Before I go on to describe the most effective and proven natural home remedy for sinus infection, we must first understand the anatomy of the sinuses and the major cause leading to a sinus infection.
A sinus is a hollow space in the body located within the bones of the head encircling the nose. The frontal sinuses are over the eyes, the maxillary sinuses are inside the cheekbone, the ethmoid sinuses are in-between the eyes and behind the nose-bridge and the sphenoid sinuses are behind these ethmoids-that is the upper nasal area and at the back of the eyes.
These sinuses are lined with a continuous soft tissue-like membrane.This lining of the sinuses provide a very important and essential function in that they protect the body from dust, pollens, other foreign matter and pathogens in the air we breathe in. The surface of this lining is densely populated with microscopic hair-like cilia. The cilia act like oars to drain the mucus produced naturally by the body. These mucus, together with trapped allergens and pathogens, are then flushed out to the stomach via the back of the throat on a regular basis. You may regard this as the body’s natural waste removal system. In this way, your body prevents bacteria load from building up. Healthy and proper cilia function is essential for good nasal health. When mucociliary function becomes dysfunctional, inflammation of the mucous membranes results. This leads to an abnormal buildup of mucus in the sinus cavities. Henceforth, the bacterial load within the sinuses increases leading to a sinus infection for those with a weakened immune system.
The only way to prevent a sinus infection is to assist our body to rid these pathogens quickly before they have a chance to proliferate within the sinuses. This is done by flushing out the sinuses with saline solution before a sinus infection can occur. Nasal irrigation is the name of this process.
So which is the best home remedy for sinus infection? Many have used a product called a neti pot. Some have found this to be useful while others find it cumbersome and difficult to use effectively. In cases where there is severe nasal congestion, the flow of saline solution from the neti pot may be disrupted and nasal irrigation cannot continue.
The most effective home remedy for sinus infection requires you to have the following items:
1. A teaspoon.
2. A 10 ml plastic syringe WITHOUT needle.
3. A small cup.
4. 100gm of Sodium Bicarbonate powder.
The steps taken to perform nasal irrigation are as follows:
1. Mix 1 teaspoonful of the powder into a small cup of water and stir the mixture. Fill up the syringe with the sodium bicarbonate solution by pulling back the plunger of the syringe after immersing it into the solution.
2. Lower your head into the basin and tilt your head to one side and slightly down toward the basin. Ideally, the chin and the forehead should be level with each other.
3. Place the opening of syringe into the upper nostril creating a complete seal and inject the saline solution slowly and gently so that it flows into that nostril, through the nasal passages, and out the other lower nostril. You may either hold your breath while doing this or breathe through your mouth, whichever is more comfortable to you.
4. Expel the remaining saline solution and mucus trapped in the nasal passages by blowing them out of the nostrils. For best results, it would be better to keep one nostril shut and blow out the contents through the other and repeat.
5. Repeat the entire process by alternately tilting the head to the other side and inserting the syringe through the other nostril. When most of the solution is used up, pour what is left into the mouth and gargle for a minute before spitting the contents out.
This nasal irrigation method works well even for those with blocked sinuses caused by the common cold or influenza. Regular cleansing of the sinuses via this nasal irrigation method can help those who have contracted sinus infection recover quickly. To prevent recurrent sinus infection, nasal irrigation must be done on a regular basis.