Quick Tips for Sinus Comfort

Are your sinuses bothering you? Between moldy fallen leaves, dry household heating, and cold/flu season, you and your child may wind up with clogged, swollen sinuses that make you both miserable. Here are a few quick tips:

Use a plain, drug-free sterile saline nasal solution to rinse out and moisturize nasal passages and thin out the mucus. Try Simply Saline or Little Noses, available at most drugstores.
Take a steambath and breathe deeply. Turn up the hot water, close the door, and enjoy the steam vapors. Great for the skin too!
Use a humidifier in your bedroom or work area, being sure to keep it clean.
Eucalyptus can help open up nasal passages. Sniff eucalyptus essential oil or on a tissue/handkerchief, or add eucalyptus oil or actual leaves to boiling water, turn off the stove, and breathe in the steam. Or try putting a few dabs of Vick’s VapoRub beneath your nostrils. It’s a very intense smell with a warm goopy feeling that you and your child will either love or hate.
If you have chronic sinus problems, consider whether you might have food allergies or sensitivities that might contribute. Try eliminating ALL dairy for two weeks and see if that helps. Or try eliminating all wheat products for two weeks. Work with a nutritionist or allergist if you suspect food reactions.