Sinus headaches are the devil. You feel like you’ve got someone sticking a fork in your head and then lighting it on fire. To be able to treat them, it’s important to understand why they happen. Sinus headaches occur when sinus pressure or inner pain continues for several days. The pressure breaches a natural defence, thus inducing a headache.
There are many prescription medications that people turn to relieve their sinus headaches. However, there are natural home remedies that can have the same effect as many of these over the counter medications, and best of all they are without some of the side effects. If you want to learn more about these alternative methods, continue reading this article.
Contents
Use a Sinus Rinse
A sinus rinse is a simple saline solution that you can use to rinse and clean out your nasal passages. As a result, a solution such as the high-quality Neilmed sinus rinse can help relieve symptoms of sinusitis (sinus infection) or allergies and colds in the following ways:
- Removes allergies, irritants and bacteria from your nasal passages.
- Reduces inflammation and swelling in your nasal passages.
- Helps you breathe easier if you suffer from stuffy nose syndrome or clogged nasal passages.
- promotes proper drainage of mucus (when used daily).
In addition, the Neilmed sinus rinse can be used in two different ways. For the first one, you can use a neti pot which Neilmed also produce. These small ceramic pots look like teapots but instead of pouring hot water out of the spout, you pour it into your nose! When filled with warm water and a sinus rinse, neti pots help to relieve sinus pressure by washing away mucus from the sinuses. This will also help soothe symptoms like sneezing, coughing and stuffy noses.
You can also buy plastic squeeze bottles at any local drugstore that serve the same purpose as a neti pot without having to worry about tipping it into your nose.
If you have allergies or smoke regularly, using the Neilmed sinus rinse once or twice a day is recommended as a way to clear out your nasal passages before they have time to become irritated.
Try Steam Inhalation
Steam inhalation is one of the most recommended home remedies to get rid of sinus headaches. It relieves your nasal blockages and soothes your inflamed sinuses. It also helps thin out the mucus and breaks down the thick mucus, which facilitates its drainage and helps in unclogging the congested nasal passages.
All you have to do is bring a pot of water to boil, add some peppermint oil or eucalyptus oil to it. Then, transfer the pot to a table, where you can sit comfortably in front of it. Drape a towel over your head and lean over the pot. Inhale the steam deeply and slowly for 5 to 10 minutes. You can use a towel to cover your head and inhale the steam directly or place your face over the pot, leaving enough space so that you don’t burn yourself.
Remove the towel and blow your nose gently to get rid of the loosened mucus. Repeat 2 or 3 times a day until you get some relief from a sinus headache.
Drink Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a miracle food. As an alternative to medications, people have been using apple cider vinegar to treat sinus headaches. The health benefits of apple cider vinegar are numerous and it has long been touted as one of the best home remedies for sinus headaches.
Though apple cider vinegar will not cure a sinus infection completely it surely helps to get rid of symptoms like sinus congestion, sinus pressure headaches and facial pain. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, it helps to shrink swollen sinuses. It also helps to clear mucus due to its acidic nature. Also, it helps to fight against bacterial infections if any causing sinus headaches.
You can drink two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar twice a day or mix one teaspoon into a glass of room temperature water and drink it twice a day until the pain goes away.
Add Turmeric to Your Diet
Turmeric is good for many things – it has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that make it perfect for treating sinus congestion and pain caused by sinusitis. Curcumin, one of the main components of turmeric, has been shown to inhibit histamine release from mast cells (the cells involved in allergic reactions). This makes it perfect for healing allergies that cause headaches as well as enhancing immunity so you won’t get them too often.
Avoid Coffee and Alcohol
Both coffee and alcohol contain high amounts of histamine. Histamine is a substance that your body produces when it reacts to an allergen. The presence of high levels of histamine in the body causes inflammation of the nasal passages and aggravates sinus headaches. Try to avoid these two items as much as possible until your headache passes. If you must have them, try drinking plenty of water with them to keep yourself hydrated.
To Sum Up
For those who have never experienced sinus headaches, a chronic headache that originates in the sinuses can be difficult to understand. People who suffer from them will know, however, and can attest to feeling worse than any headache they have ever experienced and the feeling of being fuzzy-headed all the time.
Maybe you have already explored everything that a doctor has to offer but still are encountering frequent bouts of sinus headaches. While it may seem impossible, there are some things that you can do naturally to get rid of sinus headaches and stop them in their tracks. That way the next time one comes around you’ll be ready!
