Spring is meant to be enjoyed - not endured! Unfortunately, for over 50 million Americans, seasonal allergies and sinus congestion make spring a misery.
While there are plenty of over-the-counter “fixes” for allergies, most of them have unpleasant effects. From drowsiness to dizziness, dry mouth to restlessness, the side effects from allergy medications are often just as troublesome as the allergies themselves. For children, these effects can be even stronger and affect school performance and mood.
The good news is that medications aren't the only way to combat allergies and sinus congestion. There are many natural remedies that can help to fight allergies - and we’ve got the science to back them up!
Ready to breathe easy this spring? Try these 10 proven ways to fight your allergies naturally!
10 Proven Ways to Clear Your Sinuses & Find Relief from Seasonal Allergies
1) Use Pollen Tracking
If you’re allergic to pollen or suffer from springtime allergies, avoiding pollen in the first place is the best way to reduce your symptoms. By avoiding this histamine trigger, you’ll give your immune system a rest and keep your symptoms at bay.
How can we avoid pollen when it seems to be everywhere? Use a pollen tracking app. Apps like Plume Air Quality Report (get on iPhone or Android) offer real-time and predicted pollen counts, as well as advice on how to avoid high levels of pollen and other environmental allergens.
But we can’t always stay inside, especially when we want to enjoy the beautiful spring weather. So, let’s see what else we can do to tame our spring allergies.
2) Saline Spray
A saline (or saltwater) spray is a popular natural remedy for allergies and sinus congestion. Saline sprays work by moisturizing dry nasal passages and flushing the sinuses of any pollen or allergens. This helps reduce inflammation in the mucus membranes and prevent further inflammation.
Use a saline spray at night to clear your sinuses from any trapped pollen you accumulated throughout the day. Or, you can use a saline spray whenever you feel your sinuses are clogged or dry.
If you don’t want to purchase a premade spray, you can make your own at home. Mix 3 teaspoons of non-iodized salt (like kosher salt) with one teaspoon of baking soda. Take 1 teaspoon of this mixture and mix with 8 ounces of distilled, cool water. Use a small squirt bottle, bulb syringe, or neti pot to clear out your sinuses with the saline solution.
3) Neti Pots
A neti pot is an ancient practice that uses a small pot to deliver a steady stream of saltwater through the nasal cavities. This practice is also called “nasal irrigation” or “nasal lavage” and is the ancient predecessor to our modern saline sprays.
Studies show that neti pots are one of the safest and most effective natural ways to reduce allergies and even prevent sinus infections. Researchers find that the regular use of a neti pot significantly reduces allergy symptoms like post-nasal drip, inflammation, sinus pain, and headaches, and even provides a better sense of wellbeing.
You can do a neti pot rinse up to four times per day. If you are new to neti pots, start with once per day and follow the instructions from your neti pot manufacturer.
4) Steam Inhalation / Steam Tents
A long, hot shower at the end of the day is a great way to refresh your sinuses and wash off lingering allergen particles clinging to your hair and skin. But there’s more to a hot shower than just feeling clean and relaxed.
Steam inhalation is a proven method to help clear, moisturize, and soothe irritated sinuses. The research indicates that steam inhalation can reduce the symptoms of allergies and upper respiratory tract infections.
Aside from taking a hot shower, consider doing a daily steam tent to keep your nasal cavity clean and clear. To start, you’ll need a large bowl, water, and a pot or kettle. Bring enough water to fill the bowl half-way to boil. Pour the water into the bowl, then drape a towel over the back of your head. Sit about 8-12 inches over the steaming bowl with the towel covering your head and the bowl like a tent. You should be close enough to breathe in the steam, but not so close that you feel uncomfortably hot. Do not touch the hot water.
Set a timer for 5 minutes. Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose, coming out of the tent if you feel too hot or need a breath of fresh air. Enhance your steam tent with fresh citrus peels or one of the essential oils below!
5) Essential Oils
Essential oils are an incredibly easy and enjoyable way to prevent, clear, and heal your sinuses. There are several different essential oils that work well for respiratory issues, each in its own way.
Let’s take a look at some of the best essential oils for allergies and sinuses:
- Peppermint - Cooling, fights inflammation, antibacterial, and great for sinus headaches.
- Eucalyptus - Classic oil for nasal congestion, sinusitis, or chest congestion.
- Tea Tree - Antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal oil that can reduce swelling and infection.
- Lavender - Classic stress-relief and pain-relief oil that can be used to reduce nighttime allergies, headaches, and encourage restful sleep.
There are a few different ways to use essential oils safely and effectively. One of the easiest ways is to create a room spray by mixing a few drops of your chosen oils with distilled water and spritzing them into the air or on your pillow before bed. You can also invest in a diffuser to pump small amounts of oil into the air throughout the day.
High-quality essential oils can be used topically on the body, but take caution. Never apply an oil directly to your skin. Instead, mix one drop of essential oil with a small amount of almond oil or grapeseed oil before applying it to your temples, back of your neck, chest, or feet.
