If you’ve ever had a sinus infection, you know how miserable it can be. Sinus infections are a common problem, and they can become markedly worse during cold and flu season.
Sinus congestion usually occurs as a result of a respiratory ailment such as a cold, cough, or allergic reaction. When you feel a sinus problem coming on, a highly effective sinus infection remedy you can use is probiotics – directly into the sinus passages. The most effective way to deliver this is by putting it right into your porcelain neti pot.
Can’t use a neti-pot or have a child that hasn’t been able to master the use of this type of apparatus? Then, I would suggest a nasal saline spray from the drug store and use that instead. My sons use one with great results when they are congested.
Here’s how the simple protocol works. You will be delighted how easy and effective this sinus infection remedy is. It may very well save you a trip to the doctor and a prescription for antibiotics.
Natural Sinus Infection Remedy
1. Empty the contents of a probiotic capsule into your neti pot (I like this one) or empty nasal spray bottle. Alternatively, a bulb syringe can be used, but the ingredients will have to be mixed separately and then sucked into the bulb once fully blended and ready to use.
2. Add warm filtered water.
3. Add a bit of sea salt and baking soda if desired – you won’t need very much (I always just guess – but no more than about 1/8 teaspoon)
4. Mix ingredients together carefully with a spoon or shake bottle after screwing on the lid (nasal spray bottle).
How to Use
5. If using a neti-pot: while standing over a sink, insert the nozzle of the neti-pot into one nostril, and make sure there is a good seal between the nozzle and your nostril. Lean forward, close the back of your throat and breathe through your mouth. Then, allow the contents of the neti pot to enter one nasal opening and rinse through to exit out the other nasal opening. This may take up to two or three minutes if your nasal passages are congested. Repeat on the other side.
Try to avoid swallowing the water that goes into the nostrils, and blow your nose when finished. If using a spray bottle: insert the nozzle of the spray bottle into one nostril while covering the other. While compressing the pump on the nasal spray bottle, inhale deeply. Repeat several times on both sides. Be prepared to spit out anything left after inhaling the mist into the sink.
6. When finished, wash out your neti-pot or spray bottle with warm water and soap and allow it to dry before using it again.
7. Oral probiotics can be used not just like a natural sinus infection remedy. They can also be used to prevent sinus infections in the first place.
How to Use this Sinus Infection Remedy
A friend of mine had a sinus infection that had been going on for 5 – 6 weeks. She had tried everything that was natural – aromatherapy (breathing steam with essential oils), apple cider vinegar in water, grapefruit seed extract in water, colloidal silver nasal spray, taking the best probiotics orally, oil of oregano in water (which she had used in the past with great success for sinus problems), and various homeopathic and other natural preparations.
Nothing was doing the trick and she was getting desperate!
What finally worked!
As a final attempt to resolve the problem naturally before resorting to meds, she went to see a naturopath who did some head massage, chiropractic manipulations and used essential oil swabs up into her sinus passages.
While these did offer some improvement, she was concerned that the next day the infection would come roaring back again.
At the suggestion of her next-door neighbor who is a nutritional therapist, she tried adding probiotics to her neti-pot. The naturopath also suggested alternating hot and cold packs on the forehead to encourage sinus drainage.
Immediately after using the probiotics in my neti-pot, she felt a terrible burning sensation that went on for a good ten minutes.
It was quite painful, but as it subsided, she went to bed and had a good night’s sleep. The next morning, she was surprised to find that she experienced no pain. This continued throughout the day. The horrible “ice pick” sinus pressure which was normally in full-swing by 10 a.m. was completely gone.
She repeated the neti pot protocol a few more times over the next five days along with some grapefruit seed extract (about 5 drops in 6 ounces of water twice a day). The entrenched sinus infection resolved and did not return.
Natural Prevention of Sinus Problems
Sinus issues are often a symptom of something else going on, such as yeast overgrowth or a candida problem. Making changes to your diet can help to reduce the incidence and severity of sinus problems. The need for even a natural sinus infection remedy is reduced as well. Here are some recommendations to avoid the overgrowth of yeast in the body:
Dietary Recommendations
- Avoid refined grains – these foods are common in our food supply and eaten frequently. They are high in carbohydrates and are converted to sugar in the body.
- Avoid meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products from commercially-raised animals fed grains, soy, and corn from factory-farmed environments. These animals and birds are given antibiotics, hormones, antibiotics, and are not allowed outside to wander, graze, and obtain fresh air and sunshine. Eating those kinds of meat, meat products, eggs, and dairy can contribute to yeast overgrowth in the body. Eat meats, dairy products, poultry, and eggs from animals raised naturally and without chemicals, hormones, or antibiotics.
- Eliminate processed and refined foods from the diet including excessive sugar and refined carbohydrates.
Lifestyle Recommendations
- Steer clear of prescription drug medications such as antibiotics, steroids, birth control pills, and even over-the-counter medications. These medications can greatly contribute to yeast overgrowth and unfriendly bacteria in the digestive tract. Once entrenched in the gut, these pathogens easily spread throughout the body.
- Eat plenty of healthy fats in your diet – butter, olive oil, palm oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, pastured lard, and grass-fed tallow. These traditional, healthy fats are nutrient-dense and help your body keep away illness and disease.
