Sinus infection home remedy apple cider vinegar cayenne pepper

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A sinus infection is an inflammation of the lining of the sinuses that in many cases lead to persistent headaches, fevers and even facial pains. Fortunately, there are many natural remedies that are effective at cleaning the sinuses and killing the bacteria and viruses responsible for these health problems.

The following is via juicing-for-health.com and they offer some great advice on how to get your sinuses clear again!

An acute sinusitis is a sinus infection that can last up to four weeks. While a chronic sinusitis can last 12-weeks or longer if left untreated.

Infections of the sinuses—the hollow air spaces within the bones in the cheek bones, forehead and between the eyes—are usually caused by either viruses or bacteria. They cause thick mucus blockage and painful or extreme discomfort in these cavities.

Prescribed antibiotics are not the best remedy for sinusitis as they can cause a lot of dangerous side effects. Your body should be given the right healing food to enable it to cure itself. In any case, antibiotics are not helpful if your sinusitis is caused by a virus.

HOW IT WORKS

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has many practical uses. It is probably one of the top natural remedies for many ailments.

It contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and malic acids that are beneficial for killing bacteria. It works by binding to pathogens and help the body get rid of them more effectively. It is also effective for fighting viral, fungal and Candida infections.

Look for raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized, organic apple cider vinegar to get the medicinal benefits. How to tell the genuine and “real” apple cider vinegar? The liquid is usually “murky”, not clear, and you can see sediment pieces at the bottom of the bottle—that is the “mother”. If unsure, always buy only Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar.

When taken orally, ACV breaks up mucus and clear airways, while its antibacterial properties kill the infection-causing bacteria.

When mucus and nasal congestion is broken down, ACV delivers its rich nutrients to the body to support and strengthen the immune system, preventing the infection from getting worse.

Although acidic, ACV has all the necessary electrolytes to balance the body’s pH levels and effectively reduces body acidity. Harmful microbes (bacteria or viruses) love an acidic environment and by alkalizing the body it will stop the disease-causing microbes from multiplying. This is why consuming 1-2 tablespoons of ACV every day keeps the viruses away!

Cayenne Pepper

The active component of cayenne pepper is a compound in its fruit called capsaicin that gives the pepper its hot fiery taste. Capsaicin has long been used as a painkiller and for reducing nasal congestion.

There are a few ways you can take pepper to help clear a sinus infection. You can …

• Use a capsaicin nasal spray
• Add ½ teaspoon in a cup of hot water and drink for several days till you recover
• Sniffing a small amount on a spoon to clear airways

Cayenne pepper works because when ingested, it helps to dilate vessels and help to break down mucus for draining. At the same time, this substance lessens your facial pain, reduces inflammation, stimulates circulation and acts as an antibacterial agent. All of these—and many more benefits of cayenne pepper—are helpful in preventing and relieving the symptoms of sinusitis.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR BREW FOR SINUSES

Ingredients

• ½ cup warm water (not hot)
• ¼ cup Bragg apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon raw honey (or manuka honey)
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon wedge

Directions

• Mix all these ingredients in a glass.
• Stir well and sip the mixture warm until the condition subsides.
• You may also use this mixture (without honey) to gargle to speed up your recovery.

Nasal sprays and ginger tea can both help your sinuses drain naturally.

Image Credit: PixelsEffect/E+/GettyImages

In This Article

• Waiting
• Hydration
• Avoid Triggers
• Irrigation
• Nasal Sprays
• Ginger
• Warm Compress
• Steam
• Vicks
• Honey
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Cayenne Pepper
• When to See a Doctor for a Sinus Infection

If you're constantly plagued with a stuffy nose that just won't quit, you might actually be dealing with a sinus infection.

This kind of infection occurs when fluid builds up in the (normally) air-filled sinuses and nasal cavities, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When that happens, germs can grow and flourish.

Because most sinus infections are caused by viruses, according to the CDC, many don't need to be treated with antibiotics (which only help with bacterial infections).

