Quick Sinus Relief: Natural Remedies for Congestion

I have been severely congested after having first the flu and then a bad cold.... Nothing was breaking it up: not neti pot, saline sprays, decongestant sprays (that makes it worse, eventually). In Oregon you must have a prescription for Sudafed, which has been the only remedy which works... "Phenylphrine" just doesn't do any good. So I tried the Apple Cider Vinegar potion with honey and hot water. I didn't think it would work, but less than 10 minutes I could breathe again!! Fantastic cure... I hope it lasts. Thank you!

In search of a natural cure for my week long severe sinus congestion I came here for advice. 5 days of antibiotics and mucinex have done nothing. I tried the ACV last night out of desperation. This horrendous tasting remedy did nothing for my sinuses but irritated my stomach and caused intestinal problems. The thought of drinking this potion again makes my skin crawl.

Mother always said good medicine may taste bad, but it generally does the trick. I swear by ACV for a lot of illnesses. Whenever my sister calls to say she has an ailment I look up the cure and come back to her to say it says ACV...she laughs and says you say ACV for everything. Some wonderful stuff ACV is!!!! Comes from an apple...an apple a day keeps the doctor away!!!

Sounds too good to be true, and I'm still skeptical. Have severe sinus congestion, at times during the day I can't blow in or out of my nose. I don't have infection, as I've just finished antibiotics. Nose has been plugged off and on for a month, increasingly more and more. Tried everything that has been recommended by friends/pharmacists etc to no avail. Was so happy to find this site and hear all the positive outcomes.... So mixed up the ACV, honey in water, drank it, nothing after 15 minutes, so drank some more with much less water. Even inhaled ACV fumes awhile. It's been 20 minutes and still no difference. I need this to work, but I have serious doubts.

Just wanted to thank everyone for the comments. I tried 2TBS of Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with a cup of warm water out of desperation. 2 minutes later I heard the congestion break on one side. While the other side didn't clear I was able to get a decent night's sleep for 1st time in a few days. I'm sold and will def keep this remedy in mind for future use. Thanks again!

Debbie--Hate to be a problem, but in the article concerning the use of Apple Cider Vingar, Honey & Water--maybe I missed it but I c/not determine the amount of ACV to use. Welcome to the first day of Spring. Harry

My sinuses have been congested for days. I am 17 years old and I've tried pretty much every OTC medicine I can find. I just tried the ACV remedy using 8oz of water, 2 TBSP ACV, and 2 TBSP of honey. After about ten minutes, I could already breathe through my nose again! I couldn't even taste anything because my congestion was so bad, and now I can again. Thanks, this was great!

Thanks I'm keeping my head covered all the time, especially if it help with my sinuses. Also I been using ACV for my congestion. I pray it breaks this congestion out my chest. I drink it along with Cayenne pepper and tea and cinnamon lemon juice. I been down a week ready to stand sinuses relief.

I have to admit I am sharing because I got results, was desperate could not sleep sinuses blocked could not breathe, headache, pressure and ear ache, I immediately took 8 oz hot water, 2TBL of ACV and 2TBL honey. Came back and kept reading (still a little skeptical) I had to run for tissue for my nose started just running (within 10 min) just water flowing, now I am breathing after 20 minutes Thank you

I just used this remedy and it worked wondefully! My Granny used to give me this when I was a child when I was sick and all stuffed up... I'd forgotten about this remedy until now. Its going down in my book as a "tried and true" remedy! Thanks!

Hi I am a longtime sinus suferrer and have gone through a lifetime of antibiotics, I have no health insurance and always opt for a hollistic method first I also have chronic asthma as well as many other ailments. While sitting in agony and desperate for help I stumbled across this website and just happened to have the miracle ingridients here at home I got a 8oz glass of water put in 2 tsp of honey and drank it.

As I was reading all theese threads and about 30 min later and thinking yeah right like this is going to work all of a sudden my packed sinuses started moving I could feel it and while reading I had to run to the restroom my nose was running like a faucet and my nasal pasages feel so clear I am in total shock and dibelief this really is a miracle thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart I am a true believer now I will pass this on to everyone I know crying from happiness thank you again I was about to bash my head into a wall before reading this literaly. Thank you , helena

Please tell me the particular type of honey you used, and was the water hot or room temperature. Also, was anything else added to the water besides the honey? Thanks.

This seems rather drastic. The same thing happens to me when I cook (very spicy) authentic Thai and Indian food. And it's a lot more pleasurable. I love the chile high, and the nose-clearing goodness of those thai chiles. Eating spicy food on a regular basis is great for the body.