- Consume plenty of cultured and fermented foods and raw dairy products from healthy cows on pasture. These foods will naturally help promote diverse and friendly bacteria in your body and help keep illness and disease away.
Supplement Recommendations
- Take a therapeutic-grade probiotic daily to ensure friendly bacteria support in your gut. Read this post about choosing probiotics for more information on good brands to buy.
- If you still have trouble with yeast, consider doing regular detox baths or other protocols like a coffee enema. Better still, follow a temporary, healing dietary protocol like the GAPS diet, SCD, or autoimmune paleo (AIP).
More Information
How I Resolved My Raging Sinus Infection
How to Make and Use an Onion Poultice for Congestion
Doctor Prescribed Treatment for Healing Croup Naturally
SSKI: The Best Cough Expectorant You’ve Never Tried
Power Shot: Best Green Juice for Congestion
any natural solutions for a uti?
Cranactin from the healthfood store. It is cranberry extract .. works like a charm.
Look into D-Mannose, as well. I have read that it is as effective (or was it more) than antibiotics. My bladder was so inflamed that I could feel the painful, thickened walls when I put my hands on my lower abdomen. I was having strong, constant, painful spasms that left me on the toilet for 4 hours (sorry if TMI) and was urinating blood. I healed without antibiotics… no spasms after a day, no blood at all after 2 days. That’s how effective it can be. I also ate cranberries but only once b/c I couldn’t tolerate them after that.
Raw whole cranberries (you can buy them frozen at most natural food stores). I used to eat them with Total cereal (the sugar from the milk/cereal helps make them easier to tolerate) and now I blend them with an apple to make cranapple sauce. Juice did not work for me, nor did cooking them. They have to be eaten raw but, they took care of mine in two days. 🙂
I second the d-mannose suggestion. Put a hefty dose in water and then keep drinking it throughout the day so that there is always some in your bladder. Symptoms should abate very quickly. Keep it up for several days beyond to ensure that all the bacteria is flushed out. For frequent UTIs, you can use it preventively w/ absolutely no side effects. …It keeps the bacteria from sticking to the bladder so it can be flushed out.
I have been dealing with a sinus infection and I will be trying this today. I used Oreganol the first time and it worked, but not this time. My ear became plugged the first of this month and went with an antibiotic. But last night it came back. I will also be changing my diet with this because I know most of this came on because of eating unhealthy since the day after Halloween. Thanks for sharing.
I swallow a pill-sized piece of raw garlic every 3-4 hours when I have any kind of infection–I am especially prone to sinus infections and mastitis (plugged ducts while breastfeeding). I almost always notice a difference in the way I feel within the first hour; if not, I buy a fresher clove or just swallow a little more (but I do have to be mindful not to take too much; I once made myself pretty sick from swallowing three cloves at once). Sometimes I mix the garlic with raw honey, especially to make it easier to swallow. For kids, I hide minced raw garlic & olive oil in a sandwich or make lightly-toasted garlic bread.
Plain saline solution (salt water) works too. A friend uses it in a nebulizer for her daughter.
I will definitely get BioKult – this is just one more reason I need it… and I need to dust off my net pot. It’s amazing how great it is during cold/flu season!! I with I read this earlier: my son has bronchitis and he’s on antibiotics. I will definitely have him do this treatment after the antibiotics are finished to replenish his good bacteria. Thanks!!
FYI regarding essential oils and homeopathy: some oils will negate the effect of homeopathy. Peppermint/spearmint is one example. You have to be careful if using both – I try to stick with one method.
I love how there is always a solution, you just have to find it! Thanks for sharing this one with us!
My husband is dealing with a horrible sinus infection now. I’m wondering if I could get him to try this… I think he’s desperate enough.. lol.
Thanks for posting this.
HI Kim – I have several different probiotics in our house that I keep on hand. I also use Bio Kult, but we alternate since diverse bacteria is important. One of the other brands I use frequently is Biotics Research, and we usually have their Biodoph-7 Plus in the cupboard. Another very effective brand is Prescript-Assist. My nutritional therapist friend who lives next door recommended this brand to me several years ago as a product that is very useful for anyone who has had multiple rounds of antibiotics in his or her life and is especially good for anyone with poor digestive health as well. It is very potent and works well. But as always, it’s good to alternate to keep your bacteria diverse. 🙂
Thanks for featuring my post, Sarah! Happy holidays to everyone! 🙂
Hope this remedy is useful for everyone…I know it saved me!
This is great! I wish I’d read this before my husband had sinus surgery last month. But I think he will still benefit from this now, so thank you Raine and Sarah! What type(s) of probiotics do you recommend?
Hi Kim, I use BioKult .. it is the best I’ve found. The best places to order it are listed in the Resources section -click to get listings at the top of the blog.
Great advice! I used to get chronic sinus infections from milk consumption (even raw milk) but I could usually just get rid of them by waiting it out. A couple times I went in and got antibiotics if they just wouldn’t go away.
I had used a nasal spray bottle but it only offered temporary help, I wish I had thought to do the probiotics in there! I got rid of my milk allergy by following the GAPS diet for a few months about a year ago- haven’t had a sinus infection since 🙂