Air Purifiers
It’s often not enough just to have increased humidity in the air we breathe. When your sinusitis is triggered by environmental factors, including dust, smoke, mold and other irritants, an air purifier can add a second line of defense for the nose, filtering out these sinusitis triggers from our indoor air. While many acute sinus infections are triggered by viral or bacterial infections, Mayo Clinic research suggests that as many as 96 percent of chronic sinusitis sufferers experience immune responses to inhaled fungal organisms, such as mold that may grow in the home. An air purifier can help minimize the mold and fungi spores in the air you’re breathing.
Saline Nasal Spray
Not to be confused with medicated nasal spray, saline nasal spray can offer powerful relief from sinus symptoms. A saline mist spray works much like a portable humidifier, adding humidity directly to your nasal passages. This saline spray helps thin out and keep sinus mucus moving, helping to wash away allergens and germs before they cause inflammation or easing inflammation. Unlike decongestants, there is no danger of addiction to saline sprays, and they can be used safely up to six times per day.
Medicated nasal sprays may be a good short-term solution to ease sinus pain and congestion, but buyer beware: if you use these sprays for more than three or four days in a row, the body can start to require larger doses, more often, in order to continue offering relief. You can actually have more congestion when you try to wean yourself off the sprays as your body goes through withdrawal. Prescription alternatives, such as steroid nasal sprays (Flonase) can reduce inflammation without the same withdrawal symptoms as over-the-counter sprays.
Aromatherapy
Inhaling herbs or essential oil products, including rosemary, eucalyptus and peppermint may help relieve some of the symptoms of sinus congestion and may have antibacterial properties. Studies have suggested that a 2 percent dilution of eucalyptus oil kills 70 percent of airborne staphylococcus bacteria. In fact, commercial congestion rubs, like Vicks, still rely on derivatives from essential oils -- such as thymol from thyme and menthol from mint in a petroleum oil base to ease congestion symptoms. In addition to chest rubs, you can try filling a steaming hot sink and adding a few drops of essential oils, then leaning over the sink with a towel draped over your head to breathe in the benefits.