subject: Effective Sinusitis Herbal Remedies [print this page] Are you a long time sinus sufferer who just can't seem to find relief with the over the counter or prescribed medications? You aren't alone. Many of the more than 30 million Americans suffering from sinusitis are not getting their needed relief either. The long standing standard of antibiotics as treatment is now being reviewed as new studies have shown that most cases are not actually solved by these. On the other hand, sinusitis herbal remedies have begun to gain ground and have even caught the attention of physicians. However, not all of them are as effective as they claim to be. That's what we're here to help you with: finding effective sinusitis herbal remedies.
What you want to look for are herbs that have natural abilities to drain mucus. Most of the time, the sinus condition you have is due to trapped mucus. This can be caused by allergies, viral infections, fungal infections, and, of course, bacterial infections. The standard response of your body to these contaminants is to produce mucus; lots of it to trap whatever it is that is attacking your body. However, in cases of sinusitis, your nasal passages may become swollen, preventing the mucosal secretions from draining. If the contaminant is not removed, at some point, the body starts to produce too much mucus.
This is where your herbs come in. The body is already trying to get rid of the allergen (the material that causes the allergy) or the infection; all you have to do is to use an herb to help the process out. By clearing out the excess mucosal secretions, the body can get rid of whatever is causing your problem naturally. Two herbs you can start with are pepper and horseradish.
Pepper can be used as a natural decongestant. If you have eaten spicy foods before, you already know what I mean. The pepper almost works immediately, helping your body open up the sinuses and drain the mucus better. If you get too liberal with your pepper and get into trouble, drink some full cream milk to cancel the effects. You can retry after the pain subsides.
Horseradish is an herb that induces a warming effect in your body. This will help increase your blood flow. The more blood that reaches the allergy-affected or infected areas of your body, the more immune cells can help with the problem. This warming effect also has a particular effect on mucus, making it thinner and more liquid, allowing it to flow out of the body better.
It has the added bonus of having the ability to stimulate your lymphatic cells which also helps the inflammation you get from sinusitis. However, horseradish isn't the easiest food to take. It has an odd and even unpleasant odor and taste that may take some getting used to.
You can also try herbs that have positive effects on your body's immune system. Astragalus is a good example. Around 200mg twice a day is said to stimulate the production of immune cells in your body. An increase in the number of immune cells is always a good thing when you're suffering from an infection. It also has similar thinning effects like that of the horseradish and ginger. Again, it is best to consult your doctor before trying any of these alternative solutions. Some actually promote the use of natural herbs so you can get more help from them.
