During the winter seasons, I contracted the flu. In fact, I contracted two. It wasn’t fun. The most hateful thing about it though is the aftermath – sinus infections. It always seems to stick around after a cold, flu, or just seasonal allergies. I can never kick it without the use of antibiotics, but as you might know, bacteria can get used to antibiotics if you take too much or too often. Well, darn it for those like me who are just more prone to sinus infections, sometimes as much as three times a year! We are cultivating some serious super-bacteria here. We just want to get rid of it!
That’s when I ran into
Earthclinic.com, a website dedicated to natural cures and ailments. So I decided to guinea-pig myself with some of the most popular natural methods listed in Earthclinic.com for curing/preventing sinus infections. I mean, what have I got to lose?
Please keep in mind, this is just from my experience (I guinea-pigged myself). Everyone has a different immune system, and so what methods work for me may not work for others. Or what methods failed for me may work for others.
METHOD 1: NASAL RINSE
[DURATION of use: 3+ WEEKS] [RESULTS: CONTROLLED]
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp Non-iodized salt
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- 8 oz Lukewarm FILTERED water (or warm saline water, if available)
- 2 to 3 times daily
Where to Buy:
- Nasal Rinse kit (high volume bottle or Neti Pot): RiteAid, Walgreens, CVS, etc.
You may purchase this kit for around $10 or more in the drug isle (or ask pharmacists) at pretty much any drug store. The “high volume bottle” reaches deeper into your sinuses for a deeper clean, but the Neti Pot is effective as well.
- Saline mix packets: RiteAid, Walgreens, CVS, etc.
The Sinus Rinse kits should come with its own saline mix packets. If you should run out of saline mix packets, you can either purchase more in the drug isle of any drug store OR mix the solution yourself with the above ingredients.
NOTE: Remember not all salt are the same. You must purchase the “non-iodized” kinds, which you can find at your local food store, such as Albertsons, Smiths, Vons, etc. You’ll see it in big words whether it’s iodized or non-iodized. Iodized salt will burn your nasal passages!
Why use this:
Nasal rinsing helps to clear and decongest your nasal passages for instant relief. It also clears out unwanted bacteria and virus-filled mucus so that your body can heal from the cold/flu quicker.
Outcome:
Once upon a time, before I ran into Earthclinic.com, I purchased this little sinus rinse kit from CVS. It’s been the only thing I’ve tried for around a year now. At first, I was completely amazed by how much this helped in shortening my cold/flu. When I get sick, I usually get sick for 2 weeks. Nasal rinsing had cut it down anywhere from 4 days to a week.
However, it did not stop the sinus infection. I found that this only SLOWED down a sinus infection from occurring. In the end, I always had to get antibiotics as soon as the infection slowly but surely worked it’s way into my sinus.
Note:
I recommend ALWAYS using sinus rinsing in combination with the other methods listed below for maximum effectiveness. By itself, it may not be enough help for curing a sinus infection (but it definitely shortens the length of a cold/flu).
WARNING 1:
Follow the directions on how to properly utilize this product to irrigate your sinuses. Forcefully irrigating your sinus when one or both nasal passages are blocked can have definite adverse affects, such as an ear infection!
WARNING 2:
Do not use tap water. It will do more harm than good. Just remember that if you're going to do a nasal rinse, do it properly.
METHOD 2: APPLE CIDER VINEGAR DRINK (ACV)
[DURATION of use: 2 WEEKS] [RESULTS: TEMPORARILY CONTROLLED, with SIDE EFFECTS]
Ingredients:
- 1-2 tablespoon Organic, unfiltered, unpasterized Apple Cider Vinegar
- 8-16 oz warm water
- Optional: honey or agave syrup for taste
- 2 to 3 times daily
Where to Buy:
- Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (raw, unfiltered, unpasterized, unheated, etc): Trader Joes, Wholefood Market, etc.
Anything organic is usually found in whole food stores. There are many different brands of organic ACV, but upon recommendation, I bought the Braggs brand bottle that says it has the “Mother” in it. That’s pretty much all the good stuff of “organic” ACV compared to regular ACV.
NOTE: There are debates about using organic vs non-organic ACV. If you should go with organic, choose the one that says one or more of the following: raw, unfiltered, unpasterized, and/or unheated.
Why use this:
Apple Cider Vinegar helps to thin mucus for a more effective draining. It thins the mucus in your chest and nose as well, providing relief from stuffiness. The thinning of mucus is the key to curing a sinus infection. Apple Cider Vinegar is also a natural immune system booster. I have no idea whether non-organic ACV will do any help, but it seems everyone on the internet recommends organic because of the “Mother” in it.
