Use over-the-counter decongestant nasal sprays or drops to help unblock your nose and allow you to breathe more easily – these shouldn't be used for more than a week at a time. Apply warm packs to your face to soothe your pain and help mucus drain from your sinuses.
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.
Relax with a warm compress
After blowing your nose, apply a warm washcloth to your face for about 15 minutes to help ease congestion. Refresh as needed to keep it warm. Breathing in the moist air can also help ease congestion.
If you feel that you are blocked up but are not really producing mucus, then this is more indicative of a physical abnormality, such as nasal polyps or a deviated septum. It is quite common for people to complain of having a blocked nose on one side.
Acupresssure Point LI 20: Located at the base of your nose, this pressure point can help relieve sinus pressure. Acupresssure Point SI18: Located where your cheekbones meet your nose, this pressure point can relieve sinus congestion.
On the other hand, repeated and forceful nose-blowing can generate pressures that are high enough to force mucus into the sinuses, which could be a factor in chronic sinusitis. If you are going to blow your nose, stick to one nostril at a time and do it gently.
It's not clear exactly what causes sinusitis to become chronic (long-lasting), but it has been associated with: allergies and related conditions, including allergic rhinitis, asthma and hay fever. nasal polyps (growths inside the nose) smoking.
Hoecker, M.D. 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.
Anything that irritates the inside of the nose can cause a stuffy nose. Infections — such as colds, flu or sinusitis — and allergies often cause stuffy and runny noses. Irritants in the air, such as tobacco smoke, perfume, dust and car exhaust, also can cause these symptoms.
The frontal sinus has the most complex and variable drainage of any paranasal sinus.
Saline rinses are an effective way to flush out irritants from your sinuses and relieve pressure. This is a simple solution of salt water that is used to rinse out the sinuses. Many over-the-counter products are available, or you can make your own at home by mixing 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 8 ounces of warm water.
Hot steam may help open the sinuses. Steam loosens the dried mucus and can help the nose drain before bed, reducing pain and congestion. Some people find that massaging the skin covering the sinuses promotes further drainage. Taking a warm shower before bed may also help a person relax before trying to sleep.
Balloon sinuplasty allows the surgeon to dilate a blocked sinus, creating open space, which allows the sinus to drain normally. The surgeon uses a flexible endoscope with a light to guide the insertion of a thin wire. The wire is then moved through the nasal passages toward the opening of the blocked sinus.
It's likely that one nostril will always feel more stuffed up than the other when you're sick. Still, after about 90 minutes to 4 hours, your nose switches sides. When that occurs, you'll probably feel some relief when the swelling in the one nostril goes down—but then the other side will start to feel clogged instead.
The underlying mechanism has to do with an asymmetry in blood flow between the nasal cavities. Blood vessels can swell and change the airflow in one nostril in comparison with the other. This cycle is controlled by your autonomic nervous system (ANS) and lasts around 2 hours per cycle.
A deviated septum occurs when your nasal septum is significantly displaced to one side, making one nasal air passage smaller than the other. When a deviated septum is severe, it can block one side of the nose and reduce airflow, causing difficulty breathing.
According to Dr. Leann Poston of Invigor Medical, “Elevating your head before bed can increase drainage and decrease congestion.” That's why the best position to sleep with a stuffy nose is on your back with different types of pillows elevating your head and neck.
Chronic sinusitis can be caused by an infection, growths in the sinuses (nasal polyps) or swelling of the lining of your sinuses. Signs and symptoms may include a blocked or stuffy (congested) nose that causes difficulty breathing through your nose, and pain and swelling around your eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead.
Acute sinusitis usually starts with cold-like symptoms such as a runny, stuffy nose and facial pain. It may start suddenly and last 2 to 4 weeks. Subacute sinusitis usually lasts 4 to 12 weeks. Chronic sinusitis symptoms last 12 weeks or longer.
Can Covid-19 Cause a Sinus Infection? COVID-19 is a disease that can cause what doctors call a respiratory tract infection. It can affect your upper respiratory tract (sinuses, nose, and throat) or lower respiratory tract (windpipe and lungs). There is no information yet on whether COVID-19 causes sinusitis.