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.
Cayenne
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 09/08/2019 523 posts
★★★★★
I don't think people realize how big their sinus cavities are. When you snort a bit of cayenne, yes, you're going to clear the nasal cavity, which can be a lot, but you're ALSO going to loosen up all of the stuff up and out in the other areas of your sinuses which are HUGE and which some seem to be reporting as a rebounding pressure or a rebound congestion or even another infection. It is highly unlikely that it is any of this but, rather, stuff deeper in the sinuses that the cayenne has also loosened up. If you often have sinus infections, it is probably the SAME infection simply never getting cleared out in the first place and continuously spreading down into the nasal cavity. Google "sinus cavity" and look at the images. You are not going to clear that huge space of infection by merely clearing the nasal canal to the point you can breathe better and that infection is probably going to come right back down and hit you again.
Cayenne
Posted by Persephone (Ny) on 11/19/2016
★★★★★
I wanted to add some tips on relief during the burning:
1) in-breaths through the nose actually provide immediate temporary relief!
2) after 15 minutes I did a neti-pot (regular with salt, not with cayenne) and this finished off the pain. I recommend this if the pain feels like it's been too long (10-15 minutes)
I swabbed some cayenne directly from the top of the jar (no water) and did the insert Q-tip and breathe method.
Cayenne
Posted by Nosleepinellendale (Ellendale, North Dakota) on 02/11/2017
★★★★★
A Bakers Dozen Thumbs Up
I work at a grain elevator so you could imagine that sinus infections are nothing new for me. Well I didn't have time to make it to the doctor and was hoping my body could kick its butt on its own. Well, it didn't. I've had the sinus infection for a little over two weeks now. It was so bad to the point where when I first started the treatment I could barely even snort the cayenne pepper dust through a straw but after I gave my nose a few good hard blows to momentarily clear a passage I got the job done. I let it drain and then repeated the steps 2 or 3 more times. It burned like H-E-double hockey sticks but I just woke up from a two hour nap where all my sinuses drained down the back of my throat and for the first time in what feels like years I can finally breathe again. I will definitely be using this home remedy again in the future. #DontBeAWuss
Cayenne
Posted by Mingokatz (Ca., US) on 03/09/2015
★★★★★
This has been a miracle for me!!! I've been in so much pain I couldn't even sit down without getting severe sinus pressure. I was a little chicken of more pain lol, so I dumped some cayenne pepper on my phone screen, and took a Q-tip and barely touched the pepper. Then I put it far up into my nostril also...That was about two hours ago, and I've been too busy doing things from having almost NO PAIN to post my results until now!!! : ) I'm free, I can sit, I can walk lol it may sound silly but that's how bad the pressure and pain WAS..That was just a few spreckles of cayenne pepper on the end of a Q-tip, one for each nostril. That small of an amount and it worked and it barely burned...no worse than adding too much salt to a Neti Pot (oppsies! : ) )...thank you guys, my sanity and happiness is back!!!! : ) ( :
Cayenne
Posted by Don (British Columbia) on 03/26/2017
★★★★★
I have been suffering with sinus infections for years. It seems that every time I get sick I will soon have a sinus infection. I have tried a tonne of different things (netty pots, sinus rinses, vaporizers, sprays, tea 16 hours a day, ...). Long story short, I got sick this week, got very congested, teeth started to ache due to pressure (thats when I know that its a sinus infection for sure) and, so, I decided to try snorting some cayenne pepper.
I did just a pinch quickly in each nostril and it didn't take long for my eyes to tear up like crazy and for me to wish I hadn't done that as it burned like crazy! I decided to jump in the shower so the I could help loosen things up. And did it ever work. About an hour later, one side was still a little plugged so I decided to snort a little more in there (maybe 1/4 of a pinch). It didn't burn near as bad.
Anyways, it worked! Today I have woken up and am about 100% better. It was totally worth the pain as far as I am concerned. I think I might try having a shower to loosen things up before doing it the next time. The only other thing that worked for me is using a netty pot with a few tablespoons of peroxide in it. That too hurt like the dickens and you will literally foam out of your nostrils. It also took me quite a few days to have it be effective rather than just one! So if the cayenne thing won't work for you maybe give that a shot.
Cayenne
Posted by Misspennylouise (Ohio) on 11/04/2016
★★★★★
I have used cayenne pepper to clear the sinuses for several years, yes it will sting, maybe make you cough, but the results are great. Please don't use too much... I first just snorted it, then I have started to make a liquid and used the Q-tip method...it is the results that work....one must get the pepper into the sinus cavity...so don't be hesitant when you inhale, plug the other nostril and inhale deep. I will always used it...I grow my own peppers...
