Some natural ways to relieve sinusitis, such as humidifying the environment, washing the nose with saline or drinking warm tea, help to hydrate and reduce inflammation of the sinuses, in addition to making the phlegm more liquid, facilitating its elimination and relieving congestion. nasal.
Sinusitis can happen several times throughout your life due to different causes, such as flu virus infection or allergies, for example, leading to the emergence of very uncomfortable symptoms, such as headache and facial pain, nasal congestion and fever above 38ºC. C, for example.
These natural ways are a good option to help relieve sinusitis more quickly, and can be used to complement the treatment recommended by your general practitioner or otorhinolaryngologist. See how sinusitis is treated.
What to do to relieve sinusitis
Some natural ways to relieve sinusitis are:
1. Humidify the environment
Humidifying the environment, placing a basin or bucket with warm water inside the rooms of the house is an excellent way to relieve sinusitis, as when breathing in water particles from the environment, the airways become more hydrated and less irritated, facilitating the elimination of the phlegm and relieving the discomfort of sinusitis.
This tip is especially useful at night to make it easier to sleep and avoid waking up with a stuffy nose, for example.
Another option to humidify the environment is to use a humidifier device. However, care must be taken not to use the humidifier excessively, as excessive humidity can lead to the growth of mold in the environment and cause allergies. Check out other simple ways to humidify the environment.
2. Wash your nose with saline solution
Nasal washing with 0.9% saline helps to eliminate excess secretions in the nasal sinuses, as it makes the phlegm more liquid, making it easier to eliminate, which helps to alleviate the symptoms of sinusitis, such as a blocked nose or feeling of pain in the face around the eyes or nose.
To wash the nose, fill a syringe with approximately 10 to 20 mL of sterile 0.9% saline solution, tilt the body forward and the head slightly to the side. Then, position the syringe at the entrance to one nostril and press until the serum comes out of the other nostril. It is important to keep your mouth open and also breathe through your mouth while washing with the serum, in addition to not breathing in the serum, and blowing your nose immediately afterwards.
Watch the video with nurse Manuel Reis on how to wash your nose correctly:
3. Use a homemade saline solution
Making a homemade saline solution is also a great way to clean your nose or wash your nose to relieve sinusitis symptoms, and can be used to replace 0.9% saline.
To prepare the homemade saline solution, you must add 1 tablespoon of salt to a glass of filtered or mineral water, and apply this mixture inside the nose or place this mixture in a syringe and sneeze forcefully into the nose, keeping the mouth open. open. This way it is possible to remove a good amount of phlegm and impurities, leaving your nose unblocked easily.
4. Nebulize
Nebulization is a great way to relieve sinusitis, as through steam inhalation, the airways become more hydrated and secretions become more liquid, making them easier to eliminate, improving nasal congestion and the discomfort of sinusitis.
To perform nebulization, an electric nebulizer must be used, with 5 to 10 mL of 0.9% saline solution added to the nebulizer cup. Then, you should sit comfortably, put on the nebulizer mask and inhale the steam deeply and slowly for about 20 minutes or until the serum runs out. It is not recommended to nebulize while lying down, due to the risk of aspiration of secretions.
Another option for nebulizing is to take a warm shower with the bathroom door closed, to produce steam in the room, and inhale the steam from the bath water to help hydrate the airways. See other ways to nebulize for sinusitis.
5. Inhale eucalyptus vapor
Inhaling eucalyptus steam is an excellent way to quickly relieve nasal congestion caused by sinusitis. This is because eucalyptus has cineole in its composition, with expectorant, mucolytic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, which help to increase the elimination of phlegm.
To inhalate with eucalyptus steam, add 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to a basin of hot water. Then cover your head with an open towel, so that it also covers the basin, and breathe the steam as deeply as possible for up to 10 minutes, repeating 2 to 3 times a day. When you finish inhaling, it is important to wipe your face with a towel soaked in cold water.
If you don’t have eucalyptus essential oil at home, you can also inhale by dipping some eucalyptus leaves in boiling water, as the plant’s natural oil will be transported by the water vapor. See other ways to use eucalyptus to relieve sinusitis.
6. Apply warm compresses
Applying warm compresses to the face can help reduce swelling of the mucous membranes and open the air passage, relieving pain or pressure in the sinuses caused by sinusitis.
To use warm compresses, you must wet a towel in warm water, and place the towel around your nose, forehead, cheeks or eyes for about 15 minutes.
7. Drink more water
Drinking more water helps keep the body hydrated, including the nasal mucosa, as well as helping to make phlegm more liquid, facilitating its elimination and relieving the sensation of pressure or pain in the face, and nasal congestion.
The ideal is to drink around 2 liters of water per day, in its natural, sparkling or flavored form.
8. Drink warm tea
Drinking warm teas, such as ginger tea or thyme tea, for example, can help relieve sinusitis symptoms more quickly, as they have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce sinus inflammation, in addition to keeping the body healthy. hydrated. See other tea options for sinusitis and how to prepare them.
In addition, you can also eat warm meals, such as soups or broths, which help to unblock the nose and reduce pain and irritation of the nasal mucosa.
9. Eating garlic and onions
Garlic and onion have antimicrobial properties that help fight bacteria and reduce inflammation of the sinuses, which helps in recovery from sinusitis.
These foods can be included in the preparation of meals, or even used in the form of teas.
10. Get enough rest
When faced with a sinusitis attack, it is recommended to rest or at least be able to rest adequately, to help the body recover from the inflammation in the sinuses and fight the infection.
Furthermore, it is recommended to sleep around 8 to 9 hours a night, in addition to avoiding exertion or physical activity with very intense training.
11. Change your lifestyle
Lifestyle changes are especially important in the case of chronic sinusitis, which usually appears several times throughout the year and whose symptoms last longer. Therefore, some lifestyle changes are recommended, such as stopping smoking, avoiding being in polluted places, as well as keeping the house always very clean and free of dust. See the main causes of chronic sinusitis.
When to take medicine
Medicines, such as nasal decongestants or antihistamines, may be indicated when sinusitis cannot be controlled with natural methods for 7 to 10 days.
The doctor may also recommend the use of corticosteroids, anti-inflammatories or antibiotics to be used for 5 to 7 days, depending on the need, and if there are other symptoms such as fever, or if the person has asthma or some other respiratory illness that could worsen due to sinusitis. See how treatment with sinusitis medication is carried out.
