How To Clear A Stuffed Up Head

8 Ways to Clear Up Sinus Congestion

You don't have to keep living with the symptoms of a sinus infection. Here are eight smart tips from both experts and readers that'll help get you breathing easier in no time.

Reviewed: December 9, 2015

Sinus congestion may make you feel miserable, but managing it can be easy — if you find the right treatment, that is. First, it helps to figure out what's triggering the congestion. "You can treat the symptoms, but you are going to be chasing your tail if you don't know what's causing them," says Ian Alexander, MD, an otolaryngologist and founder of the National Sinus Institute, which has clinics in New Mexico and Texas. Common causes include allergies and infections, but your congestion could also be caused by structural problems with your nose and sinuses. Here are some short- and long-term solutions that can help ease congestion and relieve sinusitis symptoms.

Steam It Up

Whether you're taking a warm shower or just inhaling the air from a bowl of soup, steam can help break up congestion and give you some relief from your symptoms. "Steam humidifies dry mucus and helps you move it out," says Robert Kern, MD, an otolaryngologist at Northwestern Medical Group in Chicago, Illinois. But the relief is only temporary, so it's important to identify what's causing your symptoms, so you can tackle the real problem.

Rinse With Salt Water

The irritants from dust, pollution, and fragrances can make their way into your sinuses and cause congestion. To get rid of these irritants, use a saltwater saline rinse — either an over-the-counter saline nasal spray or a saline rinse from a neti pot, which is designed to pour saline water through your sinuses, says Dr. Kern.

As Phillip Tanner, 44, of San Francisco, California, says, "I use very warm water and a super-saturated hypertonic salt solution. It's definitely an odd experience, even once you get used to doing it, but I find that it really does help my symptoms."

Avoid Cigarette Smoke

Cigarettes and secondhand smoke can increase your risk for chronic sinus congestion — so much so that research published in the International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology in February 2014 urged physicians to do a better job of asking people with chronic sinus congestion if they are exposed to cigarette smoke.

"Smoking makes sinusitis more difficult to manage, if you are prone to it," says Dr. Alexander. And, if you need surgery to treat chronic congestion, he says, a smoking habit can make it harder for you to recover from the procedure — and increase your risk of needing a second surgery.

Use a Nasal Steroid Spray

Available over the counter, these sprays can help reduce the inflammation that adds to congestion. "Sometimes the inflammatory reaction is self-perpetuating," Kern says. The 2015 sinus inflammation and congestion treatment guidelines from the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation advises using local steroid treatments and, if necessary, antibiotics to break the cycle.

And while nasal steroid sprays and saline sprays are both helpful, Kern stresses that other nasal sprays, such as decongestant sprays, can make the problem worse if you rely on them consistently.

Get Your Allergies Under Control

Katie Stavert, 30, of Los Alamos, New Mexico, has already had two procedures to open up her sinuses, but she still needs to take allergy medications and saline solutions if she wants to keep her sinuses clear. "I'm allergic to everything," she says, "but especially sagebrush and trees."

Allergies can definitely contribute to sinus congestion. Jeff Culp, MD, an allergist and assistant professor of medicine at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, tells people to figure out what's triggering their allergies, then plan appropriately — either by taking allergy medication or avoiding the allergens altogether.

Lose Weight

People who are obese may be more likely to have allergies or chronic sinusitis than people who aren't, according to research published in August 2013 in the journal Laryngoscope. It's possible that losing weight can improve your symptoms — and, in fact, it worked for health coach Rob Portinga, 48, of Tacoma, Washington. His problems with congestion began to fade after undergoing bariatric surgery in 2009 (he eventually lost 150 pounds) and continued to subside once he starting using a neti pot and other healthy lifestyle habits.

Try Complementary Therapy

Chronic sinus infections have plagued Amy Kuretsky, 33, an acupuncturist in Minneapolis, Minnesota, all her life, and she chalked it up to the smoke, dry air, and her too-few hours of shut eye. But learning Chinese medicine and acupuncture helped her find relief.

"As soon as I feel like the congestion in my nose begins to feel like pressure in my sinuses, I go get acupuncture from a colleague, or do it to myself, get a big bowl of pho (Vietnamese bone broth soup), and take my favorite Chinese herbs," she says. Preliminary research published in March 2012 in the Archives of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery showed that an eight-week acupuncture program can help improve certain symptoms and the quality of life in people with chronic sinusitis.

Consider Surgery

If you're still congested despite trying these methods, your doctor might recommend surgery. Rapid improvements in technology now make it possible for many people to have a procedure in their doctor's office and return quickly to work and life, says Kern.

That's what finally gave Alyssa Halter, 27, of Richmond, Virginia, the congestion relief she had been seeking. "I had a deviated septum, wide turbinates, and cells blocking my sinuses," she says. "So my procedure involved a septoplasty to straighten my septum, a turbinate reduction on both sides to widen my nasal passages, and sinus surgery to clean out my sinus passageways." Was it worth it? "I'd do it again 100 times over," she says.