[I've written about how to treat sinus infections without antibiotics, but I often hear complaints from patients and readers that their usual sinus rinse is not doing the job. Today's guest contributor, Jamie Larrison – mom and herbalist – shares her secrets for making a customized sinus rinse recipe that actually works.]
This winter when the flu bug made its rounds, I was sick for a day or two with a fever, but then I felt great thanks to using natural remedies. Great except for when the sinus problems hit. I was miserable! The left side of my face was so swollen, I could barely open my eye. I looked like I’d been in a bar fight.
I almost gave in and took a Benadryl, but then I remembered the neti pot in my bathroom. With a little research I was able to create a sinus rinse recipe that immediately lessened the symptoms and helped my body heal.
When seasonal allergies attack, the symptoms can become unbearable. Even the occasional cold can cause sneezing, headaches, coughs and other issues stemming from sinus problems. Fortunately it's easy to create your own customized sinus rinse recipe. But first let's talk about why you should go au naturale…
Why you should avoid antihistamines
Antihistamines work by blocking the body's natural response, which can lead to long term problems. Instead of aiding the body in resolving the issue, the symptoms are muzzled. Allergy medications have been linked with depression, anxiety, impaired brain function and increased appetite leading to weight gain. (source)
Loratadine (commonly known as Claritin) is an antihistamine allergy medication. It's classified as a category B drug by the FDA, which means that although animal studies haven't shown a decisive connection for birth defects, there haven't been decent studies in humans to prove its safety.
Why children's antihistamines are worse
Certain forms of Allegra (or fexofenadine) are recommended for babies as young as six months. As it is used for children, naturally you would assume it would be safer, however, the children’s version of Allegra contains aspartame as the second ingredient.
Aspartame has been linked to muscle spasms, memory loss, hearing loss, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease, birth defects and many other issues.
This study in particular found that aspartame caused free radicals in the brain, which many recognize as the start of cancer. “It is clear that long term aspartame exposure could alter the brain antioxidant status, and can induce apoptotic (programmed cell death) changes in the brain.”
Allegra is also a class C drug, (source) so it’s potentially more dangerous for pregnant women since “animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in humans.” (source) But don’t worry, because according to experts, if you can’t stand a runny nose the risks may be worth using it anyway (!).
When your sinuses are so swollen, you look like a puffball and your eyes are watering, it's natural to desperately want relief. There are obviously some serious risks associated with over the counter medications – so what’s the alternative?
A natural, safe and effective treatment for sinus problems
A sinus, or nasal rinse is typically a saline solution that’s inserted into the sinuses, and then gently blown out. This can be done with the traditional neti pot (my preferred option), a sinus rinse bottle (Emily's preferred option), or with a bulb syringe if using it for children. Flushing the sinuses helps to remove allergens, thin mucus and soothe nasal tissue.
This article explains how to use a neti pot for a sinus rinse. It’s not pretty, but the relief is worth it.
A rinse can be as simple as a little sea salt in distilled water. Non-GMO xylitol is a helpful addition as it “can help to penetrate through thick mucous and inhibit harmful bacteria from thriving in the sinuses.”
Myself, I’m an herb girl. There always seems to be a good reason to use herbs in nearly everything and a sinus rinse recipe is no different. The best part is, you can customize your herbal sinus rinse for your exact needs.
How to choose the herbs for your sinus rinse recipe
Renowned herbalist, Mathew Wood, categorizes irritated tissues to be in six different states. These include:
- Hot (increased activity)
- Cold (decreased activity)
- Damp (congestion)
- Dry
- Relaxation
- Constricted (which includes both tension and spasm)
Which herbs you choose depend on what symptoms you’re experiencing and what state, or states, your nasal tissue is in. Be sure to do a little research on an herb before using it, as there could be contraindications for your situation.
Astringent herbs
These herbs tighten and tone tissues and are useful for sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; loose drainage down the throat; and coughing caused by drainage. Some examples include: calendula, comfrey, mullein, olive leaf, plantain, sage and Solomon's seal.
Mucilaginous, or demulcent herbs
These herbs are soothing and are useful for hot, dry or inflamed tissues; sinuses that feel dry; a painful, tight feeling. Some examples include: comfrey, marshmallow, licorice, sassafras leaf and slippery elm.
When NOT to use a sinus rinse
Sometimes the sinuses can become congested. Symptoms may include stuffy nose, swollen eyes, headache, excess mucus, usually a yellow/green color, and generally feeling tired and worn out. In this instance, its better to use an herbal steam or inhale essential oils from a diffuser. Using a sinus rinse isn’t helpful if you’re so plugged up it won’t come back out. It’s also helpful to make sure you’re consuming plenty of fluids to keep things moving.
My favorite sinus rinse recipe
I like this recipe because it's not overly complicated, yet it still provides all the relief I need. It contains herbs that will soothe and tighten the nasal tissue, reduce inflammation, and knock out any viral, bacterial or fungal infection that is causing the problem.
This is ideal for treating relaxed tissues causing sneezing, runny nose and coughs. If your tissues are dry, then omit the plantain and increase the bee balm to one cup.
What you need
First, be sure to have get a neti pot or sinus rinse bottle. (For kids, read the tips at the bottom of this post.)
- 1/2 cup plantain (demulcent, mucilaginous, astringent, anti-microbrial) – get it here
- 1 cup marshmallow root ( demulcent, anti-inflammatory) – get it here
- 1/2 cup bee balm* (antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral)
*Bee balm may be difficult to find. As an alternative, you can use goldenseal root which has similar properties. Just be sure to choose from a responsible supplier – like this one – as this herb has been over-harvested as of late.
