How To Treat Nasal Congestion & Sinus Pressure at Home
Symptoms of nasal congestion and sinus pressure can be caused by many different things but more commonly include the cold, flu, and/or allergies. And people who suffer from asthma, nasal polyps and allergies, and/or abnormalities in their nose structure, such as a deviated septum, are at a potentially higher risk for getting sinusitis. Wondering how to determine whether you are suffering from a cold, allergy, or sinus infection can feel a bit challenging especially since there are a handful of cross over symptoms. Luckily, there are a number of ways to relieve sinus pressure, no matter what’s causing it. From home remedies like using a humidifier or neti pot to using a homeopathic medication like Brillia Health, here’s how to treat nasal congestion and sinus pressure at home in the most gentle and impactful way.
Nasal Congestion and Sinus Pressure Symptoms
Nasal congestion and sinus pressure often occur with the common cold, which typically lasts for only a few days to upwards of a week. The common cold slowly progresses before it peaks, then dissipates. It can, however, turn into something “bigger,” such as a sinus infection.1
Here are some of the basic signs and symptoms to monitor:
- Facial pressure around forehead, nose, and eyes, headache, and even teeth and/or ear painPostnasal drip
- Stuffy, congested nose
- Runny nose which includes a thick, colored discharge
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Bad breath
- Cough
Natural Home Remedies You Can Try
As a first step, we recommend trying these natural home remedies to ease nasal congestion and boost your immune system.
- Hydration: Focusing on your fluid intake, especially water, is key to help flush out any irritants possibly causing your symptoms. The addition of hot teas, broth, and hot water with lemon can help soothe and relieve a stuffy, congested nose. In fact, studies show that drinking hot liquids is superior to cold liquids in managing fluids of the upper respiratory tract.2
- Use Supplements: Adding vitamins and minerals to your daily regime can bring relief to cough, cold, and congestion. Taking a Vitamin C supplement, using peppermint oil rubs, and trying a eucalyptus oil steam can help bring you some relief.
- Humidifier: Using a humidifier is a great way to add moisture to the air, and help clear up congestion. According to the National Library of Medicine, humidifiers help to eliminate dry air, which can irritate and inflame the airways of the nose and mouth.3 When using this as a natural home remedy for an adult, a warm or cool mist both work great; when using for a child, a cool-mist is preferred.
- Neti Pot: While safe to use on a daily basis, a neti pot should be used for a reasonable amount of time so symptoms do not get worse. Used for centuries, it is a gentle and effective way to irrigate the nasal passageways and clear any kind of mucus and irritants. Studies show that nasal irrigation reduces the number of incidences, ENT complications, and need for medication in patients suffering from frequent rhinitis and that standard treatment of sinusitis (like antibiotics or local nasal decongestants) reduces symptoms more effectively when combined with nasal irrigation.4
- Cold Compress: To help soothe your sinuses and nasal congestion, try applying a cold compress to the bridge of your nose. The cooling effect helps to reduce sinus pressure as well as sinus pain.
Visit the Brillia Health blog for more ideas on how to keep your immune system strong and healthy to minimize your chance of getting sick. However, if you do get sick, exploring gentle and effective over-the-counter (OTC) products can help you recover faster.
Over-the-Counter Treatment Options
When symptoms strike, our first instinct is to find immediate relief. We head to our local drugstore and are presented with what seems like countless OTC medications to choose from. However, many of these medications contain harsh, synthetic chemicals that attempt to relieve symptoms by affecting your entire system instead of targeting the source of nasal congestion, causing a cascade of side effects like drowsiness, upset stomach, headache, and more. These are some of the most common nasal congestion treatments you will find on the market to treat symptoms, including the side effects commonly associated with them:
Decongestants: These help to decrease inflammation in your nasal passageways and relieve sinus pressure and a stuffy, congested nose. They come in the form of nasal sprays known as naphazoline, oxymetazoline, and phenylephrine, in addition to pills known as phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine. The latter two are found in medications like Sudafed and Sudafed PE. These drugs work by constricting all blood vessels in the nose and sinuses, affecting the entire circulatory system, commonly causing symptoms like weakness, dizziness, headache, insomnia, dry mouth, and increased blood pressure. The problem with this approach beyond the harsh side effects is that congestion and symptoms can actually become worse.
Antihistamines: These help to relieve sinus pressure and congestion, along with sneezing, itching and watery eyes, when allergies are triggering symptoms. It is important to note that OTC antihistamine medications do not have decongestant qualities and are sometimes combined with multi-symptom cold and flu medications to help additional allergy symptoms such as a runny nose. Due to their use of harsh synthetic chemicals that affect your entire body and system, antihistamines can often make you feel fatigued. Drugs like Zyrtec, which contains the chemical cetirizine, prevent histamines from causing inflammation but are linked to side effects like dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, and constipation. Another possible medication your doctor may prescribe is an OTC steroid nasal spray, although this is not an ideal approach to treat congestion and sinus pressure. Nasal sprays have the potential side effects of causing nasal irritation, nosebleed, and/or a sore throat. In addition, any medication that requires a prescription means there are, most likely, considerable side effects that need to be evaluated to not outweigh the benefits.
As an alternative to the common OTC medications listed above, Brillia Health products help to relieve nasal congestion associated with colds, allergies, or sinus infections without harmful chemicals. The homeopathic medication consists of antibodies specifically targeted to the source of symptoms, which work with your body to help it heal itself instead of masking symptoms with harsh side effects. As a bonus, this groundbreaking antibody science has been clinically proven to shorten the duration of your illness. Brillia Health’s Cough Control and Cold-Flu Recovery can be taken independently, in conjunction with one another, or even alongside other medications, since there is no risk of contraindications, side effects, or adverse reactions — this is a huge benefit, since many OTC medications cannot be used by people with blood pressure issues or who are taking other prescription medications.
A treatment that can be used in conjunction with the Brillia Health products is the addition of menthol ointments or essential oils that can help you breathe easier and open up your nasal passages naturally. You can even purchase some that are placed in warm water allowing you to breathe in the menthol vapors.
Key Takeaways
Determining the symptoms of your cold, allergies, and/or sinus infection are key in helping you take the proper steps in getting relief fast. Whether you decide an OTC medication is the best course of treatment, or you would prefer to try some natural home remedies to help with nasal congestion and sinus pressure, closely monitor your symptoms and talk with your doctor if you are not feeling more like yourself (or your symptoms do not subside) within a week.
You may also consider taking Brillia Health’s Cough Control and/or Cold-Flu Recovery if you feel these remedies are not bringing you any relief. Not only does they help control your symptoms without harsh chemicals, side effects, or contraindications to other medications you may be taking, but it shortens the duration of your illness, helping you recover more quickly. Learn more about how Brillia Health products work, and how they can be beneficial for you.
