How to Relieve Sinus Congestion

Wondering how to relieve sinus congestion? In most cases, allergies or a virus are to blame. Once the winds change or the infection clears up, you'll breathe easily again.

Chronic sinus congestion, along with a sinus headache, may indicate sinusitis. With sinusitis, your sinuses are inflamed and blocked. A fungal or bacterial infection could be to blame. In this case, relieving sinus pressure is only part of the goal. You should see your doctor to isolate the cause of the sinus pain and find treatment options.

For short-term relief, there are several things you can do to minimize sinusitis:

Dietary Changes
It is possible to reduce outbreaks of sinusitis by changing what you eat. Since sinusitis is an inflammatory disease, it involves the immune system. You may encounter some relief by changing your diet.

Reducing the consumption of foods that contain arachidonic acid can help relieve sinus congestion. Consuming arachidonic acid causes your body to produce leukotrienes, which act like histamines and irritate the body. Arachidonic acid is found in animal products, so switching to a diet that is rich in whole grains and vegetables but limits animal products may help reduce episodes of sinusitis.

Also consider adding more alliums to your diet. Members of the allium family include onions and garlic. Alliums thin out mucus secretions, which helps the mucus clear the sinus cavities instead of building up. Eating a meal that contains spicy foods, like cayenne or horseradish, can also help stimulate the flow of mucus.

Moisture
Make sure the air in your home is not too dry. The air needs to have the proper amount of humidity. Increasing the moisture in the air helps thin the mucus, allowing it to drain. It also keeps your nostrils from drying out and chapping, which only adds to your discomfort.

A humidfier can regulate the amount of moisture in the air and can be very helpful during the winter months, when heat and weather conditions leave the air dry. Be sure to clean the humidifier daily; it can be a breeding ground for mold and mildew, which will only make things worse for allergy sufferers.

Another way to moisten your sinuses is to drape your head with a towel and hold it over a pot of steaming water. The vapors will loosen the congestion. You can also try a nasal saline solution, sold in drugstores.

Nasal Irrigation
Flushing the nasal passages with a salt-water solution clears out mucus, irritants and bacteria. To irrigate the sinus passages, use a bulb syringe or Neti pot.