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DG (Baltimore, MD) on 11/11/2008:
I have had some luck clearing my sinuses using Vick Vaporub as follows as described below (note it has some EUCALYPTUS OIL in it)
Caution: this mixture WILL bubble and splatter unless the Vicks is mixed in SLOWLY.
I heat a coffee cup of water to near boiling. Then slowly and carefully I dip a half teaspoon of Vicks into the cup just a little at a time while breathing the vapors into my nose. At first you have to go VERY SLOW or the mixing with bubble over and make a big mess. When I first did this there was some burning sensation, but it causes a lot of mucus to run and seems to open things up.
It has NOT been a cure all, but it is one thing I do and it might be a ready source of EUCALYPTUS OIL (at a low concentration) for those who want to try it without hunting around.
I am prone to sinus infection as well as bronchitis, the florida weather had gotten a little cooler and I felt a sinus infection coming on and then an onset of bronchitis. So I brewed a .50 oz of eucalyptus ( like you do coffee or tea in a coffee pot (12 cup) and then I put some sugar in, (optional) and drank that one time, and i felt the difference overnight, I then continued to drink a cup for the next couple of days to make sure that everything was cleared up.. I still make a pot of Eucalyptus tea. its great for cool nights and days, or refreshing on hot days.
After getting a heavy bout of sinus infection / congestion I was keen to try the apple cider vinegar (with 'mother' in it). On Day One I consumed about three tablespoons at once and followed it with a chaser of flavoured water. The sinus seemed to get somewhat better, but I felt close to vomiting for a couple of hours after, and also had a headache, which I am not sure was just coincidental. I continued this for three days, one shot a day, but could not find any obvious improvement in my conditions. I then tried the tomato tea which was pleasant to drink, but didn't have any obvious effect on my sinuses. I then started putting eucalyptus oil on a clean handkerchief and continued sniffing this on a regular basis (up to once every couple of minutes). I would reapply eucalyptus oil to the handkerchief about four times a day. This really dried up the nasal passage and reduced the pressure in my sinuses. Of an evening I put the handkerchief near my pillow so the fumes are constantly being drawn into my nostrils as I sleep. I now use it on an as required basis and sniff it once or twice an hour if I feel sinuses building up. Eucalyptus oils are not all the same strength. The stronger the better.
I used to get a sinus infection with every cold I got. then I would take an antibiotic and it would go away. for the last 3 years, I have taken 2 drops of essential oil of eucalyptus directly on my tongue at the first sign of a cold. As a result, I have not had the sore throat and stuffy nose that usually came with my colds AND they have not turned into an infection. I haven't had any antibiotics in 3 years. I recommended this to my sister in law who suffered from the same ailments and she swears by it too.