Alternative Health Blog

Home remedies for sinus problems are a bit like comfort food. You opt for them when things are bleak or painful or both. And while you might not scare up much research to support the health value of tucking into a chicken cutlet with mashed potatoes, doctors are increasingly giving props to ways we can ease sinus pain with such practical remedies as saltwater nasal sprays and warm compresses.

Need a big name? Mayo Clinic endorsed saltwater sprays and warm compresses in its October 2008 health newsletter for women, just in time for the cold and flu season.  Truth? Grandma knows more about comfort than even Mayo when sinuses are inflamed and dropping us for a loss.

But Mayo is good at explained how a cold turns into sinus pain and, even worse, chronic sinus pain: “Sinusitis often begins when a cold, which is caused by a virus, then leads to inflammation in the lining of the sinuses. Sometimes, this leads to a bacterial infection, which then creates a longer bout of sinusitis -- lasting longer than 10 to 14 days.”

If a doctor has never talked to you about sinusitis, consider yourself fortunate. The rest of us know the sinus pain is like back pain—until you experience it, you just don’t know.

Yet, there are some simple steps to neutralize sinus pain. One approach is to use saltwater washes or sprays to flush out the nasal passages. You remove secretions and allow the sinuses to drain. Sounds gross, but only until you realize how good you feel after the saltwater wash. Plus, you can accelerate a common cold’s run through the body.

If you find relief, you might want to investigate the “neti pot,” which is a piece of health equipment from ayervedic or Indian medicine that sets up to thoroughly rinse your nasal passages.

Doctors are increasingly recommending hot or warm compresses as a way to loosen up congestion in the sinuses. You can do the same for a head cold. You comfort the sinuses by wrapping your head with a warm, moist towel while breathing in stem from a bowl of hot water. You will be amazed about how good that makes you feel. If the comfort is fleeting, do it again.

Bob Condor blogs for Alternative Health Journal every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.