers your migraine headaches so you can avoid them. Its helpful to keep a headache diary to track potential triggers. Triggers you can control include:
- Specific foods, such as chocolate, red wine or strong cheese.
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Yoga Can Help Drain Mucus From Sinus Passageways
If you are in the midst of a sinus infection, a supported yoga pose where your head is elevated will help you feel better without putting too much pressure on your sinuses, says Leslie Kazadi, a certified yoga therapist who teaches in Los Angeles and online at YogisAnonymous.com.
One pose Kazadi suggests is Supported Reclined Cobblers Pose.
How to Try Supported Reclined Cobblers Yoga Pose
Five Ways To Relieve Sinus Pressure
The pain, facial pressure and congestion of sinus infections affect more than 26.9 million Americans roughly 11 percent of adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Most sinus infections, also called sinusitis, do not need to be treated with antibiotics, and will usually go away within 7-10 days.
One of the most annoying symptoms is the sinus pressure around the eyes, head and cheeks. Fortunately, there are several home remedies and medications that can help provide relief.
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What Causes Sinus Pain And Pressure
There are several different conditions or causes that may be the source of your sinus pressure and pain. Sinus infections are the most common cause of intense sinus pain, but other causes and contributing factors include allergies, nasal polyps, deviated septum, and respiratory infections.
When your sinuses are affected by one of the triggers above, the nasal and sinus passages can become swollen and filled with fluid. This fluid has difficulty draining when the sinuses are inflamed, which causes the pressure and often pain that many suffer from. If this inflammation and fluid build-up continues, bacteria can develop and cause a sinus infection, or sinusitis.
Sinus infections can be acute, meaning they last for a shorter length of time and usually heal within the expected seven to ten days. When sinus infections last or recur for several months on end, this is called chronic sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis usually means there is an underlying root cause that needs to be addressed, such as allergies or deviated septum.
Know The Limits Of Natural Sinus Pain Relief
You should not try to self-treat your sinus pain if you have symptoms such as as yellow or green mucus discharge persistent fever or stiff neck pain for more than 24 hours confusion, weakness, numbness, or tingling and persistent nausea or vomiting. These symptoms could be a sign of a significant infection in your sinuses that might need antibiotics. “Using natural sinus pain relief is fine if you have mild chronic pain or a headache related to a common cold or an allergy, but if you have severe pain that is not responding to these techniques, you need to see your doctor,” advises Das.
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How You Can Find Relief
Its important to review your sinusitis symptoms and how long youve been having them with a physician. Teladoc doctors can help you determine the possible cause of your symptoms, especially if youre concerned you may have COVID-19. If your sinus problems are caused by allergies, there are strategies and medications that can help bring relief. While bothersome mucus is often an effect of a viral infection, a bacterial infection can develop after a virus has taken hold. In this case, oral antibiotics can help with healing.
Regardless of whats causing all this congestion, try to put the to-do list aside and get some rest. If youre having pain, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Petroleum jelly can soothe a sore nose on the outside, while nasal drops or a nasal irrigation device can help flush out nasal passages on the inside. Treat and blow each nostril separately, Dr. Hood says.
Also, dont forget about all that mucus youre losing: Moisture should play a key role in your return to good health. Drink plenty of liquids like water, juice, warm broth or soup, Dr. Hood says, and use a cool-mist humidifier to soothe the airways, especially when sleeping. Steam from hot showers can help reduce inflammation and make breathing easier. Also try a warm compress on the nose, cheekbones or forehead for relief from sinusitis symptoms, he adds.
1https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/sinuses.htm
What Causes Sinus Pain
Sinus pain happens when there is inflammation or irritation in your sinus cavities.
Your sinuses are hollow spaces in your facial bones that are lined with membranes that secrete mucus. Sinus pain is often a result of inflammation that blocks mucus from draining and leads to pain.
Sinus swelling can follow viral illnesses, including the common cold, or it can be due to mucus production from allergies or breathing in polluted air that leads to irritation. It can also happen if there are nasal blockages due to abnormal growths called nasal polyps or structural abnormalities, such as a deviated septum, that make you prone to congestion.
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Horseradish For Sinus Relief
You Will Need
½ 1 teaspoon grated horseradish
What You Have To Do
Freshly grate the horseradish and take the above-mentioned amount of it.
How Often You Should Do This
Take this thrice a day.
Why This Works
Horseradish is an antimicrobial agent that will eliminate the bacteria or fungus causing the sinus infection .
Caution
Do not ingest more than the recommended quantity as excess horseradish can cause stomachache and vomiting.
Sinus Infection Vs Covid
Some sinus infection and COVID-19 symptoms may overlap. Both illnesses can cause a fever, headaches, nasal congestion, fatigue or a sore throat. Symptoms unique to COVID-19 include body aches, nausea, shortness of breath and vomiting. Learn the difference between the cold, flu and COVID-19 based on your symptoms.