WARNING: ACV must be distilled into water! Don’t give yourself a sore throat or canker sores by drinking it non-distilled!
Outcome:
I was more than happy to try this Apple Cider Vinegar drink everyone seems to be so satisfied about on Earthclinic.com. At first, it did wonders for me! It worked immediately in thinning my mucus. Over a short few days, blockage in my nose had subsided, head congestion disappeared, and sinus pain no longer existed. Not only that, but ACV made me feel so energetic! I jumped out of bed early in the mornings, ready to take on the world! I should note that I used ACV in combination with the nasal rinse method.
However, it did not come without side effects. After 2 full weeks of taking 1-2 tbs of ACV 2-3 times a day, this remedy has finally taken a toll on my body. At the end of this 2 week experiment, I've had increased gastric pain (gastric pain feels like there's a hole in your stomach due to excessive acidity - happens most often after I drink orange juice) and light-headedness.
Within these 2 weeks, my symptoms did not go away BUT it never got worse either. Yes, my sinus condition improved on the 2nd day of taking the ACV drink, but it was also in the very same condition 2 weeks later. Nothing changed over the course of that time. ACV simply controlled it.
I’m not sure about others, but if this worked for other people, then this just tells me I’ve got an incredibly weak immune system OR many (not all) people has not finished their full ACV course to get cured and have “jumped the gun” and reported it works due to immensely diminished symptoms.
Note:
Although I had stopped taking ACV due to my gastric pains, I found it greatly useful and provided almost instantaneous relief from chest and nose congestion (the key in kicking an illness). Because of its immune system properties and as a somewhat vitamin C supplement, I continued taking ACV drink once in a while. Now, I’ve developed a taste for it!
Note2:
I regretted wasting my 2 weeks time drinking ACV alone when I should have drank the ACV in combination with using the below method: METHOD 4. I might have been cured by now.
METHOD 3: APPLE CIDER VINEGAR… IN MY NASAL RINSE!
[DURATION of use: 2 DAYS] [RESULTS: FAILED MISERABLY, BUT MIGHT BE WORTH A TRY FOR OTHERS]
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp Non-iodized salt
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ACV (WARNING: more = more pain)
- 8 oz Lukewarm water (or warm saline water, if available)
- 2 to 3 times daily
Where to Buy:
- Look at METHOD 2.
Why use this:
I have no basis for this, but in theory, using ACV in a nasal rinse kills the bacteria directly.
Outcome:
I stopped the ACV drink completely. On the same day, I tried what some people had suggested: putting some ACV into my nasal rinse. As crazy as this sounded, I did it. I have patience. I've lived with sinus infections for 20 odd years, what's a few more days trying out new methods, right?
I've got to warn those who want to attempt this that it isn't a good experience. I mixed 1 tiny teaspoon of ACV into 8 oz of warm water and saline mix. It stung quite badly… but 1 teaspoon of ACV for me was still tolerable. Aside from the stinging, it tastes and smells like bile in your nose when you do the rinse with ACV. If you don't know what that's like, it's like getting drunk or even the stomach flu and puking in the bathroom.
Since then, I've dreaded rinsing my nose with ACV. However, I toughed it out until I saw some kind of results, whether positive or negative. Results didn't take long though. In 2 days, I already felt worse. Everything was back: sinus pain/pressure, etc. I'm not saying this isn't an effective method for some people, but after trying it out myself, ACV in my sinus rinse just feels like a placebo effect to me.
Note:
I’ve heard some people put as much as 1 tablespoon (vs 1 tiny tsp) of ACV or more! This seemed to work for them. Maybe it would have worked for me as well, if only I could endure that kind of pain – which I can’t!
METHOD 4: GRAPEFRUIT SEED EXTRACT (GSE) IN MY NASAL SALINE RINSE
[DURATION of use: 13 DAYS] [RESULTS: PROMISING – ½ CURED!]
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp Non-iodized salt
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- 8 oz Lukewarm water (or warm saline water, if available)
- 4 drops of GSE (Recommended: 1 drop of GSE per 2 oz of water)
- MIX WELL
- 2 to 3 times daily
Where to buy:
- Grapefruit Seed Extract (NutriBiotic – unfiltered): Wholefood Market, internet.
Getting a hold of this at your local groceries store might be tricky. Luckily, there was a new Wholefood Market around my neighborhood. Before I went there though, I did try calling the Vitamin Store and others like it. No one seemed to carry GSE! I do know for certain some internet stores carry this product.
Why use this:
Grapefruit seed extract is popular for its naturally anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. It’s also quite potent. While many people suffer a sinus infection due to bacteria, a rather large amount of people also suffer from it due to fungus. You may not know which you are suffering from! With that in mind, no amount of anti-bacterial medicine from your doctor will help your sinus infection because it only targets bacteria and not fungus. GSE targets both.