Cayenne
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 09/08/2019 523 posts
★★★★★
I don't think people realize how big their sinus cavities are. When you snort a bit of cayenne, yes, you're going to clear the nasal cavity, which can be a lot, but you're ALSO going to loosen up all of the stuff up and out in the other areas of your sinuses which are HUGE and which some seem to be reporting as a rebounding pressure or a rebound congestion or even another infection. It is highly unlikely that it is any of this but, rather, stuff deeper in the sinuses that the cayenne has also loosened up. If you often have sinus infections, it is probably the SAME infection simply never getting cleared out in the first place and continuously spreading down into the nasal cavity. Google "sinus cavity" and look at the images. You are not going to clear that huge space of infection by merely clearing the nasal canal to the point you can breathe better and that infection is probably going to come right back down and hit you again.
Cayenne
Posted by Joy (Thailand) on 06/28/2016
Francis BC. This is not stupid, did you follow what you were supposed to do properly?? Many people write to this site with suggestions with what works for them, and nobody forces you to try anything, That's up to yourself but everyone who is kind enough to write in means well and is sincere.
Cayenne
Posted by Little Willie (Mesa, Arizona) on 02/12/2016
★★★★★
My teeth were throbbing because of a Sinus Infection. I have at least one root right up there, but half the teeth in my mouth were throbbing. I thought I was going to go out of my mind. Sniffed the cayenne and the throbbing of the teeth quit.
Cayenne
Posted by Nicole (Pearland, Tx) on 02/10/2015
★★★★★
Breathing at last, breathing at last, thank God Almighty I can breathe at last! I applied cayenne pepper on the tip of a q-tip and inserted the q-tip as far into my nostril as I could and then snorted. Yes it burned like I don't know what for a good 3 to 4 minutes. But I can breathe now!!!
Cayenne
Posted by J (Mn ) on 04/24/2019
★★★★★
Wow. So grateful for these reviews. I did it, and feel 1000x better than I have in days. Nasty sinus infection and a lot of blockage and pain. Cayenne cleared it out almost instantly. I'm a believer.
Cayenne
Posted by Vee (Texas, Usa) on 12/28/2015
★★★★★
Not sure what caused my sinus infection this time, I ate a slush-ee and washed my hair and accidentally fell asleep with my ceiling fan on. Woke up a few hours later to a sore throat and sinus pain.
Cayenne pepper was my first thought. I dabbed a q-tip in the pepper and put it up my nose and snorted. It burned, I cried and sneezed for about 4 times back to back. After blowing my nose after a few minutes, my pain was lessened by about 50%. I had to do it a few more times throughout the day.
I also put cayenne pepper in orange juice and gargled a few times throughout the day and it helped some. Whenever I get sick, which is rare, its usually with a sinus infection, but it seemed like the cayenne pepper didn't work as well as it did in the past.
Cayenne
Posted by Nikkilu (Houston, Tx ) on 11/15/2011
★★★★★
I came on Earth Clinic last night to find a natural remedy for this horrid sinus infections that I've had for about three months. I hate taking meds. Furthermore the antibotics did absolutely nothing when I did decide to take them. UGH!
After getting over my fear of having burning nostrils I snorted the Caynne Pepper!!!!! And in minutes I could breath out of both nostrils. SERIOUSLY, and I slept like a baby... I was so happy to breath out of my nostrils. I'm currently at work so now I'm going to try the Hot Organic Apple Cider in some tea!! Lets see if this will work for me!!
YEEEAAA!! I'm on a natural remedy roll!
Cayenne
Posted by Daisy (Jacksonville, Florida, U.s.a) on 01/04/2012 8 posts
★★★★★
I'm trying to nip a wannabe sinus infection in the bud before it goes from bad to worse, and I just tried this about a half hour ago to help open my sinuses. I only did one side because if it went nuclear I figured half pain was better than all pain. So I took the tiniest bit of powdered cayenne on the end of a teaspoon -- just the amount that would fit under my pinky nail as others have described, but on a spoon -- and sniffed.
Oh. Words do not describe. Whoever said this is not for the faint of heart was being extraordinarily gentle. It's like TNT for the nose. But the thing is, it worked, and it really wasn't that bad. When I first sniffed it up, it didn't go all that far up, so I kept sniffing to keep it moving up and back, which is when it went down the back of my throat, and also when I started to feel The Burn. That was less than pleasant, but the sneezing and nose blowing that ensued soon took it down a few notches. The burn was pretty intense, and tapered off over a few minutes, but was strangely good. I had a little bit of rebound congestion because the cayenne is an irritant (duh! ) but that was more than offset by the sinuses opening up, and it's almost entirely gone now.
