Sinusitis: Home Remedies Help | BRIGITTE.de

A sinus infection can be very uncomfortable. These sinus infection home remedies relieve the discomfort in a gentle way!

What is a sinus infection anyway?

In the case of sinusitis, the mucous membranes that are located in the cavities of the skull bone become inflamed. Mucus collects in the sinuses, which can be noticeable by feelings of pressure in the face and head. The frontal sinus above the eyes, the so-called ethmoid cells in the nasal cavity, the maxillary sinus at cheek level to the right and left of the nose and the sphenoid sinus at the end of the nasopharynx can be affected. In most cases, sinusitis can be traced back to an infection of the nasal lining.

Sinus Infection: Home Remedies for Treatment

To treat sinusitis, it is primarily important to clear the mucus from your sinuses. With sinus infection home remedies, we can soothe acute symptoms in a gentle way. The following home remedies help with sinusitis:

inhalation

Because of the inflammation, the mucous membranes are swollen. By inhaling we help the mucous membranes to swell, In addition, the sinus mucous membrane, which is too dry, is moistened. In this way, tough secretions are liquefied and can flow away more easily. For inhalation against sinusitis, simply heat some water and put it in a bowl. For a better effect, we can use the aroma of herbs: For example, add some chamomile tea to the water – the medicinal plant works against inflammation.

Adults can also use around two to five drops of essential oil such as eucalyptus or thyme. Caution: Essential oil should definitely be avoided in children, as it can be irritating. Then put a towel over your head, bend over the bowl and breathe in the steam for about 15 minutes.

red light

With the help of an infrared lamp, the inflammation of the sinusitis can also be brought under control. Repeated exposures can promote blood circulation and support the metabolism, which can alleviate the symptoms. Also practical: The warmth of the red light can liquefy stuck mucus in the nose and the frontal sinuses. Important: Not everyone perceives the heat as pleasant – in the case of severe inflammation it can cause even greater pain. In this case, those affected should rather rely on the cold, for example with cooling quark packs.

It is also important to know that infrared rays can damage the eyes even with closed eyelids. Therefore, when using a red light lamp, a safety distance of at least 30 to 50 centimeters should be maintained; protective goggles can also help. In any case, the eyes should be kept closed during the irradiation.

Chest wrap

Various pads and compresses can also be effective as sinus infection home remedies. For example, warm, moist breast compresses have proven effective. To do this, roll up a cotton cloth from both sides towards the middle and wrap it lengthways in a tea towel. Place the resulting roll with the ends hanging out in a bowl and pour half a liter of boiling water over it. To make the wrap even more effective, some thyme tea can be added. After 15 minutes, the hot compress is gently wrung out and wrapped tightly around the patient's chest. Two more dry cotton towels are tied over it. The wrap should be used twice a day for about 20 to 30 minutes for sinusitis and will help loosen mucus.

massage

In particular, the feeling of pressure in the head or direct headaches cause those affected by sinus infections to create. The simple home remedy of massage helps to alleviate the discomfort: First gently massage the center of the face and then upwards along the eyebrows to the temples. Then you start again at the nostrils and gently massage over the cheekbones up to the temples. Finally, start at the chin and massage again over the jawbone to the temples. The massage with sinusitis is even more pleasant with a little diluted lavender oil.

Nasal sprays

With sinusitis, we can suffer from both a runny nose and a stuffy nose. If the nose is blocked, nasal sprays can help, which free the nose, help the mucous membranes to swell up and ensure that the mucus can drain away from the sinuses more easily. Important: It is best to use sea salt-based nasal sprays, because these are not addictive.

Nasal irrigation

Nasal rinsing is also one of the classics of home remedies for sinusitis. If the inflammation is only slight, germs and mucus can be transported out of the body through the nasal irrigation. For nasal irrigation, a saline solution is usually used, which is transported into the nasal cavity. The easiest way to do this is to buy a suitable device in the pharmacy, the salt mixture is usually included directly. If you want to make a saline solution yourself, dissolve 0.9 grams of table salt in 100 milliliters of fresh lukewarm water. These quantities should be followed exactly, because otherwise the nasal mucous membranes could be further irritated or even damaged by the saline solution.

Horseradish compress

Horseradish is a real insider tip as a home remedy for sinusitis: it contains active ingredients that stimulate the drainage of mucus. It does not matter whether pickled or fresh horseradish is used for the compress. In general, it should be rubbed and applied to a clean cotton cloth with a knife. The cloth is wrapped and placed on the forehead or against the sinuses for about two to three minutes. Then the skin is dabbed with a damp cloth. Alternatively, garlic or cayenne pepper are also suitable for reducing the swelling of the mucous membranes in the case of sinusitis.

Foot baths

Foot baths are also a good sinus infection home remedy. If the infection is only just beginning, a so-called ascending foot bath is well suited – it can prevent the symptoms from getting worse, helps against blocked noses and warms the body. To do this, first fill a bowl with warm water about 37.5 degrees and put both feet in it. After a few minutes, carefully pour in hot water until a total of about 40 degrees is reached. The foot bath can be carried out for ten to 15 minutes; if sweating occurs, you should end the bath earlier. Then the feet are gently dried, then you put on warm socks and rest for an hour under a warm blanket.

Alternatively, a mustard meal foot bath is also effective against sinusitis, because it stimulates blood circulation, can loosen the mucus from the airways and help with pain. To do this, take a large bucket and fill it with water at a maximum of 38 degrees. Then put 10 to 30 grams of black mustard flour into the water and place your legs up to your calves if possible. In addition, a towel is placed over your knees to protect yourself from the steam. After about two to ten minutes, you will usually experience a burning sensation in the feet, then the feet should remain in the water for another five to ten minutes. Then the legs are rinsed thoroughly with warm water and rubbed with a little olive oil. Finally, you should rest in bed for 30 to 60 minutes.

Apart from home remedies, what else helps with sinusitis?

In addition to the home remedies mentioned the following tips also help:

  • High humidity: The mucous membranes are often dried out in a sinus infection. In order to humidify them, the room air should also be kept humid. The best way to do this is to use a humidifier – if you don't have one, you can also place a small bowl of water on the heater.
  • Stop smoking: Cigarette smoke also irritates the mucous membranes and should therefore be avoided at all costs. Family members who smoke should then go outside to smoke; if you smoke yourself, it is best to stop completely.
  • Drink a lot: To help our body get rid of the phlegm, we need to make sure that it has enough fluids available. That is why we should drink at least two to three liters a day. Water is ideal, but some herbal tea is also allowed.
  • Intermittent ventilation: Regular ventilation is also a must for sinusitis. This way, germ-contaminated air is let out of the room and fresh air can come in. To ventilate the room, simply open the window fully for five minutes in the morning (turn down the heating!). Repeat at noon and in the evening.

In general, the following also applies: If home remedies do not help in the long term, the doctor should be consulted because sinusitis can also become chronic. In the case of bacterial sinusitis, antibiotics are then used for treatment.

Reading tips: You can find out everything about sinusitis in general here. We also reveal the best home remedies for a cold and home remedies for a sore throat.

Do you want to exchange ideas about health topics? Then take a look at our BRIGITTE Community!

sources

Bachmann, S .; Längler, A .: Home remedies in modern medicine, Urban and Fischer, Munich 2005

Baumgärtner, U .; Merk, B .: Wraps and pads, 4th edition, Thieme, Stuttgart, 2014

Jänicke, C. & Grünwald, J .: Alternative healing, Graefe and Unzer Verlag, 2006

S2k guideline rhinosinusitis, at www.awmf.org