Outcome:
Finally, I decided to try grapefruit seed extract because of its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and potentness. If I was crazy enough to squirt some ACV into my nose, I was brave enough to do it with GSE.
The very first time I used it, I was pretty amazed that even with a blocked nose, this GSE distilled in water works quickly in getting all that mucus out. Normally, it is not recommended to irrigate your nose if one (or two) nose passages are blocked. It’ll only result in more sinus pain/pressure and even an ear infection. But this worked as if the blockage wasn’t even there (however, I still recommend irrigating your nose with GSE only if both nose passages are free – just to be safe).
While 1 drop of GSE per 2 oz of water is usually recommended, I found that this recommended dosage was even more potent than I had expected!! I felt terrible the entire first day after my very first rinse! I felt like I was having the sinus infection right before my eyes. Every breath I took felt like my nose was on fire! At least, my nose was clean and clear of mucus pretty much the whole day.
Many GSE user/believers, and even the GSE’s website, had said something like, “No, you do not build up tolerance against GSE.” Since I’ve been keeping a tab on the outcome of each day’s use of GSE, I can tell you for certain that may not be true at all, at least not for me.
Here’s what happened:
Day 1: 4 drops of GSE into 8oz of warm water (+ saline mix of course) = felt like a 15 day old sinus infection burn/pain sensation, but no mucus (which is fantastic).
Day 2: Decreased the GSE dosage, so 1 drops of GSE into 8oz of warm water = less of a sinus infection burn/pain sensation, and a little bit of mucus.
Day 3 - 4: Increased dosage of GSE, so 2 drops of GSE into 8oz of warm water = yellow mucus was slowly becoming clear-colored, which means GSE is working!
Day 5 - 6: Increased dosage of GSE, so 3 drops, because amount of mucus was getting too overwhelming.
Day 7: Back to 4 drops of GSE into 8oz of warm water = didn’t feel a thing and amount of mucus was increasing, but mucus is completely clear-colored.
Day 8 - 10: INCREASED dosage of GSE, so 5-6 drops of GSE into 8oz of warm water! = Mucus was becoming intolerable that I could almost no longer do a nasal rinse at all!
You get my idea? I’m not sure whether I built up tolerance to GSE or that I had decreased the dosage and allowed my body to become weaker in that time. I just know that by Day 9, I could no longer taste my food properly. I had thought I overdosed on GSE, but later, I found that it was because I had just too much mucus that blocked my sense of taste.
Figuring I really need to clear up all this mucus in order for the GSE and nasal rinse to get through, I started taking Sudafed Decongestant 24 hours. Wow, it worked so well with this combination!
Day 11 - 13: Sudafed 24 hours + 4-5 drops of GSE into 8oz of warm water = I can taste food properly again!
TIP: When you start this GSE method, keep in mind MY mistake. Don’t go decreasing the recommended dosage because you feel like you’re going to die… unless you start bleeding as result of using GSE (don’t mistake it with the blood from your own sinus infection). I’ve never heard of anyone bleeding as a result of using GSE though. Just don’t over-do it.
Note:
I found out from my family doctor that antibiotics are usually taken over the course of 21 days because that is how long it takes to cure an infection. If you've got a sinus infection that's hard to beat, be consistent AND persistent with GSE. I know it sounds like too much work to rinse your nose twice a day for 21 days, but I've stopped GSE on my 13th day and guess what? By the 15th day, my sinus infection was back! Darn it...
METHOD 5: APPLE CIDER VINEGAR STEAM
[DURATION of use: 2 DAYS] [RESULTS: TEMPORARY EFFECTIVE – VERY GOOD DECONGESTANT]
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 cup water
- Heat in a small pot with lid on until it boils then turn off fire. Take lid off, bend over and slowly inhale the steam for 2-5 minutes. Close your eyes and mouth when doing this!
- 2 to 3 times daily
Where to buy:
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Albertons, Vons, Smiths, etc.
I’m not sure whether it matters if the ACV is organic or not. I just used my non-organic one in the kitchen and it worked well for me.
Why use this:
This is mainly for decongesting. By itself, it may or may not be effective in curing a sinus infection.
Outcome:
Not wanting to continue on the Sudafed 24 hours as my decongestant, I switched over to using ACV steam. It stings and burns, so be careful not to push yourself and overdo it.
Within the 5 minutes of inhaling the ACV steam, I took a break about 4 times. Each time I breaked, I blew my nose until there was nothing left. A good indication of when you’ve cleared your sinus of mucus is when you can taste the sweet Apple Cider in the back of your throat when you inhale the steam again.
