The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Ange (Houston)
★★★★★
Having suffered with persistent sinus congestion and allergies, here's what has helped me tremendously.
1) Stopped eating dairy.
2) Take at least 2000 mg Omega 3 oil daily.
3) Take turmeric supplements daily (amount varies.)
4) Strong multi-vitamin and mineral daily.
5) Chinese medicine: Jade Screen and Xanthium during my worst allergy season (spring)
6) Acupuncture: 2 times weekly during spring, once every two weeks the rest of the year.
7) Homeopathic tablets for times when I have brief allergic symptoms: Allium cepa for runny nose, Euphrasia officinalis for itchy eyes. I use all the above and it has eliminated my allergies except for one or two bad days in the spring. As a side benefit, stopping dairy also cleared up the joint pain I was having in my fingers.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Citygirl27 (Richardson, Tx, Usa) on 01/05/2013
Check your dental health. My mom had heavy, severe sinus congestion for months and months, actually it went on for a year and a half before doctors found out what was the problem: she had an infected tooth under her gum that was seeping into her sinus area. Once the tooth infection was treated, her sinuses cleared in the space of a week.
Steaming
Posted by Angel (USA)
★★★★★
I found that just taking a HOT cup of coffee, tea, water, etc.. And puting a towel over your head and breathing the hot vapour in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relieves Breathing difficulties as well as a stuffy or runny nose
Pumpkin Oil
Posted by Irina (New York, NY) on 01/14/2019
★★★★★
Pumpkin Oil for sinus congestion:
Pumpkin oil is working great for my sinuses, which have been clogged for years now - it is actually finally clearing up! I can't believe it & am so glad after all this time to find relief! Pumpkin oil is an antifungal, so it makes sense it would clear sinus issues.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sally (Michigan ) on 01/27/2017
★☆☆☆☆
I'm so stuffed up I can't breathe, I've tried the Apple Cider Vinegar and I tried the hot towel for the steam, Nothing works! Any advice, anyone?
Ginger
Posted by Dannyboy2015 (Waterloo, Ontario) on 12/16/2014
★★★★★
I have found Ginger Tea (a pinch of Ginger Powder) or eating a small ( penny sized )slice of the Ginger Rhizome works far too well for relief from Sinus Congestion. I think it does for the Sinus what a Colon Flush does for the Colon so take it easy with the Ginger. It also helps ease infection to a large extent.
Ginger can be an alternative to Sea Salt and Hydrogen Peroxide, which I may never try as it seems somewhat harsh to me.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Texascannas (Texas, US) on 09/16/2014
★★★★★
Tried 5% Apple Cider Vinegar from Walmart; some local produced honey to taste and hot water. I felt congestion relieve in my sinuses within 10 minutes. Thanks for a great tip!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sarah (Us) on 05/29/2014
★★★★★
I get really bad allergies a couple of times a year and I'm usually just resigned to suffering through swollen sinuses and copious amounts of mucus, but it's really wearing thin. I just tried apple cider vinegar and much to my surprise, it actually helped. I'm still congested but the throbbing itchy feeling in my sinuses has finally subsided, and the congestion has lessened. Sitting here with eucalyptus oil in my burner now and hoping that will help with the remainder, but at least I have something I can take to make sleeping easier (that isn't a benadryl - that stuff really wrecks me). Thanks for sharing this.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Caroline (Norfolk, Uk) on 12/06/2016
★★★★★
Just tried this and within a minute a clear nose, hope it lasts and I can sleep tonight...I'm amazed as I was completely blocked up.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Suntater (Danville, In) on 05/26/2013
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar for Sinus Congestion: Just a side note, my grandfather drank a glass of apple cider vinegar and honey every day as a daily preventative. I remember him staying home from work for only one day with a cold when I was a kid, and I even lived with him for awhile.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Lori (Chicago Heights, Il) on 02/25/2013
★★★★★
I have been drinking the Apple Cider Vinegar tea for about 3 weeks 16oz a day. With that I have experienced loose stool and drainage from sinuses. Today I do not feel the greats but I am able to breath out of both nostrils and that feels great. I will continue to use ACV and the tea. Thank you
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Randy (Howell, Michigan) on 01/05/2013
★★★★★
I have been heating ACV and breathing the fumes for the last few years when ever I feel congested or like I'm getting a sinus infection. This has always worked great for me. Heat a small amount in a pan on the stove (I would not microwave, it may destroy the properties of the ACV) SLOWLY breath in the vapors and hold in as long as you can. You can even breath this into your lungs as long as you do it VERY SLOWLY!! To hard and fast will cause you to choke. You will find that it will loosen up phlegm and mucous like nothing else! You will get immmediate relief and the key is to not stop breathing it in just because you get relief so quickly. I try to keep breathing it in 3 times a day for several days to be sure the bug gets killed by the acv, which it will. I do like the idea of making a nasal spray which I am going to make up and try.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Christine (Ma) on 06/04/2013
★★★★★
I was miserable and just tried this. It worked within minutes!!! Thank you! Could not breathe at all through my nose. Feel wonderful!
Tomato Tea
Posted by Holly (Fresno, Ca) on 04/15/2012
★★★★★
I honestly can't believe this WORKED! I have had a terrible cold with a sore throat and the worst sinus congestion for four days straight. Fearing a sinus infection, I was preparing to head to the Dr. in another day. I had tried everything I could think of, Sudafed, Dayquil, and even Nasal Spray (which only worked for a couple of hours, not 12 like the label promised). Desperate, I went online to try a "natural" remedy. I was willing to try just about anything. And what do you know? It WORKED. Within 20 minutes my congestion felt less "throbbing" and one more cup and 2 hours later - my sinuses are TOTALLY CLEAR! My throat is starting to feel better too! I am definately going to use this remedy again if I ever feel a cold coming on. One thing, I added a little honey and I crushed my garlic with a garlic press. It seems to have helped get the garlic to juice out a bit more. THANK YOU so much for this amazing recipe!
