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Sinus Problems
Tips
The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine recently reported on research done at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, that found that people who hum exhale 15 times more nitric oxide from their nasal passages than non-hummers. Nitric oxide helps blood vessels relax, thereby reducing swelling in the nose and improving the flow of blood. The increase in air flow due to the humming also helps to ventilate the sinuses, which may decrease the susceptibility to infection.
Massaging your sinuses by pressing your thumbs firmly on both sides of your nose, holding for 15 to 30 seconds, releasing, then repeating, will temporarily relieve sinusitis because it brings a fresh supply of blood to the area.
Remedies
Folk
Cayenne pepper Take several capsules of cayenne during or after each meal for several days. The sinus infection should clear up. If it starts again, keep on a maintenance dose of 460 mg three times a day. Another cayenne remedy is to put one teaspoon of cayenne into a cup of hot water and drink three cups a day.
Eucalyptus Boil ½ cup of water and add a few drops of oil of eucalyptus. Pour the mixture into a bowl, lean over it while covering your head with a large towel, and inhale the steam for 10 minutes, keeping your eyes tightly shut. Eucalyptus oil is widely used for various breathing problems.
- Put a few drops on a handkerchief and sniff periodically.
Salt Dissolve one tablespoon of salt in two cups of water. Use a nasal inhaler.
Salt/baking soda To relieve stuffed up sinuses due to allergies, try making this nasal flush: mix 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in one cup of warm water; fill an ear syringe and squirt the mixture up your nose. Another variation uses one teaspoon of uniodized salt and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in a pint of water. Place the mixture in a nasal inhaler.
Thyme has been used for generations for respiratory infections because of its strong antiseptic properties. Steep 1-2 teaspoons of thyme in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Drink a cup three times a day. Thyme is a drying herb for the body.
