Quick Sinus Relief: Natural Remedies for Congestion

Oil Pulling

Posted by Sylvia (Laveen, Arizona) on 09/17/2007
★★★★★

I started OP two weeks ago. The results are amazing. My sinus problems have cleared up after much mucus building and spitting the first few days. Sinus med's are now a thing of the past. My teeth are brighter and my gums no longer bleed when I brush my teeth. My hair is thicker and shinier. I have adult acne that flairs up at times and the OP hasn't really done much for that. I will keep up on the OP daily in hopes that it will clear up my skin. This OP is amazing.

Apple Cider Vinegar Sniff

Posted by Kin (Auckland, New Zealand) on 07/31/2007
★★★★★

Hi all, just to tell you guys that I pour ACV on a paper towel and sniff it to clear block nose, this method helps me especially during night times woke up with a block nose. I started ACV for just couple of weeks, I will post again few months later on how I struggle with ill health and how this website helps me when my recovery is more concrete. Thanks for keeping this website free for everyone. (It meant so much to me). I am sure your good spirits will be rewarded.

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Posted by Sherry (Weatherford, TX) on 11/19/2006
★★★★★

I suffered for years from chronic sinusitis that would last for months at a time with little or no relief. I was taking Cipro until my Dr. voiced his concern for my future. He told me that because I am allergic to Penicillin and I was taking the strongest prescription of Cipro available with little effect, if I got a bad infection, there would be nothing that they could do for me. This made me look for an alternative natural cure. I found out about GSE online and immediately bought it. I had been suffering at that time with an episode of sinusitis that had lasted for over 2 months straight with facial/head pain. I was desperate! I mixed it with water and a little salt and sniffed it as instructed, and within 30 minutes I felt and actually heard crackling in my sinuses. I started feeling relief, and by the next day I felt better than I had in years! It totally subsided within about 3 days. I have not had sinusitis since that day. Anytime I feel any sinus pressure or a cold coming on, I reach for the GSE. I bought the bottle 4 years ago for $18 and I am still using the same bottle. What a great and inexpensive cure!

Cayenne

Posted by Jen (Toronto, Ontario) on 10/04/2006
★★★★★

I drank a mixture of lemon water cayenne pepper and syrup. Within a few hours, not only was my sinus clear but so was my chest and I could breathe much better.

Serrapeptase

Posted by Robert (Palm Springs) on 12/27/2022
★★★★★

Serrapeptase clears up my sinuses within hours it is pretty amazing stuff. Study shows that clears sinus and reduces inflammation, pain and mucous. After taking it for three to four days . When I read the reviews some people reported that it helped them clear the sinus within hours.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Kelly (Seattle) on 02/21/2026

I respectfully and completely disagree with Endi. The 'healthy' bacteria in ACV is not the thing that clears sinuses. Multiple studies have shown that it's the acetic acid that has antibacterial and some antifungal and antiviral activity -- it disrupts cell membranes and viral envelopes and lowers local pH.

With sinus infections, etc., you're not trying to seed the area with flora; you're trying to reduce pathogen load, break biofilms, and improve mucociliary clearance, which aligns with acetic acid's properties, not with adding extra yeasts or bacteria.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne

Posted by Katie (Wisconsin) on 10/03/2018
★★★★★

Yesterday at 3pm, my head felt like it was in an aquarium. Ears clogged, headache, completely stuffed up. I took 2 TBSP of ACV (with the mother) in a mug of hot water with a few shakes of cayenne pepper. My sinuses did ease up a bit within 30 minutes, going from a cement wall to a moist sponge, but that was about it. This morning, I took the same thing again. It's 2pm and– compared to yesterday at this time –I'd say I've improved 70%. I can breathe through my nose easily and taste things. No headache, no clogged ears. Vast improvement.

***Important to note though: make sure you're downing tons of water and liquids in addition to this ACV tea. Also, be sure that the ACV is shaken up and has brown sediment floating in it, aka the "mother"; you don't want the clear, clean stuff.

Eliminating Facial Moisturizer

Posted by Anon (Anon) on 04/29/2016
★★★★★

I have been suffering from stuffy sinuses for years! I thought it was my cat! I finally figured out that it was the moisturizer I was using on my face that caused it! Just one day is all it took to cure the problem. ONE DAY!!!! Argh. I used a big name natural oatmeal kind even. No moisturizer, no stuffy sinuses.

I also discovered that the big name conditioner I was using has been causing me fibromyalgia-type symptoms in my neck and shoulders and arms. I wash with dish soap and feel much better! Crazy world. I have waist length hair. I discovered I actually don't really need conditioner even. I just brush my hair once it has dried. A little spritz of vinegar keeps the static away. If the ends are too dry I put a tiny bit of hand lotion on them.

On a side note, I have been using Borax for washing for a while. The other day I washed my face with the rag dampened with Borax solution and my face looked sunburned afterward. Other bar soaps seemed to do the same thing sometimes. Dunno if it was the Borax, but a word of caution just in case.

