If you start to feel a stuffy nose, you likely know what lies ahead. Before long, you feel a lot of sinus pressure and you cannot drain them properly. Perhaps you feel a headache from either the intense nose blowing or general congestion. You most likely have a sinus infection, or one has begun to brew.
What Is A Sinus Infection?
A sinus infection, or sinusitis, is the inflammation of tissues in the sinuses. Your sinuses are the spaces in your forehead, cheeks, and nose typically filled with air. A sinus infection can cause facial pain, stuffy or runny nose, and occasional fever. More often than not, you can attribute a sinus infection to the common cold, but other viruses, fungi, bacteria, and allergies can cause sinusitis.
If you experience long-term sinus infections, then you may have forgotten what it’s like to breathe properly. Is one nostril always clogged? There is no need to live with blocked sinuses, especially when there are many natural remedies that can relieve sinus pressure.
Is It Sinusitis, COVID-19, A Cold, Or An Allergy?
Colds, allergies, sinus infections, and COVID-19 have very similar symptoms. The common cold typically builds, peaks, and then slowly disappears. It can last anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks. Nasal allergies cause itchy eyes and nose, sneezing, congestion, runny nose, and postnasal drip. Allergies don’t tend to cause the same facial pain the sinus infections do. Additionally, COVID-19 tends to cause symptoms like shortness of breath and fever.
If you want to avoid over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and experiment with natural remedies to help promote healthy sinuses, experiment with essential oils. The following remedies can help with nasal decongestion.
Steam Inhalation
This blend works to promote drainage and helps clear out the sinuses. In order to do this, you’ll need to follow the recipe below.
Ingredients:
- 3 drops rosemary essential oil
- 3 drops peppermint essential oil
- 2 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- A blow of hot, steaming water
Instructions:
- Five to 10 minutes before you engage in this natural remedy, clear your nasal passages by blowing your nose. You can use a xylitol-based sinus spray to enhance the clearing if you want.
- Add your essential oils to a large, non-reactive bowl filled with boiling water.
- Grab a large towel, cover your head with it, and lean over the bowl, allowing the towel to create a tent over the bowl.
Keep your eyes closed and inhale the steam vapors for five to 10 minutes. Repeat several times per day.
The Cajeput Bath
Cajeput essential oil is distilled from the branches and leaves of the cajeput tree. This is a subtype of melaleuca, which is indigenous to tropical regions of Southeast Asia and Australia. It is a strong, antiseptic oil that can directly combat sinusitis, especially when inhaled via steam vapors.
Ingredients:
- 6 drops cajeput essential oil
- 1 tbsp jojoba oil
Instructions:
- Add the cajeput essential oil and jojoba oil to a small glass bowl and stir to combine.
- Draw a warm bath and add the oil mixture to the running water. The water doesn’t have to be very hot.
- Soak in the bath for 15 minutes and repeat this treatment once per day until symptoms subside.
Warm Compress
For this remedy, you essentially soak a cloth in warm water that contains various essential oils. You then drape that soaked cloth over the nose and sinus area for as long as you desire. This should help clear the nasal passages.
Ingredients:
- 1 drop of each eucalyptus, peppermint, pine, tea tree, and lavender essential oils
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 clean piece of cloth
Instructions:
- Pour one cup of warm water in a non-reactive bowl and stir in the essential oils.
- Soak your cloth in the bowl of infused water. Wring out enough water so the cloth doesn’t drip.
- Place the cloth over your nose and sinus area for as long as you want. Repeat often, but be careful to not allow the mixture to drip into your eyes.
Diffusing Blend
If you are not the type of person to hover your face over a steamy bowl of sinus-cleansing vapors, a sinus relief blend in a diffuser may be more your speed.
Ingredients:
- 5 drops tea tree oil
- 5 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- 3 drops thyme essential oil
Instructions:
- Add the essential oils to a diffuser with some water and turn on the diffuser. Make sure that your diffuser can diffuse essential oils before you add them.
- If you don’t like that blend, you can use the same measurements for marjoram, lavender, and myrtle essential oils, respectively.