6) Acupressure
Acupressure is a gentle massage technique based on the ancient practice of acupuncture. Acupuncture is a proven, successful treatment for allergies and sinusitis.
With acupressure, we can stimulate these same specific points on the body to help encourage blood flow, reduce pressure, relieve pain, support the immune system, or clear away inflammation.
You can perform acupressure on yourself by identifying which points you want to target, then gently pressing on the points until slightly tender. Press for 10 seconds, then release. Repeat several times or up to 3 minutes for each point. Or, you can rub the points in a circular motion.
Take five to give yourself a mini acupressure session several times per day. You can either focus on reducing your symptoms or stimulate these points to prevent and restore your body’s energy and immune strength.
7) Chiropractic Adjustments
Thought chiropractic was just for back pain? Think again! Chiropractic is well-known to help improve and prevent sinus conditions like allergies and chronic sinus infections.
Chiropractic works for sinus conditions by stimulating the bones of the sinus cavities, as well as the nerves of the upper spine that lead to the sinus cavities. Trigger point therapy or light-force cranial manipulation may also be used to encourage proper sinus drainage and to eliminate pressure, excess fluids, and inflammation from the head, sinuses, and chest.
If you suffer from seasonal allergies or chronic sinus infections that won’t go away, now is the time to reach out to your local chiropractor.
8) Hydration
Want to know the easiest allergy remedy out there? Drink more water. In fact, simply staying hydrated is a simple way to prevent all kinds of pesky symptoms like headaches, stress, mood swings, constipation, acne, and more.
When it comes to seasonal allergies and sinus issues, hydration helps to keep the mucous membranes moist. Just as our saline solution helps moisturize our nasal passages from the outside, staying hydrated helps to keep these tissues moisturized from the inside. This protects the membrane’s barrier and helps us avoid more severe sinus issues like infections, dryness, cracking, bleeding, inflammation, and pain. Plus, drinking lots of water gives our bodies plenty of opportunities to flush out allergens, toxins, and waste that bog up the system.
So, how much water do we need to stay hydrated? This varies from person to person, but a daily 7-8 cups is the general recommendation. Go the extra mile and add a few sprigs of fresh mint, cucumber slices, or a lemon peel for even better hydration, flavor, and immune-boosting benefits.
9) Natural Allergy Supplements
Supplements are one of the most significant ways to reduce allergy symptoms and heal your sinuses from within. Aceva offers two potent allergy and sinus supplements that help to reduce your allergy symptoms as well as help you strengthen your system to avoid allergies in the future.
Aller-Aid is a powerful natural formula that stops allergies even before they start. Ingredients like Quercetin, stinging nettle leaf, N-Acetyl L-Cysteine, and bromelain promote healthy nasal passages naturally. Aller-Aid also thins the mucus and prevents the excessive release of histamine by stabilizing the mast cells of your mucus membranes. Unlike over-the-counter allergy medications, Aller-Aid doesn’t just mask your symptoms, it prevents them from the root.
If you are already suffering from sinus pressure, congestion, or cough, Sine-Aid is for you. This unique formulation naturally thins and loosens phlegm so your sinuses can drain with ease. Sine-Aid uses antimicrobial Andrographis paniculatae leaf extract, which has been proven to fight inflammation and reduce the severity, duration, and symptoms of the common cold. Other botanicals, like eucalyptus and eleuthero root extract, are included to support the immune system and restore the body’s ability to fight infection.
10) Probiotics
With more and more research proving that our immune health is intricately linked to our gut health, it’s no surprise that those with allergies tend to also have a less diverse, weaker microbiome.
Thankfully, studies also show that supporting the gut with probiotics helps to reverse these issues and reduce allergies and sinus conditions.
To manage and prevent allergies from the root, take a daily probiotic like Aceva’s Ultrabiotic. Ultrabiotic contains helpful bacteria strains to restore your gut’s healthy lining. With an active and resilient microbiome, you will naturally boost your immune system to avoid issues like allergies and sinusitis.
When to Seek Help
These tips and tricks work wonders on allergies and simple sinusitis. If, however, your allergies don’t improve with these methods or if your symptoms get worse, you could have a more severe infection on your hands.
You may have an infection if you experience:
- Fever
- Difficulty breathing
- Severe headache
- Thick yellow or green phlegm
- Facial pain or tooth pain
If you experience any of the above signs or symptoms, it’s time to reach out for help. Contact your doctor or trusted primary care provider if you suspect that you may be dealing with more than a bout of spring allergies.
Conquer Seasonal Allergies with Aceva
Seasonal allergies and sinus infections shouldn’t keep you from enjoying your spring activities, gardening, or spending time outside with your family. With these simple tips and proven natural supplements, you can overcome those pesky allergies and enjoy the season symptom-free.
Embrace spring health with Aceva. Get both the Aller-Aid and Sine-Aid supplements along with gut-health support from Ultrabiotic in Aceva’s Allergy Break Bundle!
