Painful sinuses: natural remedies to ease the ache

With hayfever season in full swing, a stuffy nose and painful sinuses can only make you feel worse. Rather than heading to the medicine cabinet, why not try these natural remedies?

The sinuses sit alongside the top of your nose, up towards your skull, and are filled with air. They produce mucus, which helps to flush out allergens and pollutants from the nasal passages. When the tissue in these cavities becomes inflamed, the air and mucus gets trapped – this is sinusitis, and it’s painful. Your face can become tender to the touch and you’ll probably have a sore head and feel a build up of pressure in the area. Sometimes, even your eyes and teeth can ache, so sensitive is the whole area to the inflammation.  

It’s obviously best to avoid irritating your sinuses.  But, if you do get sinusitis, the way to relieve it is to the inflammation and flush out the mucus. While often antibiotics are required, you can try these natural remedies to ease the pain and pressure.

Get steamy

Simply pop a couple of drops of menthol or eucalyptus oil in your shower, being careful not to slip on it, and let the steam clear your sinuses. The other way is to drop a couple of drops in a bowl, pour over hot water and carefully clean your face over the bowl, with a towel draped over your head to capture the steam. 

Drink up

Not alcoholic or caffeine-laden drinks, but plain old water is the best to keep you hydrated, and your sinuses moist.

Go spicy

A good curry or spicy dish, with chilli, horseradish, mustard and wasabi will, at the very least, open your nasal passages and make it a little easier to breath.

Have a squirt

A squirt of saline solution will not only clear out your nasal passages, removing any allergens, but it will also rehydrate your sinuses and give you a little relief.

Sooth your sinus

A soothing warm compress – just a face cloth run under hot water, with excess water squeezed out and placed over your face, will not only feel soothing but the heat will also relieve some of the pain and may help reduce the inflammation.

Give dairy a miss

If you’re sinuses are blocked and painful, you may want to cut dairy out of your diet until they’re clear. Diary, as well as gluten and sugar, can cause inflammation in your system and if you’re prone to sinusitis, you may want to consider cutting out one or all three from your diet.

If symptoms persist, you should consult a pharmacist, as there are over-the-counter medicines that can help. And if the symptoms persist, you should see your GP.

Do you have a tip for easing sinus pain?

Related article:

Five ways to get rid of hayfever fast