When you have a sinus infection, the pain in your sinuses can make you feel very uncomfortable. If you are also pregnant, you may not want to take antibiotics or other medications. Here are some natural ways to ease sinus pain from an infection.
Flush with Salt Water
When you have a sinus infection, you might feel a lot of pain in your sinuses because they are full of mucus. The pressure leads to headaches or aching around the eyes and nose. To clear your sinuses and relieve your pain, you can flush your sinuses with salt water.
To do this, you need to mix a pinch of salt with some warm water and use the mixture to fill a small neti pot. Next, put the spout of the pot into one nostril, and turn your head. Slowly pour the salt water into your nostril, and you will see the water and a bit of mucus come out the other nostril. Remove the pot from your nostril, blot your nose with a washcloth or tissue, and then turn your head to the opposite side and repeat the process in the other nostril.
For this process, it is critical that you do not use iodized salt because the iodine in the salt will burn and feel painful in your nasal passages. Natural sea salt is a better choice.
Use Steam
You can also get some relief from sinus pain and pressure by using the power of steam. The easiest way to use steam for your sinuses is to take a hot shower or let the shower run so that the bathroom steams up. Make sure the door stays shut so that that the steam remains contained in the room, and stay there as long as you are comfortable. To feel even better, you might want to put a dollop of mentholated petroleum-based topical ointment on the floor of the shower. The menthol and eucalyptus in the ointment will help to clear your sinuses, which will result in less sinus pain.
Try Cold and Warm Compresses
Warm or cool compresses laid underneath your eyes might help ease the pain you are experiencing. While some sinus pain sufferers experience relief with cool compresses, others feel much better when they feel something warm on their skin. You might even feel best when you alternate between cold and warm compresses. Luckily, you can make warm and cool packs in your own home.
To make a warm pack, get a clean old sock and fill it with uncooked rice. Then knot the sock and heat it inside your microwave oven until it is comfortably warm.
For a cool pack, you can mix one parts rubbing alcohol with two parts water in a plastic baggie you can reseal. Pop the baggie into your freezer and leave it there until there is a slushy, soft feeling when you handle it.
Use the tips in this article to help you deal with sinus pain when you're pregnant. If you do not feel better, get in touch with a sinus infection specialist, such as Rochester Otolaryngology Group PC, for some treatments that might make you feel better.
Share11 November 2015
One day I was playing a game of basketball with a friend, and the friend I was playing ball with tripped and took a hard fall to the ground. He hit his head hard, but he insisted he was okay and just wanted to go home and take a nap. I knew in my heart that he was not thinking clearly, and I didn't feel right letting him go home. I talked him into letting me take him to the hospital, and after some tests, it was determined he had a bad concussion. The doctors told me that if I had let him go home and sleep, things could have taken a turn for the worse. I created this blog to remind everyone to look out for each other after injuries. Not everyone thinks clearly after a head injury, and just being a good friend could save a life.