Wow! I'll have to remember this! Thank you for sharing! :D

I drank the suggested 2TBS ACV in 8OZ water last night because I really didn't want my sinus to remain congested today. I slept incredibly well and did not wake all night with stuffy head like the day before. This morning, the congestion is markedly less. I still have some congestion in my sinus and some has gone into my throat around the voice box region. Yesterday I did Oil Pulling, Cayenne gargling and ACV and it has turned my horrible sore throat, severely stuff sinus and headache (no fever) into a mild congestion in my nose and throat. I love this site! Thank you, and another YEA! For ACV please!

I was skeptical, but yep - sure enough. The ACV worked. Just smelling the vinegar started to open up my sinuses. I'm so super thankful because I think there is nothing quite so maddening as packed sinuses.

I have a question about sinus congestion. 10 days ago I developed ear infections in both ears along with a sinus infection. I have had sinus pain/pressure for about two years but never knew it was my sinuses until I went to the dr last week. I'm on antibiotics and the ear infections are cleared up, although my right ear is still somewhat plugged. But my sinuses are still congested, although I don't have any nasal discharge and nothing comes out when I blow my nose. I have been taking the unfiltered ACV, 2TB in warm water with honey, 2X daily for two days now. I do notice some mucus coming from my mouth several times a day but it doesn't feel like it's working on my sinuses. Is it common for it to take longer to open up my sinuses?

Ive been diagnosed with chronic sinusitis, everytime i get sick it goes right to my sinuses. A few years ago I had a CT Scan and/or MRI(cant remember which) of my sinuses and they were almost all impacted, so they put me on antibiotics for 6 weeks, the heavy duty stuff, and when they did they scan afterwards it was worse! So ive suffered long with sinus headaches. This past week, my sinuses have kind of cleared, i can breathe, but i still sound stuffed, my sinuses hurt and my ear is plugged. I went in before it got really bad and they said i had to wait until it got bad. I work right across the street from an organic store, so i went and bought some ACV today and i look forward to using it, thanks to this website! Ill let you know how it works! Thanks everyone!

Used it twice yesterday and this morning, I can hear out of both of my ears again! Verry happy. Had some sinus drainage also. Getting better!

Amy, I have had the same thing for two weeks. The only thing that gave me relief was using a netti pot with a little hydrogen peroxide in it. It stung a little... Ok maybe a lot at times but after I let it out of my sinus' I started sneezing like crazy. After I was done I could breath clear out of both nostrils. Does not last but when I started doing it I couldn't get it to come out the other nostril and now I can with some patience. Good luck!!

Kathy, I am suffering with the same thing. I was at the doctor yesterday and informed that after a nasty sinus infection, the sinuses can swell. No matter how much I blow my nose I still feel pressure up in the sinus area. This is due to the swelling. I was given a perscription for a nasal spray which will reduce inflamation, but am looking at other options to help with congestion. It has been about 8 weeks of sinus problems, I just want a break! I have just started the spray so we will see!

Just wanted to say thank you I couldn't sleep all night so I looked up head congestion and found this site. Luckily I had a bottle of ACV I chugged what was left in the bottle down and now my head feels clear. I will go buy me another bottle tomorrow. Thanks again great tip, I will also be making some of that tomato tea sounds awesome.

hello Ive been suffering from congestion in my chest/nose for the past 4 days. I tried the acv recipe and I can feel my sinuses draining thank god. tomorrow is my 21st birthday so I have a big day ahead of me tomorrow. I tried (every otc medicine I could get my hands on). With no results they seemed to be congesting me even more and I couldn't sleep more then 2 hrs at a time. So I jumped on the web and looked up natural remedies and came across this website. I didn't have all or any of the ingredients to make the spicy tomato drink. So I went to the next remedy I could find on the site. Its now 4:20 am and I can breath now!! I live alone so i don't have measuring spoons/cups so I just put 2 big splashes of acv into a 1/2 bottle of water. I couldn't taste a thing so i drank it down and now I feel great (well I can breath/sleep now) I cant tell you how thankful I am. thanks again. who would have guessed acv is all i needed to breath lol. from skeptic to believer

I just recently began to develop sinus congestion. I was completely stuffed up & had no decongestant in medicine cabinet. I decided to try a remedy that had read about in an old book my mom had.

I combined 1cup of water with 2 tsp apple cider vinegar & a heaping 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper.Within minutes my sinuses began to clear. The bonus of this recipe is that the cayenne is great for a sore throat. It makes it feel better & is anti-microbial.

Thanks so much, I just tried it. I had also read that drinking ACV in water daily and eliminating sugar for a couple weeks will also get rid of parasites in the bowels. Gross but it happens. It helped my sinsus but it many take longer for it to really help in the long term. It is a healthy way. Better than tons of antacids and foreign made toxic sinus meds. Decongestants, (so I've read online) will rise the blood pressure so it's good to avoid that in people with hypertension. I have to stand in the shower most mornings to get some relief of allergies. Washing the face daily and especially around the nose helps wash off any kinds of pullens that might attach to the face. Washing hair and clothing daily helps too, to avoid pollens.

