Anyone who has had a cold or who has suffered from seasonal allergies knows all too well about sinus pressure. It can be very painful and exhausting.
There are many ways to relieve the pressure. Drug stores have a whole section dedicated to clearing up clog sinuses. There are nasal sprays and strips, liquid medicines, pills, and soothing bath treatments all designed to help you breath again.
What causes sinus pressure or sinusitis?
There are different types of sinusitis. Acute sinusitis is short term and is usually caused by a bacterial and viral infections. The condition will not last more then 30 days.
Chronic sinusitis is caused by things such as allergies,a poorly functioning mucous membrane, or a small sinus cavity. If a bacterial or viral infection last long then 30 days, if may be considered chronic.
There are a number of things that can cause the sinuses to become stuffy. Dehydration, poor air, stress, bacteria, fungus, hormones (pregnancy often trigger nasal congestion), and allergies.
Remedies and Cures
It is important to determine what is causing the sinus inflammation. If it’s a viral infection, like a cold, chances are that it will clear on its own. If it is a bacterial infection, you can get a prescription for an antibiotic.
You will want to check for allergens. If you noticed that your nose starts getting stuffy around Fluffy then you may have pet dander allergies. Dust and pollen are also common allergens.
Once you figure out what that cause of the sinusitis is, you can choose a treatment. There are a few home remedies that can help you feel better. However, if your sinus pressure comes with a fever or a headache, then you should see the doctor.
To treat allergies related sinusitis, find what’s causing it and remove it. If your pet Fluffy is the problem, the doctor can prescribe an allergy medicine so you can keep her.
If you have a cold, try eucalyptus. Place the oil in a bowl of warm water, place the bowl on your lap. Then, take a towel and drape it over your head and bowl. This will also work with lavender sandalwood and tea tree oil. The idea is to breathe in the vapors created by the warm water and essential oil.
Tea tree oil will work well if you have a cold or a bacterial infection. Tree tea oil has antibacterial properties.
Pouring salt-water up your nose with a neti pot will also help to rinse out the sinuses. This can be done several times a day, it will also help to moisten the sinuses. I try and use my neti pot once a day because of the amount of dust in my house due to DIY, it seems to be working very well.
Dry air is a common cause of sinus irritation. A humidifier will help to introduce water vapor into the air.
When dehydration is the cause, drink more water. The average person should be drinking at least eight 8 oz. glasses a day.
I like a heated sinus pack http://www.ultimatewatermassage.com/herbal-heat-therapy/eye-pillow.htm
Interestingly, I first heard of the origin of the ‘Neti’ technique over 20 years ago.
Apparently, Indian Sadhus used to pass a thin piece of cotton cloth absorbed in a solution of salt water through their sinuses and out through their throat passage!
This was repeated twice daily.
They never suffered a single cold or flu in their entire lifetime.
I saw in a yoga book years ago about putting cloth down your throat and into your stomach. Ughh, not for me!
There are things you can do for sinus pressure relief, like those mentioned above. I always start by using an aromatherapy eye pillow. It’s great for treating sinus congestion and sinus pressure, stress and anxiety issues as well as insomnia and sleep disorders. What I have to found to work best for me is an eye pillow, right out of the freezer. I use a peppermint scented one because it opens up my sinuses and that helps me to breathe a lot better and helps any sinus or tension related headaches. The cold flax seed inside the eye pillow surrounds my eyes and temples which helps to reduce swelling in the sinus cavities and around the eyes. The weight of the flax seed applies just enough acupressure to soothe and relax my facial muscles. The eye pillow also block out all light, when the pain is so bad it just makes you squint you eyes.
I searched online and found several sites that had them. The one I decided to go with was A Touch Of Satin. I liked them because their ingredients were organic, and that was important to me. They had an unbelievably large selection of patterns and I like the feel of satin on my skin. They also had a page on their site that talked about the benefits of their aromatherapy scents. They also had lavender and that is suppose to be good for migraines. It was very interesting. If you want to check them out, their website is http://www.atouchofsatin.com Well, I hope this helps you. Good luck!
yeah the average person should be drinking 8 glasses of water a day. if you want to overtax your kidneys and spend all day peeing. stop perpetuating ridiculous myths.
First, Bob, your comment was ridiculous! This was a great article.
Secondly, the netti pot does help.
I also want to thank sunnydays 13 (posting above) for suggesting A Touch Of Satin. I purchased one of their peppermint eye pillows about two months ago and it has really given some great relief. When I use it I can really feel it just open up my sinuses and I can actually breathe again. It also calms me down so I can fall asleep. it is sooo relaxing! Thanks for the great article and thanks for the recommendation!