Note:
Usually, one side of your nose still remains blocked even though you’re inhaling the steam. Close the other side of your nose and gently breathe in with just the side that is blocked. Take a break, blow your nose, and try again. Eventually, even that side of your throat will start tasting the sweet Apple Cider from inhaling the steam through that blocked side.
METHOD 6: STEAMER OR HUMIDIFIER OR VAPORIZER
[DURATION of use: CONTINUOUS] [RESULTS: TEMPORARY EFFECTIVE – RELAXING]
Ingredients:
- Humidifier
- Water
- A vapor steam liquid medication
- Usually at night
Where to buy:
- Vaporizer: CVS, Walgreens, RiteAid, etc.
There is a variety to choose from and comes in a selection of sizes. Some comes as a hand-held, while others humidify the entire room. Whichever you choose, make sure these humidifiers are able to use in combination with liquid medication.
- Vapor Steam Medication: CVS, Walgreens, RiteAid, etc.
There are different kinds and different brands, such as Vicks VapoSteam. These can be found in the same isle as Vaporizers at the pharmacy.
- Other oils: Health food stores, Whole food stores, Pharmacies.
You may choose to add some relaxing oils to your steamer. This may help relax you when you sleep.
Why use this:
This helps to protect and moisten your nose. You don’t want your nose to be too dry. Cold and dry air is what makes you more vulnerable to a sinus infection! If you already are down with the sinus infection, this may help to give you some relief during the nighttime.
Outcome:
I don’t think this helped me very much. I live in a dry desert-like city and my steamer is only wee-big. On top of that, it’s the winter-time. Once I walk out of the house, my nose has no choice but to breathe the dry, cold desert air.
However, with medicated oil, like Vicks or Eucalyptus oil, the steamer is a pretty cool thing to have around the house. It provides a pretty relaxing atmosphere at home.
METHOD 7: SALINE NASAL MIST
[DURATION of use: 2 DAYS] [RESULTS: NOT VERY EFFECTIVE]
Ingredients:
- Saline Nasal Mist (store purchase or google on ingredients)
- As often as you need it
Where to buy:
- Saline Nasal Mist: Pharmacies, grocery stores, etc.
There is quite a variety of this. Some come as a spray, some as a dropper, and some as a mist! It’s all so hard to choose from! But if you do choose one, make sure you throw it away after you’re better – DO NOT save and reuse it for when you get sick another time!
Why use this:
This helps to protect and moisten your nose. It is said to help make you “breathe” better as well.
Outcome:
I bought the brand that says “Ayr.” After a single use, I already felt worse. After several more tries, I realized I’m allergic to an ingredient in this brand of Saline Nasal Mist. Go figures…
Like the humidifier, even if I wasn’t allergic, I don’t think this will help me a whole lot. Yes, it moistens my nasal passages, but I didn’t breathe any better.
METHOD 8: OIL PULLING
This is a rather unconventional method that I just heard about on Earthclinic.com. I've been trying it for around a week now.
*updated 09/16/2011
Despite what others say on other blogs and website, this did not work for me. However, it's made my gums so healthy, that my dentist was amazed. But then again, regular mouth rinse does the same for me.
I'm not saying it's not worth a try, but it seem like a placebo affect for me.
As for the instructions to this method, please go to Earthclinic.com for their very detailed instruction. As for where to buy this, it's pretty much at any food stores, like Albertsons and Smiths.
Good luck with this one!
METHOD 9: PREVENTION AND FLU SHOT
Since I've written this in the beginning of the year, I've gotten sick twice already but no sinus infection! Pretty much, I only used sinus rinse, ate plenty of fruits and veggies, and drank ACV (apple cider vinegar) once a day. Turns out I just had to prevent it before it begins.
If any of you had started using GSE (grapefruit seed extract), I really recommend staying on it for at least 4 more days after your infection seems to be gone. Afterall, it is still a form of antibiotic. You give the bacteria a break from GSE and it will make the bacteria immune.
If I hadn't made it clear already, I'll say it again. Don't wait too long to see a doctor for antibiotics! I'd say don't wait longer than 3 weeks (or less). The longer you wait, the more chance bacteria has a chance to get used to ANY antibodies your immune system uses to fight off the infection. Although you may be better this time, it will take longer for you to get better NEXT time. You don't have to take my word for it, although my doctor did tell me this.
GET THE FLU SHOT! THIS IS ALSO A TERRIFIC PREVENTIVE METHOD!
If you are willing to go through my blog of long descriptions and blabber, then please take the time to go to your local pharmacy for a flu shot.
