6 Best Home Remedies for Sinus Headache Relief

Sinus headache is one of the most common health issues in the US, affecting more than 37 million people yearly.

Sinus headache is caused when fluid accumulates in air spaces behind the cheeks, nose (nasal cavities), and in between the eye sockets, resulting in the inflammation of the sinus lining (membranes).

The inflammation of the sinus membranes causes pressure to build around the upper face, blocking the flow of sinus fluid through small openings in the nose, resulting in sinus headaches.

Causes of Sinus Blockage and Inflammation

Bacterial or viral infection in the sinus cavities resulting in sinusitis
Allergies
chronic inflammation
Swellings in the nose (nasal polyps)

Symptoms of Sinus Headache

If you’re having sinus headache, you should watch out for the following symptoms

Headache
Facial pain
Pressure in the facial area
Difficulty breathing via the nose
Yellow or green mucus discharge from the nose
Tooth/teeth ache
Fatigue
Sore throat
Bad breath.

Treating Sinus Headache at Home: 6 Best Home Remedies for Sinus Headache Relief.

Sinus headaches can be treated medically by administering over-the-counter drugs or surgical operations, depending on how severe it is.

However, using any of the six best home remedies for sinus headache relief discussed in this article is very effective, with little or no known side effects; rather, they help improve your overall health and outlook.

1. Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can cause sinus headaches; hence it is important that you keep your body hydrated by increasing your daily water intake. You can also consider keeping yourself hydrated by consuming:

Fruits high in water content, e.g., cucumber, watermelon, apples, etc.
Broth soup, e.g., Chicken broth soup, mushroom broth soup, etc.
Green tea
Ice cubes

Keeping yourself hydrated prevents the sinus membranes from drying out, thus preventing inflammation and blockages in your sinus cavities.

2. Use Steam with Essential Oils

Inhaling steam can reduce the inflammation in the sinus membranes lining the sinus cavities and clear out the sinus cavities.

How to Treat Sinus Headache At Home Using Heat Treatment

Boil a pot of water, and add Eucalyptus oil or other types of essential oil for faster relief.
Pour in a wide bowl, and sit on an extremely low stool with head bent over the bowl of steaming water.
Tent a towel over your head
Close your eyes while you draw in the steam through your nostrils
Bend closer to the bowl as the water cools down.

3. Supported Reclined Cobbler’s Pose: Elevating Your Head the Yoga Style

Keeping your head elevated for a longer duration or while you sleep will make you feel better by taking the pressure off your upper face and letting the sinus fluid drain out easily.

Meditation, yoga poses like the supported reclined cobbler’s yoga pose, and other relaxation techniques can help keep your head elevated much longer, relieving sinus headaches.

How To Do Supported Reclined Cobbler’s Yoga Pose

Roll up a blanket, or use a bolster,
Lie on it in a vertical position
Bend your knees while your feet are planted on the floor;
Roll up towels beneath your knees, or use a yoga block for a much more comfortable pose
Let your arms rest by your side, and remain in this position for as you are comfortable
When feeling uncomfortable, roll off the bolster to your left or right side, and sit up by supporting yourself with your hands.

4. Nasal Irrigation

Flushing your nasal cavity with salt water can provide relief from sinus headaches by flushing out germs and clogged mucus out of your sinus passages, according to research. However, you should use sterilized water with iodine-free salt for nasal irrigation.

How to Treat Sinus Headache At Home with Nasal Irrigation

Boil a cup of water at home
Dissolve 1 tsp each of salt and baking soda in the boiled water
Allow the water to cool before filling in your neti pot
Sniff in the saltwater with one nostril; blow out the saltwater
Repeat the same for the other nostril; draw in enough salt water to flush out your nostrils.
Alternatively, you can sniff the saltwater directly from your hands after washing.
Repeat this procedure daily with freshly prepared saltwater.

5. Exercise

Exercising can give you relief from the sinus by improving blood flow to your facial cavities.

It might be hard engaging in physical activities while you’re not feeling too well, but exercises help your body to build up immunity, speed up healing and recovery and improves your overall outlook.

Common exercises you can try out include

30 minutes brisk walk/jogging
Cycling
Swimming
Rowing
Burpees
Bear crawl

6. Consume More Spicy Foods

Spicy foods can relieve you of sinus headaches due to their high vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, antioxidants, antioxidants, and anti-microbial content that help the body fight against free radicals, infections, and inflammation.

Spicy foods that can give you fast relief from sinus headaches at home include

Ginger
Onions
Garlic
Radishes
Horseradish
Spicy mustard
Chilies

Adding these spices to your food in moderate amounts will help you get faster relief from sinus headaches.

For a more effective result, you can make a spicy chicken broth with more chili or a cup of ginger tea using fresh or powdered ginger.

How to make spicy chicken soup using Catherine’s chicken soup recipe

Recipe for three

2 quarts of water
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons of dried parsley
1 tablespoon onion powder
5 cubes chicken bouillon
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 large chopped onion
3 cloves of chopped garlic
16-ounce jar chunky salsa
2 cans of 14.5 ounce peeled and diced tomatoes
1 can of 14.5 ounce whole peeled tomatoes
1 can of 10.75 ounces of condensed tomato soup
3 tablespoons of powdered chili
2 cans of 16-ounce chili beans
8-ounce sour cream
1 can of 15 ounces drained, whole kernel corn

Directions

Add water, chicken, bouillon cubes, onion powder, parsley, garlic powder, chili, and salt to a large pot, and boil over medium heat.
Let it simmer for an hour under low heat
Shred the chicken and reserve the broth.
Add olive oil, sliced onions, and chopped garlic to a large pot over medium heat.
Add the shredded chicken, sour cream, chili beans, corn, chili powder, tomato soup, whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, salsa, and 5 cups of chicken broth, and stir well.
Let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes
Serve while hot.

Conclusion

These six best homemade remedies for sinus headache relief provide fast relief and are safe and cost-effective. However, you should consult your doctor immediately if:

Symptoms of sinus headache last beyond 10 days
You have a fever lasting more than 4 days
You observe the following symptoms:

Severe facial pain
high fever
swelling around the eyes
vision changes
difficulty in thinking
Short breaths.