Quick Sinus Relief: Natural Remedies for Congestion

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 found home remedies with acv and thought it worked great. For those who can't handle the taste try steam inhaling to clear the congestion. For a simple and quick session, I filled a small pan with half water and half acv and boil on the stove. Once it comes to a full boil turn off the stove and just breathe in the steam. My husband thought I just worked a miracle on him with this simple procedure. Good luck!!

Hello Tim from Strawn,

The first thing anyone with sinus problems should do is eliminate all things that might be keeping your sinuses constantly irritated, such as perfumes, smoking, after shave lotions, hair spray, cosmetics, paint fumes, etc. Always beware of anything you can see or smell in the air you breathe is my motto.

That said, now I'll tell you about my 73 year old brother with a longstanding history of sinus problems, who relates a long history of frequent visits to doctors (including the specialists called ENT doctors) with no lasting relief. After listening to his complaints I told him about swabbing my own nose out with hydrogen peroxide (H202) when the congestion or clogging would get so bad and suggested that he might try a 1:1 H202/water solution to spray in his nose to see if it would clear it up and explained that the H202 alone did sting. Well, he one-upped me. A couple of nights ago he called to tell me that he had started spraying the straight H202 up his nose a couple of months ago, that yes it did sting but he could put up with the sting for the good it was doing. The first thing he mentioned was that bleeding from one side of the nose that he had been having (for a year or more) had stopped. The second thing he mentioned was the nasty yellow gook was clearing up. He also said that just minutes after spraying it in his nose he could feel it breaking loose and running down his throat. At this point, I happily told him that it must be improving his hearing as I hadn't had to yell over the phone & keep repeating what I said several times as usual tonight. Another thing that helps to keep the nasal passages open is flushing with normal saline, which is rather pricey when purchased from the pharmacy. However you should be able to find how much NaCl (table salt) to add a pint of boiling water to make your own at home. You should also be able to skip the boiling part if you add it to distilled water.

For those curious enough to do the math, to realize how pricey it is from the pharmaceutical company, go price the small bottle of normal saline nasal spray, making a note of the cc or ounces in the bottle. Go home, grab a pencil & paper (or do it the easy way and grab your calculator) and knowing that 30cc=1 ounce, start multiplying 30cc x 16oz (l pint) x 8 (pints per gallon) will quickly tell you how much it would cost you per gallon. It won't make you any happier the next time you fill up your gas tank, but at least you'll know that you are paying less for the gas than you would for the gallon of normal saline (NS). After all the pharmaceutical doesn't have to pay a high price per barrel of oil and then refine. All they have to invest in is a gallon of distilled (or boil their tap water) water and add a few teaspoonfuls of table salt to it & bottle it up to make a big profit.

They make a little Neti pot especially for flushing your nose, but a small ear syringe or a 3 to 5cc hypodermic syringe purchased from the medicine section of your local farmer's co-op should work just as well, if not better. If it comes with a needle attached, please remove the needle before using it to flush your nose.

WORKED TEMPORARILY

Hi Gladys. Read your piece about ACV. I tried it, worked at first, then it didnt. I was wondering if you found something that works for night sinus pressure? Thanks Tim

I have had severe head congestion for nearly a week now and the over the counter stuff isn't working much. I just tried two swigs of ACV and wow! The relief is instant. Much like eating spicy foods. I suspect the amount of relief one gets is directly related to how diluted (or not diluted) the ACV really is.

Nasal Irrigation/Neti Pot for Sinus Congestion

I developed a terrible cold over the weekend. Sore throat, drainage, etc. As the cold cleared up I developed a terrible sinus headache due to congestions behind my left eye. I am very prone to these type of headaches. I was already doing cayenne & ACV for the sore throat, but my head was still killing. My mom has used a neti pot in the past and suggested that I try that. Not having a neti pot on hand, I tried nasal irrigation using a bulb syringe. My headache was gone immediately. Will definitely be doing this every time I feel a sinus headache coming on.

I used a mixture of 1/4 ts salt in 2 c luke warm water. Fill the syringe as completely as you can. Lean slightly forward, insert the tip of the syringe approx. 1 in into nostril, and angle tip towards outside of eye. Squeeze syringe to flush saline mixture. Allow the saline mixture to drain back out (may drain through other nostril or back of throat). Repeat twice on each side.