Instead, you may want to talk to your doctor about ways to naturally ease your symptoms. Here are the best home remedies to get rid of a sinus infection.

1. Wait It Out

The tried-and-true method for dealing with most viral infections? Simply give it time.

In fact, most sinus infections caused by a virus will resolve on their own in seven to 10 days, Erica Elsing-Stevens, DO, a family physician with Spectrum Health West Michigan Primary Care, tells LIVESTRONG.com. "Bacterial infection occurs in only 0.5 to 2 percent of the cases," she adds.

So, one strategy you can try is simply waiting out your sinus infection and visiting your doctor if the infection doesn't get better in about a week. The CDC calls this approach "watchful waiting" and recommends it for parents of kids with sinus infections.

"It is very common to clear a sinus infection on your own with symptom management," Dr. Elsing-Stevens notes.

As for symptoms management: Keep reading for the best ways to deal with sinus congestion.

2. Stay Hydrated

Although it's likely not possible to get rid of a sinus infection in 24 hours, drinking lots of water throughout the day can help ease symptoms.

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"The number one thing you can do is stay hydrated, and this means drink plenty of water," Dr. Elsing-Stevens says.

She recommends taking in water at least every few hours while awake to help flush out the sinuses. Drinking extra water can help thin mucous, according to St. Luke's Health System, which allows it to drain from your sinuses more easily.

A good general rule is to drink half your body weight in ounces each day, but you may want to increase that a bit while you're feeling stuffy.

3. Avoid Triggers

Certain risk factors could make you more susceptible to sinus infections, according to the CDC. These include:

• Smoking
• Being exposed to secondhand smoke
• Seasonal allergies
• Previous infections

To help decrease your risk of developing a sinus infection, or to help manage your symptoms and let your sinus infection clear up, be sure to:

• Avoid smoking or situations with smoke
• Get vaccinated against the flu, pneumonia and COVID-19
• Manage any seasonal allergies you may have with allergy medicine, as recommended by your doctor

4. Try Nasal Irrigation

While you may have heard that you should include salt and baking soda in a sinus rinse mixture, it's best to simply use sterile water.

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You can physically rinse out your sinuses by using a product such as a neti pot. This helps both remove the physical mucus causing discomfort and flushes out the germs hanging out in the sinus cavities. Nasal irrigation sinuses use distilled or sterile water to physically flush out the sinuses.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a neti pot can be a safe and effective way to deal with a sinus infection — but only if you use it correctly and with the right ingredients.

You should follow the directions that came with the neti pot you purchased, because each product may be a bit different. In general, though, the most important rule to remember is to never use tap water with a neti pot.

According to the FDA, you should only use the following kinds of water if you're making a homemade sinus rinse for your neti pot:

• Purchased distilled or sterile water that's labeled as such
• Boiled and cooled water—water should be boiled for 3 to 5 minutes, then cooled. This kind of water can be stored in a clean and closed container for a max of 24 hours.
• Water that has been filtered with a special infectious organism filter.

And finally, be sure to clean the device thoroughly after each use.

Try These Neti Pots

• Navage Nasal Care ($99.95; Navage.com)
• NasaFlo Neti Pot Nasal Wash System ($13.99, Walgreens.com

5. Use a Nasal Spray

Nasal sprays can help hydrate dry sinus passages, per the FDA, but they aren't as effective as nasal irrigation devices.

However, they may still help open up the nasal passages and loosen congestion so your sinuses can drain easier, Dr. Elsing-Stevens says.

You can find over-the-counter nasal sprays or purchase a nasal spray mister ($11.95, Amazon.com) that you can fill with your own distilled or sterile water.

6. Reach for Ginger

Ginger is among the best foods to clear sinuses.

Image Credit: Maya23K/iStock/GettyImages

There's no food that can cure a sinus infection. But eating foods or herbs with antibacterial properties such as garlic, ginger and onions, can be helpful when you're fighting an infection, Dr. Elsing-Stevens says.

