Fortunately, there are good natural remedies adults and children can try when sinusitis strikes. But some common remedies should be avoided, and others should be used with care. RELATED: The Ultimate Winter Wellness Guide
What Causes Sinusitis and Sinus Infections?
Sinus problems happen when too much mucus builds up in the cavities behind the face. This causes one or more of these cavities to become swollen or inflamed. In some adults or children, especially those with allergies or asthma, this recurs regularly, leading to constant pressure around the nose, a bad-tasting postnasal drip, headache, fatigue, or other symptoms. Before you reach for a sinus infection remedy you dug up with a search engine online or that your third cousin recommended, know that not every method is safe or effective. Here are six sinus remedies to beware of.
1. Boiling Hot Water in a Steam Tent: Avoid Steam That Is Too Hot
Warm mist is a very effective home remedy to soothe and moisturize sinus passageways, helping you feel better. One way people treat themselves with steam is to boil a pot of water then tent a towel over their head while leaning over the liquid. If you use this method, is critical to let the water cool a bit, and not to place your face too close to the water, or you may burn your face. This is especially a problem with children. An article in the British Medical Journal from 2004 documented seven cases in a six-month period in which kids suffered burns, usually to the face, from being too close to scalding water. (In two cases, the pot of water spilled onto them.) This danger is why a wellness guide from the University of Minnesota’s Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing advises that children under age 7 never steam in this manner. (An alternative is to place the child in a warm, running shower.) Children 7 and older should be encouraged to stay back from the steam and wear swimming goggles to protect their eyes. RELATED: Do I Have a Cold or the Flu?
2. Don’t Ingest or Put Essential Oils Up Your Nose
Essential oils, especially eucalyptus oil, can help your breathing when you have sinusitis, although the British Medical Journal reported in a review article published in October 2018 that scientific evidence for oil’s effectiveness is lacking. Other people like to inhale relaxing scents like jasmine or lavender when they feel ill. Essential oils should never be put up the nostrils. Most essential oils are too strong to be placed directly on the skin, let alone in the sensitive tissue of the nose. “I tell my patients not to choose a random tonic and put it into their nose,” says Anthony Del Signore, MD, an assistant professor of otolaryngology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Instead, insert a few drops into your bathtub or into the pot of water you will use for a steam. You can also place a drop or two on a cotton ball and sniff, or use a special diffuser designed to stream it into the air. RELATED: 10 Myths About Allergies
3. Steer Clear of Unnecessary Medications for Sinus Infections
People often come to the doctor “looking to pull the trigger” on antibiotics when they have sinusitis, Dr. Del Signore says. But if symptoms have occurred for less than a week and you don’t have other serious symptoms or a comorbid condition, you do not need a prescription for this medicine, he says. According to the National Institutes of Health, antibiotics are not effective against the viruses that typically cause sinusitis. What’s more, the NIH says, even those brought on by bacteria don’t typically resolve faster with antibiotic treatment. Meanwhile, the overuse of antibiotics has led to an increase in germs that are resistant to these crucial drugs. And antibiotics can have side effects, including stomach and bowel problems and fungal infections, the NIH says. Similarly, children should not be given the drugstore decongestants that are typically a staple of home medicine chests. According to a study published in October 2018 in the British Medical Journal, there is no evidence decongestants do anything to help nasal symptoms in children. Children younger than 6 should never be given these medicines, while those 6 to 12 should take them with caution, because any benefit is likely to be outweighed by side effects like upset stomach or drowsiness, the study authors conclude. RELATED: 8 Ways You Could Be Making Your Cold Worse
4. Don’t Use Tap Water for Nasal Irrigation: Use Saline or DIY Solution Instead
Nasal irrigation, or flowing a saltwater solution into the sinus passages, is an effective way to treat sinusitis. A small number of studies, including one published in 2016 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, has found irrigation does improve sinus symptoms. But it is critical that you use water that has been sterilized, rather than liquid taken directly from your sink or shower. This is because in some cases people using tap or shower water have introduced a dangerous parasite into their sinuses. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that, very rarely, people using nasal irrigation with tap water have become infected with the dangerous parasite Naegleria fowleri. These organisms may not cause harm if swallowed because stomach acid wipes them out, but they can live and thrive in the warren of passageways of your sinuses. To avoid this potential risk, purchase sterile saline sprays, from Simply Saline or other brands, or make your own saline solution using water labeled “distilled,” or boiling your tap water for three to five minutes. If you’re using boiled tap water, cool it to lukewarm and store any extra water in a clean, closed container for use the following day (but not longer). RELATED: Kid-Friendly Sinus Infection Coping Strategies
5. Never Give Honey to Babies for Sinus Congestion or Other Symptoms
For children over age 1 and for adults, honey mixed with warm water is effective for soothing the sore throat that often accompanies a sinus drip, says Barbara Rolnick, MD, a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Primary Care Practice Network. Studies have also found that honey helps to battle the germs in your body. “The ingredients of honey have been reported to exert antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory … [and other] effects,” scientists reviewing the research on honey reported in the April–June 2017 issue of the journal Pharmacognosy Research. But honey should never be given to babies younger than a year old, warns the American Academy of Pediatrics. They caution that honey can be a source of the rare but dangerous spores that can lead to infant botulism in children this age.
6. Don’t Live With Sinus Infection Symptoms: Consult a Doctor if Home Remedies Don’t Help
If sinusitis symptoms in you or your child persist for more than a week, consult with your physician. You should also talk to the doctor if symptoms seem severe or suddenly worsen.