ACV and cayenne pepper in hot water cured sinus congestion.

This simple remedy really works! My head was stuffed up for a few days and getting worse. Yesterday afternoon I took 1 tablespoon raw ACV in a mug of hot water with a big pinch of cayenne pepper. My nasal passages started to clear even as I was sipping and within an hour my head felt a lot clearer. I did this 3 times altogether, taking the last mug before bed and woke up this morning with a clear head!

I've used this remedy on two occasions now and with almost immediate results. I think it helps if you breathe in the vapours also.

Thankyou, Earthclinic! Love this site.

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.

Allergies -- 20 yrs. ago I had allergies, to mold, dust, grass, trees(oak). I had head aches everyday for two years. I finally moved out of the house I lived in. It took two years for the headache to go away, ecept that in the spring they came back. It led me on along journey to health. I changed my diet to a healthy one. Fruits and veg. less red meat, more fish, pork and chicken. I also juiced and now grow seeds. in a jar for salads. One of the best things I did was the netti pot to clean my sinuses, especially when the allergie season came. I also made a tea with sliced garlic, and filtered water, (1clove in 1cup water). let it cool and put it in a spray bottle. I used it to spray my throat and nasal passages. Garlic is a antibaterial.You can use oregano too.(1tsp.in 8ozs.water) I do this when ever I feel a cold or a soar throat coming on. The next day its gone. If your ears hurt use 3% pure hydrogen peroxide. A few drops in ea. ear. I haven't been sick for three years now. Recently I read a website about vitamin A. It is so vital to our mucus membranes. My thoughts are that maybe we are defficient in vit. A. I think that everyone who has allergies should read that site. She was a very important figure in nutrition after world war I or II. I recently went on cod liver oil pills.(vit A} I remember years ago mothers gave 1tsp. of cod liver oil to their children. Why, I don't know. Adelle Davis has old books on health an nutrition. My elderly Aunt told me about her. Its amazing what you can heal yourself, with the knowledge. Research is everthing. Dr.Oz, on Opha said, if you give the body what it needs, the body has the amazing ability to heal itself, and I never forgot that. Life is wonderful.

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.

Terrifying congestion.

I used the acv drink (i use it for nausea all the time - ice cold, sipping it...it works great! also, my father lost 20 pounds within two months just drinking it about five or six times a day - but he overdid everything...).

It gave "some" relief, but I was in a panic attack from not being able to breathe. Then i used the tomato tea....shiver!!! but i drank most of it and it also helped...but when i went to lie down, i was stuffed up again within a few minutes!

Then I used the combinatin of baking soda, salt and warm water in a neti pot (small tea pots work, too).

And now I finally can breathe. But it has been only about fifteen minutes. Longest yet. Also, i used the entire cup of warm water....

I have all of the recipes copied, each on a post-it sheet, lined up across the edge of my stove vent-top....if this one lets me down, I am on to the next one..

At least I have something to keep my panic attacks back. I really begin to panic because i already have asthma and a heart condition...so when i panic, it starts it all up... And i get very frightened. So if i have to go down the line, i will. I am willing to stay up all night and 'remedy' myself.

If this one is the 'winner' I will certainly return with my verdict..

I thank god for this site. He can give me relief directly, but he also uses people....and I think he did just that this time.

Thank you!.
Rosie in phoenix.

I have been a chronic sinus sufferer for years. when I get bad and have to clear up in a hurry. I find a shot of tobasco sause opens sinuses as soon as you drink it. but I wouldnt advise it if you have an stomach ulcer. works every time for me.

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. :)

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.

Awakened with nasal/sinus congestion on right side and irrigated with spray. It is now the end of the day, and the congestion has spread to the right ear with throbbing and pressure. I have a job interview tomorrow and HAVE to be alert and healthy. Decided to "google" sinus congestion remedies and found this amazing site. I found an unopened bottle of ACV, and I mixed about 2.25 TBS with a tall glass of room temperature water. Within the first couple of swallows, my sinuses began to drain, and my ear pressure was reduced. The taste is horrible, but I am encouraged already by the results. Will update my post in the A.M.