Since I only did it on one side, I can tell the difference very clearly, and the cayenne side feels great! I had forgotten that cayenne has painkilling properties, but sure enough that nostril and the sinus passages on that side are numb, which is very welcome.
I wasn't nearly as badly stuffed up as some of the folks here have been describing, so I did not get 30 second relief, but I can totally see how you would get instant results if you were just completely closed up: the effect is nothing short of explosive. Seriously. Like C4 for your nose.
So basically, as soon as I recover my courage, I'm going to do the other side. :)
Cayenne
Posted by Anti-cayenne (Omaha, Nebraska) on 04/16/2012
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
This is a ***WARNING*** about cayenne pepper snorting. I did this a handful of times to cure a cold and the last time I did so, I did it with particularly hot cayenne (according to the rating).
There may be nothing more that I regret doing in my life. I really, really wish I'd never seen this website and gotten this idea into my head because after this time, my nose started running all the time. I thought I was just getting cold after cold, or that my hayfever was persisting into the winter months, but that didn't make any sense to me so I started eliminating foods to see if it was intolerance issues. Finally I found the most simplistic of elimination diets, one that got rid of practically every type of potential allergen including odd foods that contain salicylates, glutamates, histamine-containing foods, etc. It was an incredibly bland diet and I thought it was a good starting place to add foods back in and see what I react to.
Turns out I react to almost everything now, because cayenne contains lots of salicylates or phenols and these are substances in everything you eat to varying degrees. I find that I can now only eat things that are very low in salicylates and phenols - these are very, very bland foods. Otherwise, my nose runs, my eyes get puffy and red, I get this brain dead feeling, and basically can't function. Never used to be this way. I can't enjoy almost any of my favorite foods anymore, like spices, coffee, dairy, most fruits and vegetables, nuts, fermented foods like alcohol and vinegar, etc. Pretty much all plant foods are out if I want to be 100% well because I'm convinced the cayenne pepper activated something that made me sensitive to plant chemicals.
Anyway, this will sound dramatic but as someone who's found food to be a source of joy and creativity on various levels - nutritionally, gustatorily, socially, etc. - this has been the biggest blow to my wellbeing in many, many years. Sometimes I've found myself profoundly depressed about it, and there's not a day that goes by that I don't regret have done something so apparently dangerous. If anyone has an "earth cure" about how to get rid of "allergies to everything" caused by cayenne pepper, I'd be unbelievably happy. Sigh.
In short: please don't snort cayenne pepper, ever.
Cayenne
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 09/10/2019 523 posts
My ex brother-in-law's doctor told him to use his nasal spray and then tilt his head back until he could see where the ceiling meets the wall behind him to get the medicine up into that part of the sinus cavity. Then sit and tilt your head back - then turn it slowly to the right - then the left. You'll feel it. I've been mixing a shot glass of warm water and cayenne and dipping my finger in it, sticking it up my nose and sniffing the mixture up. I did this several times on both sides and then did the head tilting things and could feel the pressure all over the place. And I do NOT have a stuffy nose and never get sinus infections so I didn't get the same result by blowing my nose as I got yesterday. After, I poured a small amount of cold water in my hand and snuffled that up and did the tilting again. I think I'm going to do the same small amount in the palm with the cayenne mix, instead of using my finger, next time. If I ever get a problem up in there. At the moment it's still warm up in my nose and generating a little bit of new mucous.
Cayenne
Posted by Gwyneth (United States) on 07/02/2019
★★★★★
Grateful for relief! The cayenne works. I do, however, recommend aloe for the skin around the nose. It offers a cooling effect and keeps redness and burning sensation at a minimal. I CAN BREATHE! YAY!
Cayenne
Posted by Gwyneth (United States) on 07/02/2019
★★★★★
Grateful for relief! The cayenne works. I do, however, recommend aloe for the skin around the nose. It offers a cooling effect and keeps redness and burning sensation at a minimal. I CAN BREATHE! YAY!
Cayenne
Posted by Sinusklr (Chicago) on 10/15/2014
★★★★★
I could not believe what I was reading and watched videos on youtube and I said nothing else is working for me. So I tried a bump of Cayenne and! BAM! It was instant pain, probably because of my sinus infection. I thought this would be a stupid idea but I have done a lot of other worse stupid things so I gave it a shot. Pain lasts a little 2-5 minutes, tears about 1 minute and then you are cleared out! Really works I will find out if my infection is fixed. I wonder how many times I have to do this?