Awesome site :)

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Chloespeaks (Nyc) on 11/08/2015
★★★★★

I came home last night with a serious bout of sneezes after walking the dog through windy fall leafy weather. Immediate massive congestion accompanied by runny nose. I neti'ed immediately which helped the sneezing but everything else still present. I even took a Zyrtec, which again, helped but still massively congested after 3 hours.

Drank a warm glass of 8oz water, 2 Tablespoons honey, 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar and it immediately cleared one nostril. Felt like 50% better but my sense of smell was still gone for about one hour. Then I took another, milder dose, 1 Tablespoon each of honey/ACV. I got less noticeable relief but went to bed and slept soundly (snoring though which only happens with congestion). Woke this morning with one side still congested, but now 2 hours later completely 90% clear with sense of smell back.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Kerich (Nakuru, Kenya) on 12/17/2013
★★★★★

What a wonderful moments! Hey it works barely a day men GOD IS GREAT! Over the past my nostrils have been a mess. I used my mouth to breathe. I took it as instructed ooh my GOD. Thank you so much. i had suffered for years that I frequently went for HIV test though I was 100% I had never misbehaved anywhere.Once again thank you earth clinic for sharing this information so crucial .sinus distracted my undergraduate that at one time I nearly opted to defer. Cheers men!

Oregano Oil

Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 02/13/2026
★★★★★

Effect of oregano oil (Origanum Vulgare L.) on chronic rhinosinusitis: A randomized, double-blind, 4 week clinical trial

Source: http://op.niscpr.res.in/index.php/IJTK/article/view/35368

A study tested oregano oil nasal spray for treating sinus problems. It had 75 adults in three groups. One group used oregano oil, another used a steroid spray, and the last group used a fake spray with sesame oil. After four weeks, people using oregano oil had much better results. Their symptom scores dropped by 51.52 points. The steroid group's scores dropped by 21.60, and the fake spray group's by 11.84. This means the oregano oil really helped with their symptoms.

Fresh Ginger Root

Posted by Tara (Springfield, Illinois) on 01/11/2008
★★★★★

Sinus Cure I had really bad sinus congestion about a month.After trying all kinds of over the counter products I decided to try a natural remedy using fresh ginger root.I cut about 2-3 onces off the ginger root, peeled it.Then I placed it inside a tea cup of water and put it in the micro wave for 3 minutes and allowed it to cool a little before sipping.I did not notice the results until three days later, I went to blow my nose and lots of brown mucus came out of my nose.I drank a few more cups after that and now I feel clear and more better.

Steaming

Posted by Millie (New York, NY) on 11/25/2006
★★★★★

i have been suffering from a cold/sinus infection this entire week. it put a damper on my 4-day thanksgiving weekend. i cannot take over the counter cold remedies because they make my heart race, so i've been overdosing on vitamin c and echinacea, but to no avail. finally today, after not being able to breathe and having a bowling ball headache for four days, i went online to seek out a natural remedy and found your site and talk about acv. i had forgotten about it and actually pulled out a book i have from years ago and started reading. i was feeling so awful today that i had no intentions of walking out the door, still in my pajamas and looking sick, so i called my local health food store and begged them to deliver me a bottle of acv. i drank an acv/water mixture and also tried boiling a mixture in a pot and breathing in the stream. i can't believe that i've been breathing now for over an hour (i sure hope it lasts). i had to write because this is really terrific. thanks for reminding me of the benefits of acv. now that i dusted off the book, it's staying out where i can keep on reading.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Anonymous (USA) on 06/28/2006
★★★★★

Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with a 50/50 mixture of h202 and distilled water. This is great for colds and plugged sinuses. The peroxide will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes then blow your nose into tissue. Warning -- it may sting for a minute or two!

Steaming

Posted by Hana (Bayonne) on 07/25/2005
★★★★★

Remedy #2: Steaming Hot Towels: IS A BLESSING! THANKS TO WHO EVER WROTE THAT!

Black Pepper, Green Tea

Posted by ENRIQUE (Philippines) on 05/17/2025
★★★★★

For mucus build-up prevention I drink hot green tea sprinkled with grinded black pepper seed. I observed its much faster than ACV, but a little slower than cayenne. Black pepper also has higher ORAC value than cayenne. I use these three interchangeably.

Sage Tea Nasal Rinse

Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 03/25/2025
★★★★★

For secretion of the mucous membrane of the nose, Sage tea is sniffed up the nose. In otherwords, Sage tea used in a neti-pot.

From the Book: Health through God's Pharmacy Advice and Proven Cures with Medicinal Herbs by Maria Treben

Cayenne

Posted by Clew (Stephenville, Texas) on 09/30/2022
★★★★★

So I tried the cayenne pepper on a qtip with nasal solution and sprinkled cayenne onto the tip and then put in into my nostril and sniffed it. Yes it burned but that did not last too long and within 5 minutes my nose started to run and I felt drainage in the back if my throat. I will do this more often until I feel clear!!!! Thanks earth clinic and everyone here!!!