Ginger, in particular, may be especially helpful if your sinus infection is the result of allergies. According to an April 2020 study in ​BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies,​ a daily 500-milligram dose of ginger extract was just as effective as taking a 10-milligram pill of loratadine (like Claritin) for symptoms of allergic rhinitis such as runny nose, nasal congestion, itchy eyes and sneezing. And unlike taking the allergy medicine, which can cause drowsiness, the ginger capsules didn't come with any side effects.

If you want to use ginger for congestion, Dr. Elsing-Stevens suggests drinking ginger tea to help with managing your sinus infection. Here's how to make it:

1. Add a few pieces of ginger to 1 cup of water.
2. Boil well for 10 minutes, then allow to cool.
3. Drink up to three times per day.

7. Apply a Warm Compress

If you have sinus tenderness as a result of your sinus infection, using a warm compress placed directly on the sinuses can help, Dr. Elsing-Stevens says.

A warm compress can be as simple as heating a rag or dish towel with warm water and placing it over your sinuses. Alternatively, you can purchase a hot compress product that can be heated.

8. Breathe in Steam

Steam therapy is a safe way to help ease sinus infection symptoms naturally.

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Another way to help soothe the sinuses and loosen up mucous is steam inhalation. Fill a bowl with steaming hot water, cover your head with a towel and lean over the bowl for 10 minutes to allow the steam to go into the sinuses.

Alternatively, running a humidifier or even just taking a hot shower and breathing in the damp air can help, Dr. Elsing-Stevens says. For kids, you could run a hot shower with the bathroom door closed and sit with them in the steamy room. These simple steam therapies are perfectly safe to do several times throughout the day.

9. Vaporize With Vicks

Dr. Elsing-Stevens also recommends trying Vicks VapoRub ($5.49, RiteAid.com) ointment for symptom relief.

Although she explains that Vicks is not a decongestant — so it won't actually get rid of the fluid in your sinuses — it can help make you feel less congested and provide some pain relief.

To use Vicks: Apply a thick layer on your throat and chest up to three times a day.

Warning

Do not use Vicks on children younger than 2.

What About Honey?

"Honey has a lot of antioxidants and has antibacterial and antifungal properties," notes Dr. Elsing-Stevens.

And although one older June 2011 study in the ​Journal of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery​ on the topical application of honey for sinus infections was inconclusive (meaning: don't put honey in your sinuses), you can still put the power of honey to good use by adding it to your diet in moderation.

Dr. Elsing-Stevens recommends mixing 1 teaspoon of honey with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and drinking the mixture up to twice per day.

If you're someone who needs to be especially careful about the amount of sugar in your diet, though (if you have diabetes, for example), then this likely isn't the best remedy for you.

What About Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar has antioxidant and antibacterial properties, so some people think it's a natural antibiotic for sinus infections and either drink it with water, add it to a vaporizer or try an ACV nasal spray.

But there's no evidence that any of these methods can help clear up sinus congestion, and you should avoid putting apple cider vinegar in your nose, as it may burn.

What About Cayenne Pepper?

If you've ever eaten spicy food, you know that it can sometimes make your nose run. That's likely the reason some people believe eating or even snorting cayenne pepper can help with a sinus infection.

Similarly, others focus on capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot peppers that makes them spicy, believing that a capsaicin nasal spray may clear out congestion.

However, there's no peer-reviewed research to prove that either cayenne or capsaicin are an effective remedy for sinus infections. And while these foods are generally safe, they could have side effects if you take too much. Eating too much cayenne, for example, can irritate your mouth and stomach, and in very large doses it could lead to vomiting or diarrhea.

When to See a Doctor for a Sinus Infection

Although many sinus infections clear up on their own and symptoms can be managed with natural remedies, it's also important to see a doctor if you suspect you have a sinus infection.

You should immediately seek medical attention if:

• You have severe symptoms, including headache or facial pain
• Your symptoms don't improve after 10 days
• Your symptoms worsen over time
• You have a fever that lasts longer than four days
• You have had multiple sinus infections in the past year