Don't breathe irritating materials or smoke:avoid breathing in harmful materials or fumes when you have a sinus infection. You should not smoke cigarettes or cigars. And, you should avoid high pollution areas. Try to breathe in clean, fresh air.
Don't Breathe in Irritating Stuff
Your goal is to soothe your sinuses, not inflame them. So avoid places that have cigarette smoke, and stay indoors when air pollution levels are high. If you're a smoker, quit.
Seasonal allergies, cologne, perfume, smoke, and other airborne particulates can mess with your sinuses, especially when suffering from a sinus infection. Unfortunately, other than staying in a hermetically sealed room, there's not much you can do about some of these.
Hydrate – Drink plenty of fluids, like sugar-free juice and water, to hydrate your sinuses. Try to avoid coffee, as this can make symptoms worse. Breathe in steam – Steam can open up your nasal passages and allow mucus to drain.
However, stay away from alcohol, sugary beverages, caffeine, and smoking. Since these tend to dehydrate your system and clog already inflamed airways with thick mucus.
Vitamins and minerals — Colorful fruits and vegetables — like apricots, cantaloupe, strawberries, red and green peppers, kale, parsley and broccoli — get high praise from the scientists working on sinus healers world-wide. They contain lots of vitamin C which is known to fend off colds, allergies and sinus infections.
Food to Avoid
Avoid dairy if you have had previous episodes of sinus infections. Also, try to avoid refined sugar as it is pro-inflammatory and increases the production of mucus. Other foods to avoid include tomatoes (contain histamines), chocolate, cheese, gluten, and fruits like bananas, which can cause congestion.
In a technical sense, stress itself does not cause sinus problems. However, it can leave your body susceptible to infections, including sinus infections. If you have an existing infection or other sinus issues, stress can also worsen these symptoms or infections.
For instance, beer and wine contain high levels of histamine, which can also contribute to a runny nose or nasal congestion. Or, maybe you're sensitive to sulfites or other chemicals in alcoholic beverages, resulting in nausea or headaches.
Some natural ways to get your sinuses draining and relieve sinus pressure include drinking plenty of fluids; using a humidifier; avoiding cold, dry air; taking plenty of steamy showers; and drinking a cup of hot tea or soup.
Vicks VapoRub — a topical ointment made of ingredients including camphor, eucalyptus oil and menthol that you rub on your throat and chest — doesn't relieve nasal congestion. But the strong menthol odor of VapoRub may trick your brain, so you feel like you're breathing through an unclogged nose.
Drink Ginger Tea
Along with helping you hydrate and steam out your sinuses, hot ginger tea contains the anti-inflammatory gingerol. This compound reduces inflammation in your mucus membranes, making this the best tea for sinus infection relief.
When you lie down, however, your body doesn't have to fight as hard to send blood to your head. Increased blood flow in the blood vessels of your sinuses can, in turn, cause sinus congestion, pressure, and pain.
While many of our favorite dishes contain milk or cheese, they may add to your sinus troubles. Some studies show that dairy products have properties that cause your body to produce excess mucus, creating a stuffy, congested nose and making you miserable.
Consuming excessive dairy products can lead to excess production of mucus in the sinuses, further aggravating your sinusitis. Chocolate, eggs, and flour products also encourage excessive mucus production. When you have sinusitis, eat these foods instead.