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Remedies For Sinus Headaches
By: admin | March 8, 2021
Sinus headaches are caused by blocked sinuses, giving you pain and pressure around your sinuses, including between your eyes and above your nose. The pain can get worse when you move and the headache usually comes with other symptoms too, such as a stuffy nose or a sore throat. Experiencing a sinus headache can be tough, but there are remedies that can help you to deal with the problem.
Dealing with the pain you’re experiencing is important, but it can also be necessary to consider treatments for the underlying cause of your sinus headaches too. An ear, nose and throat doctor might prescribe certain medications or suggest treatments that you can try at home.
Solutions For Dry Air
Dry air can irritate your sinuses, so ensuring it isn’t too dry can be helpful. You can use a humidifier or vaporizer to increase the humidity in your home. Other ways to benefit from using water include soaking a towel in warm water and holding it over your face for a few minutes. You can also use a saline solution nasal spray for the same purpose.
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What Causes A Sinus Infection
Sinusitis or sinus infection can be caused due to the following reasons:
- When the cilia that line the sinuses do not eliminate enough mucus from these spaces, causing blockages
- Due to bacterial, fungal, or viral infections
- 3-4 drops lemon essential oil
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Reapply every few hours for maximum benefit.
Why This Works
Essential oils of eucalyptus, lavender, and lemon help reduce pressure headaches and act as natural decongestants agents. Eucalyptus oil is anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, while lavender oil is soothing for the mind and body . Lemon oil is an antifungal agent and also an analgesic .
What Causes Sinus Pressure And Headaches
Bacteria or viral infectionSinus pressure and headaches are often caused by inflammation from a bacterial or viral infection. The lining of your sinuses begin to swell, which traps mucus and pus in your sinus cavities causing pressure in the face, over the cheeks or forehead, or between or behind the eyes.
Weather change
For people with sinus problems or allergies, a shift in weatherespecially from summer to fallcan cause sinus headaches. Sinus pressure from weather is more prevalent in Houston and other coastal cities where high pressure and low pressure systems meet.
Stress
Stress-induced sinus pressure can also occur because stress weakens your bodys immune system, making you more vulnerable to the effects of allergens, as well as germs, bacteria, viruses, infections.
Injury or genetics
A deviated septum or narrow sinuses dont cause sinus pressure but can make it easier to get congested and more likely to have chronic sinus infections.
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Natural Sinus Headache Remedies
Some people prefer to go the natural route when treating a sinus headache. Most herbal solutions for nasal pain and congestion work by helping to prevent an infection . So the goal should be five lifestyle changes that can help keep an infection from developing and prevent what feels like your next sinus headache.
Make The Sinus Pain And Mind
“Techniques that take advantage of the mind-body connection, such as deep breathing practices and relaxation exercises, can be very effective for relieving sinus pain,” notes Das. These practices rely on the mind’s ability to influence pain perception and are especially helpful with chronic or recurrent pain that is often seen with sinus pressure. Some examples include biofeedback, meditation, yoga, and hypnotherapy.
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Infographic: When You Should See A Doctor For A Sinus Infection
Sinus infections usually go away on their own. However, if self-care does not work, you should contact your doctor for sinus infection therapy. If your sinusitis symptoms persist for over a week, return multiple times within a year, or the infection worsens, you should visit a doctor immediately. Check the infographic below to know when the condition needs professional care.
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
Allergies, infections, and chronic cold can all cause sinusitis. Though usually harmless, it can lead to pain and discomfort over time. While antihistamines and anti-allergics can help get things in control, you can safely try the home remedies for sinusitis mentioned above to provide some initial relief. Knowing and avoiding your triggers while staying well hydrated can help keep things under control.
Top 10 Home Remedies For Sinus Infection Pressure And Pain
Clear your nasal passages and get rid of congestion with the most effective solutions.
Expertise: MBBS, Family Medicine
Dr. Bhakti Kapse is a General Practitioner with over 10 years of experience in family medicine. She obtained her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Government Medical College, Nagpur. She is skilled in diagnosis and… more
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Sinusitis, though rarely a serious condition, can be very uncomfortable to deal with for the stuffiness, post-nasal drip, and the pain it may cause. Thankfully, there are a few effective home remedies for sinusitis that you can apply to get rid of the symptoms and help your recovery.
Allergies or infections are often responsible for causing acute or chronic sinusitis. Although antibiotics and antihistamines are readily prescribed, not everyone wants to resort to medication as they come with possible side effects. Herbs, teas, spices, and essential oils are alternative ways to manage the condition. Read on to learn more about these. You can also find a deeper understanding of sinusitis and the answers to some commonly asked questions about this condition in this article.
In This Article
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