Health/Natural: Natural Sinus Relief

Question: I have a sinus problem (approximately 1" below my left eye and 1/2" to the left of my nose). I use over the counter "sinus-allergy-headache" medications to control it. However, I'd prefer something natural. I've tried nettle extract with moderate results. Major changes in barometric pressure seem to trigger events. Anything that you can suggest will be appreciated. Best regards.

Answer:You didn't explain what happens with your sinus problem... For example, is there congestion, or pain, or both? Are the rest of the sinuses involved? Do you have drainage? Do you get sore throats or coughs from it? Or is it just a sinus headache? Do you get sinus infections? Do you have this all year long, or just seasonally? Depending upon a more specific description, natural medicine can offer more exact remedy options for you. We tend to like a lot of details and naturopaths will generally ask many questions to get a full picture of the case of the individual. It helps us to put together the proper nutritional and botanical formulas for the person. Of course, this is not something which can properly be done through a column such as this, an in-person consultation is the best way to offer this type of assistance. That way an entire educational/nutritional program can be offered. You may find someone in your area who can offer more personalized service for you in this way (Naturopath, Homeopath, etc.)

It may be helpful to talk about some dietary changes you could make first, which may help with your problem. In natural medicine, we know that our bodies react in a certain way to certain foods. Foods have specific properties, such as cooling, warming, stimulating, tonifying, soothing. Some foods can also have less-beneficial properties such as mucous-forming or acid-producing. Try to avoid the foods which are mucous-forming and acid-producing, such as dairy products (this includes milk, cheese, ice cream) and white sugar. I have seen great improvements with eliminating these foods, or dramatically reducing them. Dairy is extremely mucous-forming, just realize how "coated" your throat feels next time you drink milk or eat ice cream. This happens all the way through the entire digestive tract and up into the lungs and sinuses. Alternatives to dairy include soymilk, rice milk, almond milk. Optional sweeteners include stevia, honey, molasses, real maple syrup, barley malt syrup and brown rice syrup. Another potential aggravating food for sinuses and allergies can be wheat and any grain, such as wheat, which contains gluten (such as bleached, white wheat or whole wheat, spelt, barley, amaranth). Some alternatives are oat flour, brown rice flour and quinoa.

The following herbs may offer you some excellent relief: Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) is one of the first we think of when someone is dealing with allergies which involve the sinuses. It is considered a natural anti-histamine, actually countering the histamine reaction by calming down the mast cells in the sinus tissue. It can literally teach your body a new routine and change the "allergy habit." Make sure the one you try is a freeze-dried capsule derived straight from the whole, fresh herb. I have found this type to be very effective. Another very effective form would be the liquid herbal extract or the tea made from the herb. If a person suffers from seasonal allergies, then the best time to start this stinging nettle would be about one month before the usual onset of allergy symptoms. It can also offer some relief well into the allergy season, if using a high quality product. Along with these great benefits, stinging nettle is also extremely high in minerals, chlorophyll and proteins, and can bring about a more alkaline state (countering acidity) and it tends to flush excess uric acid out of the system, which can help with joint pain. The more acid you are, the more of a tendency for mucous and congestion your body may exhibit. Drinking nettle tea each day can be of great benefit to many people, not just allergy and sinus-sufferers.

Ginger Root is considered a warming herb, so it is a good one to counter too many cooling foods which have a mucous-forming tendency. It increases circulation and clears excess mucous. Ginger tea or the liquid extract are the best ways to take this one.

Garlic is also considered a warming herb, and is used by herbalists to clear congestion, fight bacteria, fungus and viruses. It is one of my absolute favorite herbs, especially when we are dealing with respiratory situations. It is powerful and combines very well with ginger and horseradish in classic sinus/cold formulas. I generally recommend the raw cloves of garlic or a freeze-dried capsule made from the fresh clove. Of course, these forms will have all of that wonderful garlic odor, which means they contain all their natural oils. Many herbalists agree that the odor-free versions don't have nearly the effectiveness of the true, fresh garlic. I would agree, also. Basically, the stinkier, the better, as far as garlic goes, for medicinal purposes!

A good supplement to consider is activated quercitin. This is a bioflavanoid which works very much like stinging nettle in countering the histamine reaction in the sinuses. I will often suggest quercitin in conjuction with stinging nettle and vitamin C (Ester-C).

I hope this gives you some ideas and natural options to consider.

Reading List:

Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West; Michael Moore
Indian Herbalogy of North America; Alma Hutchens
Herbal Renaissance; Steven Foster

©Copyright 2002 by AlternativeApproaches.com

Susie Cooper, ND earned her Doctor of Naturopathy degree at the Southern College of Naturopathic Medicine, and is Board Licensed and Certified. She has continued most of her study in Classical Homeopathy with the New England School of Homeopathy. Dr. Susie has taught workshops in homeopathy, herbal medicine and nutrition in North Carolina for many years. She now teaches all her workshops in her shop, Blue Mountain Herbs & Supplements, in beautiful Pilot Mountain, NC, where she also takes private appointments for herbal, nutritional and homeopathic assessments. (336) 368-5955.

Important note: The information contained in this column is not meant to diagnose or prescribe for specific ailments, but is intended for educational support only. Please seek the advise of a licensed health practitioner for specific illnesses and emergency situations.