The sinuses are located behind the forehead, cheeks, bones of the nose and eyes.
When the sinuses are completely healthy, they allow air to pass through and remove the mucus preventing blockage. However, when the pathogens are lodged in them they cause inflammation, making it difficult for the air to pass through and the elimination of mucus. The symptoms of sinusitis are pain in the region of the face, head, neck, fever over 38 °, bad breath, excessive mucus, malaise and cough.
There are two types of sinusitis, acute sinusitis, which does not extend for more than three or four weeks and chronic sinusitis, which is characterized by the worsening of inflammation and the persistence of the disease for more than three months. In the chronic case, doctors may recommend surgery, which can be dangerous.
However, it has been proven that natural medicine is an excellent alternative treatment to surgery that becomes a powerful ally to the antibiotic treatment that is prescribed before deciding to operate. Below we will show you the most effective home remedies to cure sinusitis and some tips to benefit the treatment.
1. Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is one of the most effective remedies to treat sinusitis, due to its decongestant, expectorant and anti-inflammatory properties. The most common way to treat eucalyptus sinusitis is by breathing eucalyptus and boiled water vapors. To do this you only need several eucalyptus branches, place them in a pot with water and wait for the mixture to boil.
You should breathe the eucalyptus vapor by covering your head with a cloth, bringing your face closer to the pot as possible, its smell is mentholated and strong, but almost immediately clears the airways, being able to expel excess mucus quickly.
Perform this process for three times a day for a time not exceeding 20 minutes, since the boiling water can suffocate you and if you are not careful you can irritate your face due to the heat. It is known of cases of chronic sinusitis that have healed and thereby avoided surgical intervention thanks to the powerful decongestant effect of eucalyptus.
To improve its effects, you can consume eucalyptus infusions accompanied with honey, which is a powerful expectorant and natural antibiotic. Eucalyptus essential oil is a great anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, which you can also incorporate into the treatment.
2. Homemade saline solution
To make a saline solution you only need water and some salt or baking soda. You should heat the mixture until it is warm and apply it to the nostrils. This will help clear the airways by removing all kinds of impurities, such as the mucus and with it it will be easier for you to breathe.
3. Essential oils of aromatic herbs
Essential oils of herbs such as lavender or lemon are excellent natural agents to remedy nasal congestion. For example, lavender is a natural painkiller that helps reconcile rest and lemon essential oil acts as an effective analgesic and antibiotic.
4. Garlic
Garlic is undoubtedly a blessing from nature. This is due to its enormous amount of beneficial properties for health. Garlic is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, which can help treat cardiovascular diseases. In fact, many doctors recommend the consumption of garlic pills as a companion or temporary substitute for hypertension treatments.
Added to this, garlic is an effective natural antibiotic to combat all types of viral, microbial, fungal and bacterial infections. Therefore, it is widely used in the company of honey or lemon to treat all kinds of pathogenic diseases.
In that sense, considering that garlic is a powerful anti-inflammatory and an effective natural antibiotic, it can be used to address the main symptoms and causes of sinusitis: inflammation of the respiratory tract due to the presence of pathogens such as viruses, fungi, bacteria or microbes
You can use garlic oil by applying a couple of drops in the nostrils. You can also consume a clove of pure garlic a day both to benefit antibiotic treatment, and to prevent the onset of the disease.
5. Cayenne pepper
Pepper is an excellent natural decongestant, so it is excellent for cleaning impurities that lodge in the sinuses very quickly. You can consume it in infusion, accompanying it with two tablespoons of honey and lemon juice.
Adding these elements to the infusion gives the mixture antiviral, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. You can consume cayenne pepper infusion whenever you feel congestion, especially at night, when its presence in the body is usually more annoying.
6. Honey
Honey is a natural antibacterial, which can relieve inflammation of the paranasal sinuses and throat that usually causes sinusitis. You can consume two pure tablespoons of honey a day, if it were syrup, or you can prepare lemon and honey infusion and consume this mixture three times a day.
Honey also serves as a natural sweetener for all kinds of remedies that serve to relieve the symptoms of sinusitis and which we will talk about later, such as ginger, green tea and basil, which we will talk about later.
7. Ginger
Ginger is an excellent ally to fight sinusitis due to its extensive healing properties, which help to deflate the sinuses, decongest the airways and facilitate the expulsion of excess mucus in the body.
You can consume it in infusions sweetened with honey as it adds antibacterial properties to the mixture. The proper amount of ginger infusion that you should consume to see its positive effects is three cups a day. You can also consume pure pieces of ginger during the treatment, or as a preventive measure.
8. Green Tea
Green tea is known worldwide for its extensive healing properties, which make it effective both for weight loss, and for treating all kinds of diseases, such as sinusitis.
This is due to its enormous amount of antioxidants, which is beneficial for the regeneration of cells, which allow the proper functioning of the body, which includes the immune system.
The recommended amount of green tea is two tablespoons per cup. You should consume it three to four times a day while you are treating the disease.
9. Radish
Radish has in its composition different elements that give it decongestant properties, which translates into a more effective removal of excess mucus that inflames the airways.
To make use of radish in the treatment of sinusitis you must crush it in the company of onion (which is also antiviral and expectorant) until you get a paste, which you must spread over the region where the sinuses are.
The effect of this mixture is almost instantaneous. Although it is advisable to do it two to three times a day, you can do it before sleeping or before a hot bath. Remember that the onion has a strong smell that can be unpleasant, so take care where you do this treatment.
10. Basil
Basil is excellent for treating pathogenic conditions caused by fungi or bacteria. Sinusitis can be caused by these harmful agents, which is why basil becomes an excellent natural remedy to eliminate them from the body if they suffer from it.
You can consume basil in infusion, using several leaves in the company of honey. The recommended dose in cases of acute sinusitis is one cup a day on an empty stomach. If the disease is very serious, you should consume this infusion three times a day to see favorable effects on the treatment.
11. Apple Cider Vinegar
The enormous vitamin and mineral content contained in apple cider vinegar is very effective in reducing the symptoms caused by sinusitis by balancing the pH of the sinuses, thus decongesting the airways.
You should consume two teaspoons vinegar in the company of a cup of warm water three times a day. You can also gargle for best results twice a day, doing three repetitions at a time.
12. Pineapple
Pineapple is a natural diuretic, which stimulates the elimination of toxins through sweating and urine. Its abundant content of the enzyme bromelain makes it an excellent anti-inflammatory that you can incorporate into the treatment against sinusitis. You can consume pineapple either by making infusions with its shell, juices, smoothies, smoothies and / or consume the whole fruit. Pineapple is excellent at breakfast or snack.
13. Olive Oil
The properties of olive oil have always made it an effective ally to combat all types of diseases, whether consumed, or used to massage with it.
In cases of Sinusitis you can use it to massage the sinus region, which will relieve the pressure and pain caused by inflammation, also stimulating nasal decongestion.
Recommendations to treat Sinusitis
There are many things you can do to make sinusitis heal faster than expected or it will serve as a preventive measure in healthy people. Remember that the best medicine for any disease is always prevention.
Get plenty of rest
One way to help the treatment act more effectively and quickly is to rest. That is why doctors indicate absolute rest during the manifestation of the disease. The little rest weakens the body, as well as causes the defenses to fall.
Stay hydrated
Experts recommend that, to maintain optimal health, you should consume plenty of fluids. The adequate amount of water to be consumed at least daily is 2 liters.
Eat your food warm
Remember that eating lukewarm foods can be beneficial to decongest the airways, since the steam that flows from them can help you clear those airways and thereby eliminate excess mucus , pain and irritation.