Sinus Congestion with Sore Throat:

I've always taken a dash of Cayenne Pepper (I'd say a teaspoon, but it's really as much as you can comfortably handle as an individual) with 2 tablespoons of Lemon Juice and 2 tablespoons of Honey in a mug of boiling water for a sore throat.

Great relief and tastes great too.

After reading other posts and some experimentation I am now changing my recipe to..

1 dash Cayenne Pepper
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons Honey
1 Mug boiling water

Same great taste, but better sinus relief as well as sore throat.

Belinda, your posting could have been me. I've been to the doc twice with 2 different prescriptions for antibiotics and then when my congestion got so bad that I couldn't breathe out of either nostril then I went to the pharmacy to buy over the counter drugs. I, even, talked with the pharmacist as what I should take. Nothing seemed to help and I was down to just one day of antibiotics left - I thought I should probably go see my doc again. Then for the heck of it I went online and typed in 'severe nasal congestion' and found this website. I had some apple cider vinegar in the basement so I got it out and mixed 2.5 tablespoons with an 8 oz. glass of ice water. I wasn't sure if I could drink it, but it wasn't too bad - a little bitter like lemon or limes. It was amazing within an hour both my nostrils were open and I could breathe. I fixed another glass to sit by my beside during the night and if I got up to go to the bathroom or simply started coughing, I'd take a little sip. I slept the best last night that I have in over a week and I didn't elevate my head to help me breathe. I'm not sure how drinking this gets up to my sinuses, but it surely seems to work - - and I was a big skeptic. Thank you!

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.

If you are suffering from cold and can not breathe- eat a bite of bread with a quarter of a tea spoon of horseradish. It works in seconds! But for a short time. So you will have to eat another bite in half an hour or so. But you will appretiate the life.

To Tasha from Springfield:

I make my own juice and put my apple cider vinegar in it. 1 apple, 3 carrots, 1/6 lemon with peel, 1 cup spinach and 1 Tablespoon ACV. I use organic ACV with the brown stingy stuff floating in it! This juice is so GOOD! You will not even notice the ACV in it, but it sure adds to the delicious taste.

You can find the organic, unfiltered ACV at your local grocery store. It will not be with the see-through stuff, but it will be in the same isle. I wish I could give you the name of the one I use, but it is against this wonderful website's policy (for good reason). ACV also cures hot flashes! It's a miracle tonic!

Remedy for sinus/chest congestion

This remedy will unfortunately make you miserable before it makes you better! You will need: cayenne pepper or chili powder (either works), garlic pepper, black pepper and red pepper. In a medium saucepan, add 3-4 tablespoons of each (enough to where you can really smell the pepper - it might make you start to sneeze, that's good). Bring the water to a simmer - not a boil, that will make it too hot. Put your face over the pot - not too close - and breathe in the steam through your nose and mouth. Make sure you have plenty of tissues handy, since you will start sneezing and coughing up all the gunk that is in your sinuses and your chest! Once you are done with this treatment your sinuses/lungs will feel much better, though.

Optional ingredients: mint leaves, ginger.

sinus congestion relief: Mix 2 or 3 teaspoons of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar. Tastes great and relieves congestion. Even better: add 1/4 cup raisins and boil, then allow to cool.

The pure unfiltered ACV can be found at health food stores, Trader Joes and Whole Foods, etc. It's superior and well worth looking for.

My sinus symptoms are gone! I can breathe through my nose now. Thank you all so much. I used 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of ACV, and about 6 ounces of hot water.

The reader in Lebanon uses a brand name, Tricel from Holland which if I remembered correctly is an equal combination of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate mix along with some other. Since I don't have the details of Tricel product with me, it might also have some potassium bicarbonate in there, but I can't be so sure, since Tricel is not available here locally. However in my mix, it's suppose to be 1/8 teaspoon of sodium carbonate, 1/8 teaspoon of potassium bicarbonate, and 1/8 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate. That's why I assume she needed only just Tricel. However, in the U.S. the product in U.S. maybe different.

In most encyclopedic definitions a soda crystals is simply sodium carbonate. However, in commercial applications they appear to have made a mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. The difficulty appears that in an American product, which is not Tricel, they sell them under another brand name, which if I remembered correctly is Arm and Hammer's washing soda.

