Relief from Allergy-Induced Sinus Headaches: Natural Remedies

This week I had intense sinus pressure/headache from tree pollen. I tried drinking apple cider vinegar, but it made my headache worse almost immediately. I then read posts on EC in the sinus infection section about putting a teaspoon of ACV in a neti pot filled with warm, distilled water and rinsing the sinuses. I did this and felt so much better 10 minutes later! I hope everyone tries this. I have used a small amount of hydrogen peroxide in a neti pot before and gotten good results, but I think I prefer the ACV. It was milder and had an immediate effect!

Thank you for the post, I just used the apple cider vinegar and I can feel an immediate difference. I have drainage problems for almost 2 years. My ear, nose & throat are not affected. I almost feel like normal after this and I just used it a few minutes ago. I do have a bad back and wonder if this was the problem.

You are likely actually suffering from migraines if you get a what feels like a "sinus headache" from A/C blowing on you.

There are estimates that many "sinus headaches" are actually migraines. This was the case with me. I had years of sinus infections, but after my migraines began and I started treating them (with prescription triptan class migraine meds), I began paying more attention to possible migraine triggers and realized that the "sinus headaches" I got whenever A/C was blowing on my head/face were actually migraines. I had only slight improvement when trying methods to help sinus congestion/irritation, but these headaches did respond very well to migraine meds.

I still have sinus issues and agree that A/C will irritate sinuses by drying them out, so repeated exposure to A/C blowing on you would most likely lead to sinus problems, but if you get a "sinus headache" directly after A/C is blowing on you, then you may want to look into a migraine treatment.

I was skeptical at first because they really feel like sinus headaches to me, but the response to migraine meds (not sinus treatments) for these specific headaches convinced me that they were migraines instead.

Ginger for a Sinus Headache: I don't have fresh ginger root, I have ginger in a tube. I figured, I'll try it with the ginger that I have. I put in about 1 very large tablespoon or more of ginger into a 6 or 8 oz glass, then boiled up 1 cup of water. I added some organic honey. I wasn't expecting this to work, but it worked almost immediately!

I would say it's not quite what you would get from Ibuprofen, or sudafed, but very very close, and it will take the pain away, and it's natural! I am sick of taking ibuprofen for my sinus headaches. They WORK, but, if this method works for me I would rather go this route. I have had sinus headaches for years. The pain is unbearable. It's been 20 mins since I tried it. I will keep this window open and continue to monitor if it's working or not. Ok it has been an hour. I definitely DO feel better. I would say it's worth it to do.

I have had a sinus headache for 2 days. i have taken sinus medicine over the cunter and lots of aspirin. nothing has worked. i found this web site, i took 2 tbls acv in 8 oz of water, put the pot on the stove, heated the water till it boiled and took it off and breathd it in with a towel around the pot for 15 minutes. my headace is gone now. i also drank 2 tbls in 8 oz water with zylitol sugar and lemon, it was not bad. hope the pain stays away. i am worn out from dealing with it.

I was suffering from a terrible sinus headache. I tried the tomato tea remedy, but to no avail. Then I gave the steamed ACV/water mixture a shot. It has worked wonders. What a relief! I simply inhaled the fumes lightly after bringing one part ACV and one part water to a boil. I did this once last night, and it brought much relief. After waking this morning, I still had a bit of a headache so I did it once more. Now the sinus headache is practically gone. I highly recommend this remedy, especially for people whose stomachs cannot tolerate in taking some of the other remedies.

I was skeptical to try this (apple cider vinegar). But I did after the first signs of a sinus headache and pressure. That was last nite and this morning the headache was gone and my sinuses are draining very easily now. i would recomend this to anyone with a sinus cold.

It works. I have had a terrible sinus headache for to days. Thank you so much.

I've just made my first batch of "fire cider." I'd never heard of it until this year when a friend posted about it on Facebook. It grabbed my attention so I sourced all the ingredients and brewed up my own batch and have just decanted it tonight. I had a taste and there are so many flavours! I'll definitely be having some every day with some hot water.

Enjoyed reading your post/comment. Thank you.

Regarding Ginger Root- I have found it to be excellent in opening sinuses. I drink a cup in the morning and evening. Cut thumb size piece of fresh ginger root into slices, in small tea cup, add water, microwave until just boiling. Let sit for a while; the longer the stronger the tea. Add small tsp. honey. Delicious, peppery. Lowers blood pressure also.

Have read that too much can thin the blood so be careful is on prescription blood thinners. Also have read warnings regarding gallbladder problems, if you suffer this already.

Rubbing a 50% solution of DMSO and water to the temples and face over the sinus passages I have found gives relief in 5 minutes for the sinus headache, keep reapplying every 10 minutes until relief comes for more severe headaches. Nettle Tea and Turmeric work well against the pollen allergy. I mix 1 teaspoon of Turmeric in a little milk and add 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper for better absortion and drink 3 to 4 cups of Nettle Tea a day.

TIPS:

1) I use and recommend using pure maple syrup instead of honey, to make the ACV drink tolerable. Xylitol is a good idea too, as it helps eliminate bacteria and sweetens the concoction. Maple syrup (only pure, not commercial syrup) also adds important minerals to the remedy, and is much easier to mix in.

(2)Make sure you don't take the ACV without diluting with a few ounces of water, as it is highly acidic... Will burn your esophagus (even if you can't feel it) and will also wear away your tooth enamel.

(3) Always rinse your teeth with water after taking a dose (even diluted doses), and don't brush your teeth for a good 20 minutes or so after rinsing!