Tomato Tea
Posted by Jennifer (Sunrise, Fl, Usa) on 03/15/2012
★★★★★
I can't believe how well this works. I'm still in shock!
2 days ago, I started to become sick with the flu when I was on a 18-hour flight. On came the chills and fever, and then my nose kept running non-stop. To make it worse, the changing cabin pressure on the descent gave me excruciating sinus pain and made my ears clogged to the point where I couldn't hear out of both ears anymore. I can't take cold medicine because I have thyroid disease, and I am slow to recover because my metabolism is very slow.
Yesterday my sinuses and fever got worse. I remembered reading about this remedy on Earth Clinic and I was eager to try it. Luckily I had all the ingredients on hand. I used V8 Spicy Hot juice, lemon juice (bottled), minced garlic, a lot of tabasco sauce (as much as I could stand) and a dash of celery salt for taste. I heated it in the microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes and then sipped and inhaled the fumes as directed. About 10 minutes after I started to sip it I noticed an increase of nasal discharge. I had to keep blowing my nose over and over again, but this time when I blew my nose I actually felt like I was clearing it out, instead of the feeling of blowing your nose and feeling like it gets clogged up again 5 minutes later. The pressure in my ears released about 60% and I regained most of my hearing. My fever increased and for a few hours I felt pretty rotten, even though my nasal passages had cleared. But in a few hours I felt at least 60% better, which is amazing considering that it usually takes me 3 weeks to recover from a cold! I slept all through the night with no problem.
This morning I made another tomato tea. While drinking it, I felt my left ear "pop" and the pressure released. I now have full hearing in my left ear and a 70% improvement in my right ear. I then took a hot shower afterwards (the steam helps to open the sinus passages) and kept blowing my nose. My nasal congestion is about 85% gone, I don't have a fever or chills anymore, I got most of my hearing back and I don't feel groggy anymore!
It doesn't seem so crazy why this works when you do some research on capsaicin. Capsaicin is also the active ingredient of pepper spray. Capsaicin is an irritant, and when you inhale pepper spray, your body pushes it out by forcing your sinuses to clear themselves and making your nose run uncontrollably. Have you ever eaten a really spicy dish and had your nose start to run?That's the capsaicin at work.
I have Vietnamese friends who swear by a similar remedy that works in the same way as the tomato tea. They swear by eating pho (a hot fish/noodle soup) when you are sick. They put a lot of Sriracha (Vietnamese hot pepper sauce) in the soup and breathe in the hot fumes. The steam and pepper helps open and clear the sinuses.
I have also been drinking echinacea tea with a tbs of coconut oil and I've also been drinking some ACV throughout the day. (I don't take the ACV too close to the tomato tea though, because ACV is alkaline while the tomato tea is very acidic).
Thank you, thank you, thank you Earth Clinic for this wonderful remedy! I can celebrate my 30th birthday this weekend without feeling miserable :)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Lorraine K (Garner, Nc) on 05/12/2012
★★★★★
THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! My husband drank 1/2 a cup of 2T ACV, 1 t honey & 8 oz of boiling water. He had to stop drinking it b/c it was gross. When he stopped he was able to blow his nose which is awesome. Then this morning he woke w/NO head pressure/congestion or headache. Yes, he will try that again b/c he hates medicine. THANKS!!!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Nicole (Grand Rapids, Michigan) on 06/21/2012
★★★★★
Loved it! I add just a bit of coffee creamer to make it more palletable and a little more creamy. Within minutes my sinuses were almost cleared!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Robert (Katy, Texas, Usa) on 11/13/2012
★★★★★
While this mixture did resolve my sinus congestion, its the chest congestion thats showing only moderate improvement. I've taken several doses ( 2 tbl. ACV, 1 tbl. Honey and 8 oz. Warm water), each seperated by 4 hours. My question is: How often can/should you take this before your body reaches overload?
For me and the time of year, this can develop into pneumonia if I'm not careful. EC, any thoughts?
Pickle Juice
Posted by Paul (Wrangell, Alaska) on 02/21/2012
★★★★★
Reading your site on nasal congestion. Just tried a shot of pickle juice and water. 20 min later, nose has stopped draining. Cool.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Petnut (Spokane, Wa) on 01/25/2012
★★★★★
I read through this post and thought I would try it - within minutes my sinuses are draining. I put about 2 tbs in a cup of tea with some stevia. Lovin it.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Crystal (Kennewick, Wa, Usa) on 10/07/2011
★★★★★
My left nostril had been completely swollen shut all afternoon from a cold or sinus infection I'm fighting off. I ignored it till bedtime when I realized that I wouldn't be able to sleep like that. So I turned to earthclinic to see what to do before going to get an otc decongestant. I saw that ACV has yet another use and I have it by the gallon so I tried it - 2 tbl in about 8 oz of water with ginger/honey drink mix (I'm out of my raw honey) After a few sips I did feel less irritation and a slight improvement but still couldn't breathe on the left side. I finished the drink and still not able to breathe I decided to go across the street to the store for the tomato tea ingredients. It took about 15 minutes and by the time I got home the left nostril was open and running. That was about 30 minutes ago and I'm still breathing freely thru my nose and I'm drinking the tomato tea just for good measure. I just wish I had done this earlier in the day!
