How to Ease Sinus Pain: 14 Steps (with Pictures) (2024)

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1Using Home Remedies

2Turning to Medical Treatments

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Medically reviewed byLuba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

Last Updated: November 11, 2021References

If you’re experiencing sinus pain, it probably feels like something incredibly heavy is pressing down on your face. You might be feeling pain around your forehead, eyes, cheeks, and nose. Sinus pain occurs when your sinus cavities become inflamed and mucus clogs your nose. Staying hydrated, taking a hot shower, using a neti pot, and a range of other home remedies can help relieve mild sinus pain. If these home remedies don’t offer you sufficient relief, decongestants and pain relievers may be the answer.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using Home Remedies

  1. 1

    Drink lots of water and other fluids to keep your mucus loose. Dehydration can worsen your sinus pain, so drink lots of fluids if you’re starting to feel pain in your sinuses. Staying hydrated will help promote the drainage of your sinuses by keeping mucus thin and watery. Loosening up the mucus should help ease some of the pain you’re feeling. Try to drink 8 glasses of water a day (with each glass being 8 fluid ounces (240mL)).[1]

    • Water and juice are the best beverages to drink when you have any sinus pain.
    • Heat water to a comfortable temperature to help improve congestion and sinus pain.
    • Refrain from drinking beverages with caffeine or alcohol, as they can further dehydrate you.
    • Alcohol can also inflame the lining of your sinuses and nose, so save that beer or glass of wine for another time.
  2. 2

    Get more sleep to quicken your recovery. Rest and relaxation can help ease any type of pain, and sinus pain is no exception. By resting, you’re giving your body the chance to fight off infection. Not taking a break from your busy schedule will likely prolong your healing process.[2]

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  3. 3

    Elevate your head when you lay down to prevent mucus from pooling. When you lay down, the mucus in your sinuses cannot drain out, which causes it to pool. This can cause pressure to build up in your sinuses and will aggravate any pain you’re feeling.[3]

    • When you sleep or nap, place a few pillows under your head to prop it up.
  4. 4

    Take a long, hot shower to moisten your sinus cavities. The warm, moist air from a hot shower will help break up any thick or dried mucus in your sinuses. Turn up the water temperature as high as you can bear and breath in the steam. This should provide some immediate relief if congestion is a cause for your sinus pain.[4]

  5. 5

    Inhale steam from a bowl of hot water with a towel over your head. For a similar effect, use a microwave or stove to heat up a bowl of water. Once the water is hot, drape a towel over your head, lean over the bowl, and breathe in the steam.[5]

    • Before putting your face over the steaming bowl of water, carefully place your hand over the bowl to make sure the steam isn’t too hot.
    • Take special care when handling containers of hot water around small children and pets.
  6. 6

    Apply a warm compress to your face to ease the pain. Place a small towel and place it in a bowl of hot (not scalding water). Wring out the excess water, and then place the warm and damp towel on your face where you feel the most pain.[6]

    • Be careful when placing the towel on your face. Otherwise, you may accidentally burn yourself if the water you’re using is too hot.
    • You can also try hard-boiling eggs and letting them cool down until they’re warm. Wrap the eggs in a cloth and hold it over your sinuses.
  7. 7

    Set up a humidifier in your home. Dry air will dry out your nasal passages, so avoid dry environments if you’re experiencing any sinus pain. If the air in the room you’re spending lots of time in is dry, setting up and running a humidifier will add some much-needed moisture to the air.[7]

    • Be sure to regularly clean your humidifier to prevent the growth of mold.
  8. 8

    Refrain from forcefully blowing your nose. If thick and dry mucus is driving you nuts, blow your nose gently. Blowing your nose forcefully will do more harm than good. It will irritate and further inflame your nasal passages, causing more pain. It might even force mucus back up into your sinuses.[8]

    • When you blow your nose, plug one nostril and blow gently.
  9. 9

    Rinse your nasal passages with a neti pot. A neti pot looks like a little teapot with a long spout. To use a neti pot, first fill it with a saline or saltwater solution. Then, lean your head sideways over a sink so that your forehead and chin are level. Insert the neti pot’s spout in your top nostril and pour. Breathe through your open mouth throughout this process.[9]

    • Closely follow the directions for use that came with your neti pot.
    • Improper use or a dirty neti pot can increase your risk of infection.
    • Use only with distilled or sterile water with your neti pot. (These can be bought at most grocery stores).
    • Avoid using tap water in your neti pot. Tap water is not adequately filtered to be used as a nasal rinse, and contains bacteria that can cause serious infections in your nasal passages.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Turning to Medical Treatments

  1. 1

    Use a plain saline nasal spray to loosen the mucus. An alternative to a neti pot is a plain saline nasal spray. A saline mist will break up mucus and reduce sinus swelling, opening your airways. You can find a saline spray at your local pharmacy. No prescription is required.[10]

    • Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a spray they would recommend.
  2. 2

    Reduce stuffiness with an over-the-counter decongestant. Decongestants can offer short-term relief from nasal congestion. They do this by reducing the swelling of blood vessels in your nose and widening your airways. You can find decongestants in the form of nasal sprays, tablets, liquids, and flavored powders that dissolve in hot water. Most nasal spray decongestants will be available for purchase at your local pharmacy without a prescription.[11]

    • Closely read the warnings and directions that come with your medicine before using it.
    • Using a nasal decongestant for more than a week may make your stuffiness worse.
    • If you’re taking any other medications, consult your doctor before using a decongestant.
  3. 3

    Try using an expectorant to relieve congestion. Expectorants such as Mucinex can help break up your congestion and help relieve your sinus pain. Take a 600mg dose twice a day along with a full glass of water to get the best results.[12]

  4. 4

    Ease your sinus pain with an over-the-counter pain reliever. Any over-the-counter pain reliever should help numb your sinus pain. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen should all do the trick. As with any medication, take as directed by the label on the container.[13]

  5. 5

    Schedule an appointment with your doctor. If none of these remedies work, call your doctor and schedule an appointment. You should also talk to your doctor if your sinus pain worsens or if it lasts for over a week.[14]

    • Tell your doctor about any other symptoms you’re experiencing with your sinus pain.

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Expert Q&A

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  • Question

    How do I get rid of sinus pain?

    Alan O. Khadavi, MD, FACAAI
    Board Certified Allergist

    Dr. Alan O. Khadavi is a Board Certified Allergist and a Pediatric Allergy Specialist based in Los Angeles, California. He holds a BS in biochemistry from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook and an MD from the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn. Dr. Khadavi completed his pediatric residency at Schneider Children’s Hospital in New York, and then went on to complete his allergy and immunology fellowship and pediatric residency at Long Island College Hospital. He is board certified in adult and pediatric allergy/immunology. Dr. Khadavi is a Diplomate of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology, a Fellow of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), and a member of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). Dr. Khadavi's honors include Castle Connolly’s list of Top Doctors 2013-2020, and Patient Choice Awards "Most Compassionate Doctor" in 2013 & 2014.

    Alan O. Khadavi, MD, FACAAI

    Board Certified Allergist

    Expert Answer

    A nasal saline wash, which is a saltwater rinse, can push mucus out of your nose and relieve some of the congestion.

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      About this article

      How to Ease Sinus Pain: 14 Steps (with Pictures) (31)

      Medically reviewed by:

      Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

      Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

      This article was medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006. This article has been viewed 6,401 times.

      12 votes - 84%

      Co-authors: 3

      Updated: November 11, 2021

      Views:6,401

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      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 6,401 times.

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