Sinus Problems

Take a deep breath, and you may inhale hundreds of irritants that can result in clogged sinuses. Among them are pollen, cigarette smoke, dust, cold germs and exhaust fumes from cars, trucks, buses and lawn mowers.

And when sinuses are clogged, the mucus they produce often can’t drain properly. Fluid builds up, causing pressure and pain—along with any number of problems, from bad breath and stuffy nose to toothache and infection. The natural remedies in this chapter—in conjunction with medical care and used with your doctor’s approval—may help ease sinus pain, according to some health professionals.

Acupressure

To help get rid of sinus pressure and pain, gently press both LI 20 points for a couple of minutes, says Michael Reed Gach, Ph.D., director of the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, California, and author of Acupressure’s Potent Points. There is one point on each side of your nose, found near your nostrils. (For help in locating these points, refer to the illustration on page 567.) You can press them simultaneously by using the index and middle fingers of one hand, says Dr. Gach.

Ayurveda

A sinus problem is caused by an excess of kapha dosha, according to Vasant Lad, B.A.M.S., M.A.Sc., director of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (For more information on the Ayurvedic doshas, see “All about Vata, Pitta and Kapha” on page 28.) He suggests the following remedy for severe and painful bouts of sinus congestion. The remedy is rather unpleasant, says Dr. Lad, but it works—fast.

“Use a garlic press to squeeze fresh garlic juice, then put the juice into an eyedropper,” he says. “Put a few drops into your nostrils and keep your head back so that the juice stays inside your nose for about five minutes.” Then, says Dr. Lad, sit up and let the garlic juice drain out onto a handkerchief or a tissue. He says your sinuses should be quite clear. Use this remedy no more than once a day when needed for sinus congestion, according to Dr. Lad; during a severe sinus attack, he says it may be repeated up to three times a day—morning, afternoon and evening.

For less severe sinus problems, a lukewarm saltwater solution may help restore easy breathing, according to Dr. Lad. To make the solution, he says to mix ½ teaspoon of salt in ½ cup of warm water. Then, he says, hold the salt water in the palm of your hand and sniff a bit into each nostril to help drain the sinuses. He suggests using this remedy as needed, up to three times an hour, to clear sinuses.

You can also sniff a pinch of ginger powder into the nostrils to help relieve the pain of swollen sinuses, says David Frawley, O.M.D., director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He says to do this whenever you have sinus congestion. Do not use this remedy if you develop or are prone to bloody noses, he cautions.

To prevent sinus problems from developing, Dr. Lad recommends keeping your nostrils moisturized. “Using an eyedropper, put five drops of warm ghee in each nostril,” he says. “Do this at least once a day, either once in the morning or once in the evening, and the ghee will moisturize your sinuses.” Dr. Frawley says you can use either ghee or sesame oil for this purpose. For a recipe for ghee, or clarified butter, see “How to Make Ghee” on page 26. (Sesame oil is available in most health food stores.)

Food Therapy

Barley green, which can be used in juices or simply sprinkled on salads as a topping, helps some people with sinus problems, says Julian Whitaker, M.D., founder and president of the Whitaker Wellness Center in Newport Beach, California. Barley green is available in most health food stores.

Some sinus problems are caused by a nutritional imbalance, adds Elson Haas, M.D., director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin in San Rafael, California, and author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition. To restore the balance, he recommends following his three-week detoxification diet (see “Detoxing Your Ills” on page 48).

Hydrotherapy

A hot water bottle is a simple, effective way to relieve sinus pain, says Agatha Thrash, M.D., a medical pathologist and co-founder and co-director of Uchee Pines Institute, a natural healing center in Seale, Alabama. Fill about half of the bottle with hot (never boiling) water, wrap it in a towel and hold it against your nose and forehead until the pain subsides.

Juice Therapy

Both apple and dark grape juices may be beneficial to those with sinus problems, says John Peterson, M.D., an Ayurvedic practitioner in Muncie, Indiana. He recommends drinking the juice at room temperature and apart from meals. You can dilute either juice with water if it seems too strong, he adds.

For information on juicing techniques, see page 93.

Reflexology

Using the corresponding golf ball technique (page 588) is a perfect way to work the adrenal gland, sinus, head and face reflex points on both hands, say Kevin and Barbara Kunz, reflexology researchers in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and authors of Hand and Foot Reflexology.

To help you locate these points, consult the hand reflex chart on page 582. For instructions on how to work the points, see “Your Reflexology Session” on page 110.

Vitamin and Mineral Therapy

Use the food sensitivity diet (see “Food Sensitivity: How to Discover the ‘Healthy’ Foods That Can Cause Disease” on page 52) to eliminate any foods that might have a role in causing sinus problems, says David Edelberg, M.D., an internist and medical director of the American Holistic Center/Chicago. He also says to use steam inhalation (see “Hydrotherapy at Home” on page 78), with eucalyptus oil added to the water. And he says a person with sinus problems may want to try the following regimen of dietary supplements to help relieve symptoms: 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C twice a day; 400 international units of vitamin E twice a day; and 500 milligrams of n-acetylcysteine twice a day. Both eucalyptus oil and n-acetylcysteine are available in most health food stores.

Yoga

You can help both prevent and treat sinus problems if you do a yoga nasal wash, called neti, once a day, says Stephen A. Nezezon, M.D., yoga teacher and staff physician at the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Start by filling a four-ounce paper cup halfway with warm water, then add ½ teaspoon of salt. Put a small crease in the lip of the cup so that it forms a spout. Slightly tilt your head back and to the left. Then slowly pour the water into your right nostril. The water will flow out of your left nostril or down the back of your throat if your left nostril is clogged. Spit out the water if it goes down your throat, or wipe the water from your face with a hand towel if it flows out of your left nostril. Fill the cup again, then repeat the procedure on the other side, pouring the water into your left nostril and tilting your head to the right so that the water flows out of your right nostril.

See also Postnasal Drip