(4) Also, best results come with raw, unpasteurized ACV... B---gg's is the only brand I know of that offers this. It's a great overall tonic for your body as well as the benefits listed here.

Hi Pat in Nottinghamshire, fellow Brit here (I grew up near Nottm in fact). I have also suffered from recurring sinusitis, until recently, when I last got a cold it didn't affect my sinuses half so badly. I put this down to a number of possibilities which you might like to try: virgin coconut oil - either a couple of teaspoons a day, straight off the spoon, if you can hack it, or in your tea or coffee, which could help because, according to one source I read, most sinus infections are in fact fungal in origin. VCO is anti-fungal so that maybe helped. I have also been taking probiotics regularly, which may have also helped for all I know! The other thing that may have helped is that I have been taking unpasteurized ___ apple cider vinegar. I take it with raw honey, two to three times a day before food, about 30-50ml. Anyway, you might like to try the VCO first - I even actually "snorted" it once in my desperation, which actually did help!

Good luck!
merryweather in Germany

If you add a 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda it solves the acid problem, it tastes much better, and won't affect your teeth.

I have sinus infections and use a Neti Pot often. This morning I work up with a serious sinus headache. The pain was concentrated in the corner of my right eye, so I know it was a sinus headache. I mixed a Goodys headache powder with my normal saline rinse... And The headache was almost instantly GONE! No burning or any discomfort. Obviously this is an extreme measure to take, but it worked!

Cayenne Pepper cured my Sinus Headache. Like everybody else I was looking for a simple safe remedy to cure by Sinus headache. I found this site and decided to give the cayenne pepper a try. IT HURT! Do follow what the others on here have said and use only the very smallest amount to sniff up. My Nose felt like it was on fire but within 10 minutes the headache had gone. Thank you so much all who post on this site, it is such a help. Headache gone and I can breathe easily now, sad to say I am at present left with the dreaded drip effect so am now looking on here for something that will rid me of that.

First I did the diluted Apple Cider Vinegar in a neti pot. Waited. An hour later, sniffed the cayenne pepper. Sinus headache is gone. My nose is burning but its a cool thing.

I suffered from horrible sinus headaches over the past three months. After much researching, I finally found the culprit--ICE CREAM. I have craved Ice cream every day for the past 3 1/2 months. I always use Oragnic ACV so I knew that was not helping. I tried grapefruit seed extract in water and was very pleased with the results. No more sinus headaches since I've been on it. I used about 5 drops in an 8oz glass of water.

Garlic Tea Hot Compress for Sinus Pressure/Sinusitis/Ear Infections/Pain

I have been dealing with sinus pressure, earache, swollen lymph nodes and sinusitis for over 2 weeks now and want to share this simple home remedy. I began having a dull pain in my sinus and left ear & it progressed to a sharp piercing pain.

I just chopped/mince 1 fresh Garlic cloves, placed it in a bowl and pour 1 cup warm water over it. Wait about 15 minutes, use a washcloth & rung the excess water out & placed it over my forehead or the offending ear. I secure it to my forehead with an ace bandage…within a few minutes, the sinus pain went away.

It works the same on headache and sinus pressure. I left this there for a 30 minutes & continued with it over lymph node gland just below the ear, & felt the swelling relax, & the accompanying sore throat also vanished.

For the ear pain, I found that taking a clove of garlic and wrapping it in a tissue and crushing it with a flat knife, inserting it in my ear (not the canal) and securing it with first-aid tape or band-aid before bed and leave it in all nite works miracles for earache.

This remedy works for swollen lymph nodes in the neck, earache, sinus issues, sore throat. I remember reading one of NCBI database studies that crushed raw garlic, the fumes can inhibit microbes up to 6 inches away. That would explain why placing a crushed garlic bulb wrapped in tissue on the ear opening works.

For sinus headache, I create a mixture of ground ginger and water. Consistency is a matter of personal preference- I mix equal parts ginger and water and use a basting brush to put it on my forehead. If the headaches not too bad, it takes care of it within a half hour.

Just so that I am clear, are you drinking the apple cider vinegar or using it as a nasal rinse in a netti pot?

Has anyone tried using Apple Cider vinegar capsules in place of liquid...

If so would appreciate any info you can provide.

I tried Bee Pollen at the Wednesday Farmer's Market. I liked it, so I went back today to buy it. I came home and once again I started to feel a really bad sinus headache coming on. In fact, I felt it coming on last night, filling my sinus cavities with pain.

I went upstairs after today's farmer's market to lie down due to the pain of a Sinus Headache and I asked my husband to bring up the bee pollen and a spoon. So he did, now I feel pretty good. The relief is almost instant.

CAUTION: on the allergy page, people put a caution saying that you have to work yourself up to having more of this stuff. Worth it to read the Allergy page here at Earth Clinic for the bee pollen caution.

So glad I found this remedy. Nothing has gotten rid of this darned Sinus headache, the pressure, the fatigue - Urgh! So I put some Cayenne Pepper on the handle of a tea spoon and stuck my tongue in it. Yes, after a moment or two my tongue started to burn, (you know - that good burn you get when you eat something way too spicy?), then my gums and teeth felt very apparent (lol), then the drooling. Stay over the sink so you can spit it out ok. I then did a couple of inversion yoga poses to help the process along and I can honestly say that the pressure I was feeling has diminished (not totally gone), but I'm not feeling 'Urgh' anymore. Next time I'm gonna try the snorting it version (although this scares me a little, I feel a direct hit at the problem may bring more relief?)

I find that a megadose of vitamin C (2000 mg) will take care of a sinus headache. Repeat when it starts bothering you again.