How to make it
- Place the marshmallow root in a ½ gallon jar and do a cold herbal infusion: Place the herbs in eight cups of purified, room temperature water. Let this infuse for 4 hours before straining very well. The infusion with be a little thick and slimy, which is a good thing.
- Place the bee balm and plantain in a ½ gallon jar and do a hot infusion: Heat 8 cups of water to boiling and pour over the herbs. Cover and let steep for about 4 hours before straining very well.
- Once they’re done, combine the two infusions in a gallon jar.
- Slightly warm a small amount and add a pinch of sea salt before using in a neti pot or nasal spray. Be sure to stir so the sea salt dissolves.
- Do this about 3 times daily until the symptoms are gone. Store any extra rinse in the refrigerator for up to a week.
How to do a sinus rinse with children
My son is one of the 99% of kids who hate nasal aspirators, but sometimes it's necessary to get him better. Depending on the child's age and size, you can use a sinus rinse spray bottle to put some solution up their nose. They can then blow it out themselves a few minutes later. For very little ones though, you’ll have to use a bulb syringe or the ever entertaining but effective nose frieda to remove the fluid.
Have you tried making your own sinus rinse recipe What ingredients have worked best for you?
Jamie Larrison blogs at The Herbal Spoon. She has a passion for herbalism and aromatherapy and creates her own plant-based, safe for the whole family bodycare items for her etsy shop. Learn more about Jamie here.
This post was amazing! I recently learned about the neti pot and this post came just on time! However, I have one question which is a little off-topic 😀 Emily, do you or any of your family members get any cavities? I know that you are not paleo and you eat grains etc., so I wondered, does this lifestyle work for you? Thank you!
Very interesting! I had never heard that aspartame was category C, where did you find that information? After searching Google I can’t find an official FDA classification for it- only says “it’s considered safe”. They must be trying to keep it on the down low.
I’m sorry Kristen, that’s a typo. Allegra is considered to be a class C drug, not aspartame. Aspartame is regulated as a food I believe.
Nice article. I skimmed it as I am just looking for references to using mucilagenous herbs in a neti pot. I am finding that Neti treatments are clearing up fatigue and brain fog, but I’ve been feeling a bit dried out. I just ran some Marshamallow tea through my sinuses. I hope it helps. BTW, I find it strange that Goldenseal is the herb you mention as an alternative to Bee Balm. It is a quite different herb. Bee Balm is aromatic and quite warming with no/little bitterness, and Goldenseal is cooling, very bitter, and is not aromatic. People generally have a variety of more similar herbs in their very kitchens; thyme, sage, oregano, etc.
I mentioned goldenseal because it’s considered so good for nasal infections, not because it’s a one for one substitute for bee balm. We have wild bee balm all over where I live, but it’s hard to find online.
Hi, I think it is great thank you are posting alternative remedies for common ailments but there is nothing wrong with taking antihistamines if you need them. Having severe multiple chemical sensitivities I need antihistamines to survive and prevent anaphylaxis. What I discovered after being an elimination diet and keeping a daily journal for the last year is that I was allergic to all of the inactive ingredients in most medications, including my antihistamines. Once I got them all compounded ( created by a special pharmacy) I had less reactions. I think you have a lot of great ideas. Some I will use but just keep in mind not all medications are harmful. Thanks 🙂
As for the above comment: I would never say that medications are not harmful. They are created by man, not occurring naturally…….and I would bet you that there are still better solutions for you than an anti-histamine. Yes you might think you “need” those because they block a symptom that allows you to function, but guess what. That isn’t resolving your problem.
Sinus issues usually come from eating the wrong foods. Air conditioning is also a big culprit. It not only pumps your lungs full of chemicals but it dries out the nasal passages so that you can’t effectively get rid of mucus….so it sits in your head and breeds and rots and you cant expel it.
Traditional Chinese Medicine categorizes foods by their effects on the body. Warming, cooling, drying, etc. There are foods that create phlegm and mucus in the body, and there are foods that resolve phlegm and mucus. Some things to avoid when you are dealing with a sinus infection: oatmeal, peanuts, wheat, bananas, sugar, beer/alcohol, dairy, rich foods, fatty meats,….and some foods that resolve it: radishes, turnips, mung beans, aduki beans, celery, onion, mustard seeds, cayenne pepper, lemon
So yes you can rinse your nasal passages out, but if you are eating the foods that cause excessive mucus build up, you are going to have a tough time unfortunately. I have been through it, sick for weeks and not improving because I see in retrospect, I wasn’t eating the foods that resolve it and worse, was eating the foods that cause it. P.S. Don’t eat raw foods or cold foods-especially in a weakened condition. Congees/pourridges can be really helpful here and an anti-candida diet would really help.
I have been using the neti pot almost daily to avoid colds and flu. I use sea salt, colloidal silver, distilled water and one or two drops of rosemary essential oil. Works great!
Hi Jamie. Thank you for the post. Do you know if this nasal rinse recipe is effective against pseudomonas aeruginosa? That seems to be the number one deadly bacteria that is virtually impossible to eradicate. I was diagnosed with this in my sinuses and have tried everything known to man to get rid of it. Nothing has worked. It has caused severe dizziness, major sleep deprivation and severe asthma amongst other things, for 2 years.. I’ve lost 2 jobs due to this bacteria, and am unable to work now.
If your rinse could possibly be effective in killing this strong biofilm bacteria, I would be willing to give it a try at this point.
Hi. Could you do a weight conversion. Like, instead of a “half cup” how many ounces? A powdered/chopped/fresh/dried half cup could all weigh very different things.
Hi Dixie, for the most part weight is not very important as all herbs used should be the dried herbs for this recipe. You can follow the suggested links to see what I recommend using. I hope that helps. xoxo Emily