Sinus infection is a very common problem in which cavities around your nose get swollen and inflamed. Sinus infection or Sinusitis is generally caused by viruses.
Bacteria and fungi have not yet been established as causes of sinusitis, but they may indirectly trigger it.
Medicine Doesn’t Do as Well as Home Remedies for Sinus Infection Do.
Symptoms of sinus infection include constant sneezing, blockage of one or both nostrils, a running nose, headaches, and pressure around the head, eyes, and face. Sinus headaches are felt in the forehead and the face just below the eyes. If you have ever suffered a sinus infection, then you know how bad it gets.
Modern medicines hardly do any better than home remedies for sinus infections. Therefore, begin to take care at the first sign of getting infected.
Try one or more of the following 7 natural remedies to get relief from a sinus infection.
1. Water for Sinus Infection
Most of us don’t drink enough water to keep us properly hydrated. It becomes even more important to drink lots of water during a sinus infection because mucus gets released easily from the upper respiratory tract if you are well hydrated.
To keep yourself sufficiently hydrated, drink at least 8 glasses of water for 12 hours daily.
Keep a bottle of water handy with you, wherever you go.
2. Mango for Sinus Infection
Mango contains high Vitamin A which helps in keeping epithelium healthy. The Epithelium is the tissue, which lines the cavities in the body. Healthy tissues in the upper respiratory tract prevent sinus infections. So it is better to eat foods containing a high amount of Vitamin A.
It also helps get relief from a Sinus infection. Mango is available throughout the year from different parts of the world. Eating one mango a day will help you fight sinusitis.
3. Onion for Sinus Infection
Onions are loaded with antibacterial, antifungal, and sulfur compounds to fight infections. You already know when you cut an onion; your eyes start burning and your nose starts running. That is exactly what we want to achieve here in case of a sinus infection.
- Chop an onion into small pieces
- Boil water in a pot
- Add the chopped onions to hot boiling water
- Put your head above the boiling pot to inhale the steam
- Cover your head and the pot to trap maximum steam for inhalation
Take precautions to ensure that you don’t burn your face in the hot water or overexpose to steam. Keep your eyes closed during the process of inhaling the steam.
4. Carrot for Sinus Infection
Carrots have superior capabilities to fight infections. You can eat carrots raw, mashed, or cooked.
Carrot juice is particularly good to fight a sinus infection. Drink one glass of carrot juice as the only food intake during breakfast time for a week.
Most sinus infections have a lifetime of 7-10 days, therefore taking care of what you eat and what you don’t during this period will help you to reduce pain and get rid of sinus infection smoothly.
5. Garlic for Sinus Infection
Garlic like onion contains sulfur compounds that fight infections. A special sulfur compound called allicin has anti-inflammatory capabilities, which helps in reducing swelling in the nasal passage. This helps in a smooth flow of mucus assisting in smooth painless recovery.
Eat raw garlic clove daily. This may not be very convenient and smells foul. However, this helps. If you have problems eating garlic cloves, then try other remedies mentioned here.
6. Fenugreek for Sinus Infection
Fenugreek is a powerful nutrient. Add one teaspoon of Fenugreek seeds to a glass of water and boil it until half the water gets evaporated. Strain it and let it cool to become palatable. Drink it lukewarm. Drinking it 4 times a day will solve even the most chronic sinus infection.
7. Vegetable Juices for Sinus Infection
All vegetable juices, particularly beet, cucumber, and spinach are good home remedies for sinus infections. You can mix these juices in different proportions to suit your taste. Drinking 250 ml mixtures of these juices twice a day will give relief from the sinus.
In addition to the above food remedies, you should gargle with warm salt water 3-4 times a day. If you can get access to a Neti pot and know exactly how to do nasal irrigation then you should do that as well to get relief from a sinus infection.
Learn more about the causes, symptoms, and prevention of sinus infection in the other related articles: