Home Relief for a Sinus Infection

A sinus infection (also known as sinusitis) causes inflamed sinuses and nasal passages. This inflammation can cause excessive mucus in the forehead and nasal area, which can be very painful. Before calling your doctor to get a prescription antibiotic, you might want to try home remedies to help relieve the pain caused from sinus infections. Then you might be able to wait out the infection until your body cures it on its own.

Diet

• Take a look at your diet. Avoid foods that tend to form mucus, such as milk, cheese and bread. Even spicy foods can cause extra mucus. Eliminate these things from your diet and you might start to feel better. If you are allergic to a certain food or suspect certain food allergies, avoid them; allergies can cause sinus infections. If desired, get tested for food allergies by a doctor and avoid those foods, especially when symptoms such as those of a sinus infection occur.

  Drink apple cider vinegar. As unappealing as this sounds, you might want to give it a try, because many people gain relief from sinus infections this way. Mix 2 teaspoons in one glass of warm water three times a day. You also can take a few drops of grapefruit extract on a full stomach. Potassium supplements and garlic capsules may work, too, because they can dry up mucus. Finally, drink lots of water---at least ten glasses a day. This will help thin the mucus.

Nasal Irrigation

• Trying to drain the mucus and loosen it up will relieve the painful pressure of a sinus infection. You can try any or all of these methods.

  Take a hot shower. Breathe in the steam through your nose. Place your head over a humidifier and wrap a towel on top of your head to trap in the steam. Be cautious and don't get too close to the source because humidifiers can spew out burning steam vapors.

  Take a hot washcloth and place it on top of your face for 10 minutes. This may provide relief from sinus infections. In addition, use saline spray several times a day.