However in the U.S. a washing soda is sodium carbonate only, but they don't use the word soda crystals. Ideally her dose is something more akin to this, since U.S. versions uses a pure sodium carbonate (washing soda) without any sodium bicarbonate. But my "carbicarb" mixture also requires the potassium to help the required sodium and potassium ratio, which I believe is important to ALWAYS add the potassium in a carbicarb + potassium formulas. Hence a more general dose appears to be closer to this: 1/8 teaspoon sodium carbonate, 1/8 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate, 1/8 teaspoon of potassium bicarbonate dissolved in 1 glass of water. I would take maybe some water to rinse the bitter after taste if I should take it.

A person's sinuses maybe relieved from either of this depending on the person's unique biochemistry. As in the case of the person who posted it it appears to be an allergy problem or excess blood pathogens, where the body is highly acid. As a result acidosis caused regularly sickness from metabolic acidosis. In that case, the acidity of the body is what triggered the sinus problem and hence the dose use is the carbicarb plus potassium remedy.

As for me, I live in a different environment and conditions. My sinus is from cold virus rather then a regular sinus issue. And also my body is on average alkaline, since I take baking soda most of the time (I like to take more frequently though!). The climate in which I live in Thailand is a lot warmer then the country such as Lebanon or Eastern European area or even most parts of the U.S. since I live in Thailand I sweat more from hot weather. Hence, I am more depleted of salts lost in the sweat, which caused runny nose and sinus problems. So if the body were somewhat more depleted of salt, I would go for the sea salt remedy, to reduce the sneezing or runny nose would immediately stopped, or mostly within 15-30 minutes. The dose is only just one single dose per day and it is between 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. It's difficult to measure since my sea salt granules are much larger then that of a table salt. I WOULD NOT use any table salt, it just worsens the condition as well as common table salts are ACID, where the pH is closer to 5, compare this to my ordinary sea salt where pH is at 7.5. So there's a big difference just from that alone. When taking sea salt the body becomes somewhat more dehydrated and it kills opportunistic virus or bacteria from increased levels of salinity. The runny nose would reduce because the bdoy won't need to produce fluids since the increase blood salinity would eventually pull out the liquids of runny nose into the body. Perhaps the runny nose occurs as the body tries to rid of fluids to increase the level of salinity necessary to kill the pathogens. This appears to be the case as sneezing and allergy on the nose is significantly reduced after the sea salt remedy is taken. However, if the body doesn't lack the salinity to kill it, at least runny nose would reduce, but allergy and sneezing should technicall be at the same level from pathogens attacking the sinus just the same. In my case it appears that my salinity level are low so sinus, allergy were helped with sea salt. But don't let that fool you since I also alkalize myself especially whenever I do have the cold, also using baking soda, but sometimes a stronger carbicarb+ potassium (equal mixes of sodium carbonate + sodium bicarbonate + potassium bicarbonate) dissoled in 1 glass of water. A sea salt of 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon is also dissolved, but I may either use 1 glass or 1/2 glass of water depending on the conditions.

Hopefully this may help clear up some of the problems concerning this use. It should be noted that it was Benjamin Franklin that first used sea salt water drinking in large quantities of water, - around a 1/2 liter of water (my guess) to ward off the cold virus. Of course he was not able to explain in great detail why. But an ordinar sea salt water has a pH of around 8.0 as well as being high in salt. So basically his remedy is similar to mind, although Benjamin Franklin had to take a small canoe out in the middle of the water to drink a fairly large quantities of water between 1/2 to 1 liter of water is just my guess. He was in fact not the originator of that idea either. He heard news that someone drank sea salt in as a way to ward off the cold. As for me I don't believe it will ward off the cold, but definitely it does help REDUCE the symptoms of cold, especially the runny nose and sinus issue, where the body is depleted of salt causing the body to shed more water to increase salinity killing off the pathogens by dehydration along the breathing passages.

Ted

what exactly is soda crystals? I am interested in trying this remedy. Thanks for the feedback....

Hello, I forgot to add in my post that I used a Neti Pot before taking the Oil of Oregano and Apple Cider Vinegar for my sinus congestion. The Neti Pot alone didn't leave my sinuses clear; but the combination of the Neti Pot, followed by 5 drops of OoO, and 2 tablespoons of ACV kept my sinuses clear for half the day. I also had my sense of taste back.

I've used this combination a second time now, and it is just as effective as the first time. This one's a keeper!