How often does one have to do the ACV drink? I did it..my left nose opened up but my right nose is still blocked..thank you for sharing.

Hi Mojisola - As the ingredients are not harmful, you could do it several times a day - or per hour when things are bad. I put ACV in my drinking water bottle all the time. Helps keep it alkaline. As long as it's not overheated (as in boiled) both the honey & the ACV are powerful blessings/remedies for so many things.

I like to put the ACV & honey into the cup while the water is heating on the stove, then pour in the warmed water.

Wow this apple cider vinegar is a definite Godsend, I am going to make certain to always have a bottle around. I mixed 2 1/1 tablespoons of ACV into one 8oz glass of water then warmed it in the microwave drank it and BAHM my nose opened up, chest felt better and I no longer feel dizzy, weak. Before the ACV, I was on 3 antibiotics, mucus relief pill, sudafed for sinus congestion and cough. All the medication only made me feel worse...weak, dizzy but the ACV is awesome! I highly recommend it. I am even doing ACV inhalations. I have only been on it one day but so far results have been very promising.

I mixed 8 ounces of hot water with 3 tablespoons of ACV with honey. I have been drinking it twice a day for 3 days now. Its hard to say if its curing me or not. I've been feeling a little better since I took it, but it may have just been the fact that it is the end of my cold/flu whatever it is. My congestion is really bad, and it cleared away while I was drinking, but came back a few minutes later. Overall, I still feel awful, but the congestion doesn't feel as strong. Hard to say, but worth a shot! I think my sickness was just too serious, I need stronger meds.

sugar water, sinus

Try a teaspoon of sugar in half a coffee cup of water, a few drops in the nostrils at a time works. Would someone please comment on whether this is good to do or not. I do know that it works rather quickly and seems far less harmful than medication all the time.

ACV and Sinus congestion: Holy heck! In December, for the first time ever in my 32 years on this earth, I had sinus issues. They put me on steriods and antibiotics. I've never quite felt the same since. Then I developed allergy sypmtoms since then too. I've been battling the green, nasty, thick snot for about a week now. I lost my job and no longer have insurance so I hopped online and found this. Well, the ACV that I use to condition my hair also got rid of this congestion. I have a huge bottle of it so I made the mixture. It has been a 1/2 hour and I'm not kidding, it's a MIRACLE!!! It's almost too good to be true. Oddly enough, I love the taste of vinegar...I know I'm weird, so this is like an excuse to drink vinegar. :)

hi i used 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 2 table spoons of honey to 8 ounces of water.(lukewarm) i drank this mix for atleast 3 times a day but this is the 3rd day with no relief. i am also taking steam ihalation but with no relief for my pain.

I tried the Apple Cider Vinegar and I didn't have any relief. In fact it irritated my stomach. I mixed 2 tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar with 8 oz of water and drank the mixture. I waited and tried again with no change. Maybe I have something to severe or it just didn't work for me. On to something else

ACV has helped my congestion; I have had sinus problems(congestion) for a few months and have tried prescription and OTC medicines. The over the counter stuff helped a little but not much and the prescription decongestant my doctor didn't want to prescribe it for me again after taking it for two months. I tried the ACV tonite and although it tasted bad I can breath out of my nose. I still have a headache and feel a little dizzy because I am still sick---but I can breath out of my nose. I drank this mixture: 2 tablespoons acv, 2 tablespoons honey and 8 ounces of warm water. I drank a tiny bit of soda afterwards to get the taste out of my mouth. I will try this again tommorow. It has been approx. 30 minutes since I drank the mixture and so far I am impressed with being able to breath thru my nose.

This is truly amazing! I haven't been able to breathe through my nose in three days, the congestion has been so bad. I couldn't even sleep last night because of it! I've tried five kinds of over the counter cold and sinus medicines and nothing phased it. I just drank a glass of water with 2.5 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, and now I'm able to breathe freely. The effect was immediate. Thank you so much!! This site has been very helpful to me.

WORKED TEMPORARILY

My dad and I do this it helps for about an hour though... :P

Thank goodness for this site! I've had this horrible cold for 5 days now, I don't like over the counter cold remedies and I have no health insurance so I can't go to a doctor. About 5 minutes ago I mixed 2 Tablespoons of ACV with 8 ounces of water and BEHOLD!!! I can breathe again!! My sinuses are not all the way clear yet but the pressure is gone and one nostril is completely unblocked. I feel a lot better. Thanks eveyone for the great idea.