How to Relieve Sinus Pressure Naturally
on Oct 22, 2015, Updated Jan 24, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
I wrote this post as part of my participation in a blog tour on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division, the makers of SUDAFEDยฎ. I received compensation to thank me for taking the time to participate. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
It’s that time of year when the weather starts getting colder and we turn to more indoor activities where the snot and germs run free. If you’ve never had sinus pressure, consider yourself lucky. I don’t get it often, but when I do, boy oh boy is itย awful. My nose runs constantly. The pressure builds up around my eyes and temples, and my ears start popping like they do when I’m on an airplane. {Once I had to fly with bad sinus pressure and I really thought I was going to die. It was horrible pain.} Luckily,ย I have a few tried and true tricks to help meย relieve sinus pressure naturally.
How to Relieve Sinus Pressure Naturally
Stay hydrated –
This is a pretty easy way to relieve sinus pressure! Just make sure to keep drinking that water. It helps keep your lovely, nasty mucus thin so it can flowย and get out of your body. That’s the goal, if you want to stop hurting, right? Keep a glass of water on your bedside table so you can sip at night whenever you happen toย wake up because you can’t breathe – which is every half hour when I get a bad sinus issues.
Take a steam shower –
Steam showers can be a great way to break up the pressure. Have you ever done this? Just turn your shower on as hot as you can. Shut all the doors and the windows. And sit in your bathroom for a while, breathing in the humid air. I used to do this with stuffy babies and it really helps. Put a few drops of menthol and eucalyptus essential oils in the bath too – they’re also great for helping with the sinuses.
If you can’t do a steam shower, pour boiling water in a bowl, hang your head over the bowl and cover it with a towel. Breathe in the steamy air for 10-15 minutes.
Use a humidifier –
Another super easy way to relieve sinus pressure, use a humidifier! All those little tricks you may have learned with your babies also work with adults too. Iย even add a few drops of my favorite essential oil to the humidifier. I’m a big fan of thieves oil for general immunity building and menthol and eucalyptus help sinuses too.
Warm Compresses –
Do you have one of those lovely rice packs? If so, heat it up and put it on your face. My sinus headaches usually hurt around my eyes and nose. A warm compress really helps relieve the pain for a spell.
Flush the sinuses with a neti pot –
This is something I have actually never done, even though I’ve had a neti pot for years. I read lots of great accolades about flushing the sinus cavities with saline solution, though. Have you read them too? Flushing with a neti pot can be a great way to clear out sinuses and make you feel better, so maybe next time I’ll be brave enough to actually try!
Although I almost always try to use natural methods first, there comes a time when my sinus pressure is just too bad. My eyes hurt. My nose hurts. The dirty tissues start piling up. And I can’t sleep. I am a complete bear when I can’t sleep. Okay, I admit, sometimes, I’m just a bear regardless. ๐ SUDAFEDยฎ can help me get a good night’s sleep which is oh-so important in getting healthy.
Love the photos! I came back from KC this past weekend with 2 out of my 3 kids sick. One is still struggling. I’ve been taking double doses of Vitamin C and drinking tons of water. Let’s hope it stays away from me!
I sure hope I didn’t get you sick!!! Sinus crap sucks. ๐
Thanks for the tips and the giveaway….I have sinus problems especially this time of year when temperatures change and there’s stuff in the air. The rinsing with saline really does work. It feels weird, but makes a big difference.
her sinus seems like she is underwater and can’t breathe
lorenzo feels like a car crashing on his head
Jessica feels underwater while Lorenzo feels crushed by a car. Sinus pain is the worst I’ve had. I’d rather birth a baby. Neti pot and acupuncture all the way, a little emergen-C too. Neti pot maybe takes a little getting used to but soooo worth it.
Yes, I can relate to Lorenzo’s metaphor.. it does feel like a car crushing your head.
I watched Jessica’s video but I personally don’t agree with her metaphor of feeling like your underwater.
Jessica feels under water. I can relate to her #SinusStruggles
For Lorenzo, sinus congestion feels like the pressure of a car being crushed. I can relate because I get sinus pressure too. #SinusStruggles
Jessica feels like her sinus troubles make her feel like she id underwater and canโt breathe! I feel that way when my sinuses are all plugged up.It is not a very good feeling!
Lorenzo feels like his sinuses are the feeling of pressure of a car being crushed on them. It really does feel like a lot of pressure when my sinuses are all plugged up! I hate that feeling.
The neti pot changed my life; I have had only one sinus infection in the nine years since I started using it, and that was my own fault because I didn’t use it soon enough. I use it at the very first sign of drainage or any stuffiness in my head. Many of our family members also use neti pots and agree they are very helpful.
Yes, I can relate to Jessica’s story of feeling like she’s under water & unable to breath! I get so, so stuffed up & have a hard time getting any air at times!
I can also relate to Lorenzo’s story of sinus congestion feeling like the pressure of a car being crushed because it just gets so bad sometimes you just want relief!
I can’t say that I can relate to Lorenzoโs metaphor because I don’t get that crushing sensation.
I sure can relate to Jessica’s metaphor because it is so hard for me to breathe that it feels I am under water.
I can definitely relate to sinus pressure like underwater or the weight of a car…One thing that works for me when my ears start popping because of sinuses is cutting out all dairy – dairy food make you more mucas-y. It’s not permanent, just until the pressure goes away. I also like to diffuse eucalyptus oil in whatever room I’m in (Overnight is best!) and I like the warm compress idea!
That’s a great tip, Amanda! Dairy does make me more mucusy! Thanks for the tip. ๐
Oh I do agree with Jessica saying it feels like being under water and cant breathe! I would add being under water in the deep end of the pool! So much pressure and my ears always hurt too!
Yes, I can relate to Lorenzoโs metaphor.
Oh I can relate to Lorenzo’s sinus story! The car metaphor is so true! The pressure is horrible
Yes, I can definitely relate to here when it is hard to even breathe!
I am constantly suffering with sinus issues as I have indoor and outdoor allergies so badly.
When Jessica stated that she feels like she is underwater and can’t breathe, I could relate. That is how I feel from sinus pressure.
I can also relate to Lorenzo’s sinus pressure like a car being crushed.
Unfortunately, I can relate all too well. The pain and pressure get so bad, I get nauseous, and NOTHING helps. Often, it feels as though my eyes are being pushed out from the inside. Ugh! ๐
I am more like Lorenzo, than Jessica. I don’t really have trouble breathing. Now there is something to be thankful for! ๐
Jessica feels like shes underwater and I can relate.
Lorenzo feels likes hes being crush by a car and I understand.
My sinuses have been insane this season. I am petrified of the neti pot. Other than that these are great tips, thanks!
Jessica feels like she is under water and can’t breathe. I can relate to feeling like you can’t breath.
Lorenzo’s sinus congestion feels like the pressure of a car being crushed. I can late to the pain.
I don’t have that underwater feeling Jessica gets.
I do experience the crushing feeling lorenzo gets.
Jessica said it feels like she’s under water and unable to breathe. I feel the same.
Lorenzo said his sinus congestion feels like the pressure of a car being crushed. It feels like that for me to.
I do experience the car crushing sinus pressure like Lorenzo at times.
I feel Jessica’s pain — she feels like she is underwater at times.
The natural methods are always better if you can sustain it since medicine can make you feel off, but sometimes it does become too much! I’m definitely a fan of the steam shower approach, plus it helps with achy muscles when you’re sick too. Thanks for sharing!