How to Make Herbal Hot Packs for the Sinuses

Sinusitis is a condition in which the sinuses become inflamed due to bacterial, fungal or viral infection. Sinusitis symptoms include bad breath, loss of smell, fever, headache and sore throat with postnasal drip. This condition can be acute or severe. Herbal heat packs help alleviate sinusitis as the aromas can soothe the nasal passages and alleviate irritation and swelling. You can purchase your own herbal packs or make them yourself, customizing them to your needs.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton, linen or similar fabric
• Pins
• Needle and thread
• Fabric scissors
• Bowl
• Funnel
• 1/2 cup hard, dry grains (rice, buckwheat or flaxseeds)
• 1/2 cup dried herbs (cinnamon, garlic, licorice or peppermint)

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Instructions

• 1

  Mix your choice of dried herbs and hard dry grains. These items are the filler ingredients for your herbal heat pack. Echinacea, peppermint, licorice, ginger, cinnamon, tea tree and nettle are reported to help alleviate sinus problems, according to Karyn Siegel-Maier of Herbal Musings.

• 2

  Cut two 8-by-4-inch pieces from the fabric. Place these two pieces flat on a table and pin together the right sides of the fabric -- the sides that will be exposed once your herbal pack is complete. Pin these pieces down to the table.

• 3

  Sew a 1/2-inch seam along three of the four sides of the fabric, leaving the fourth side open for stuffing the pack. Sew both the longer 8-inch sides and one shorter 4-inch side. Remove each pin as you sew past it, and secure the pin in a safe place.

• 4

  Turn the fabric of your partially sewn herbal pack right-side out. Funnel the herb and grain mixture through the open end. Stop filling your pack when it is up to 1/2 inch from the top of the pack.

• 5

  Tuck in the edges of the herbal pack. Sew the opening closed with a needle and thread, making sure to secure the closure with several tacking stitches before snipping the thread.

• 6

  Place the herbal heat pack in the microwave and heat it for up to 2 minutes. Remove it from the microwave and gently place it across the affected sinuses. Leave it in place until it cools.