Using your index and middle fingers, apply pressure near your nose between your cheekbones and jaw. Move your fingers in a circular motion toward your ears. You can use your thumbs instead of your fingers for a deeper massage. This should take 30 seconds to a minute.
Place each of your index and middle fingers on either side of your nose, just between your cheekbones and upper jaw. Try using your thumbs instead of your index fingers for stronger pressure. Gently massage this area using a circular motion. Repeat for around 30 seconds to a minute.
Acupresssure Point LI 20: Located at the base of your nose, this pressure point can help relieve sinus pressure. Acupresssure Point SI18: Located where your cheekbones meet your nose, this pressure point can relieve sinus congestion.
Some natural ways to get your sinuses draining and relieve sinus pressure include drinking plenty of fluids; using a humidifier; avoiding cold, dry air; taking plenty of steamy showers; and drinking a cup of hot tea or soup.
Soothe or clear nasal passages
Keeping your nasal passages moist is one of the most effective ways to relieve sinus pressure. To do this, you can try a nasal saline spray or gel. For nasal irrigation, use a bulb irrigator, a Neti pot or a pre-filled container of saline.
Sinusitis (also called rhinosinusitis) starts when this drainage system becomes blocked, usually from swelling due to inflammation caused by infection or allergy. Soon, your head hurts, you feel facial pressure or pain, and thick mucus clogs your nose.
Infections in your respiratory tract — most commonly colds — can inflame and thicken your sinus membranes and block mucus drainage. These infections can be caused by viruses or bacteria. Allergies such as hay fever. Inflammation that occurs with allergies can block your sinuses.
Blowing the nose can worsen the feeling of congestion due to pressure build-up within the nostrils, which may shoot up the mucus into the sinuses instead of ejection through the nose.
Symptoms of Sinus Drainage
Some of these symptoms include: fever, headache, pressure in the ear, reduced sense of taste and smell, coughing, bad breath, and fatigue. Symptoms that are closely related to sinus drainage are most commonly thick drainage from the nose or down the throat.
Suppose your sinus pressure is causing you severe discomfort. In that case, you can try taking an OTC nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for pressure and pain relief. NSAIDs, like Aleve (naproxen) or Advil and Motrin (ibuprofen), typically work better than Tylenol (acetaminophen), said Dr. Takashima.
Acute sinusitis lasts for less than four weeks. Chronic sinusitis can last for more than 12 weeks. The majority of sinus infection sufferers will see their symptoms start to resolve after about 10 days. While one to two infections a year is considering normal, more than four requires medical attention.
If you feel that you are blocked up but are not really producing mucus, then this is more indicative of a physical abnormality, such as nasal polyps or a deviated septum. It is quite common for people to complain of having a blocked nose on one side.
Nasal congestion typically clears after a few days, but congestion that lasts for a week or more may be a sign of an infection. Left untreated, nasal congestion may cause sinusitis, nasal polyps or middle ear infections.
The frontal sinus has the most complex and variable drainage of any paranasal sinus.
Place each of your index and middle fingers on either side of your nose, just between your cheekbones and upper jaw. Try using your thumbs instead of your index fingers for stronger pressure. Gently massage this area using a circular motion. Repeat for around 30 seconds to a minute.
As long as your sinuses are draining properly, the increase in mucus isn't a problem, although it can be annoying. The real problems start when the passages become blocked or fail to let the sinuses drain effectively. The resulting pressure can be intolerable for many people.
The best sleeping position for sinus drainage problems and other sinus issues is to sleep with your head propped up. Sleeping with your head propped up will help gravity naturally drain your sinuses and reduce the chance of excessive blood flow that can develop sinus congestion.
When you've got a blocked nose, try sleeping on your back with your head elevated so gravity can then help to drain away congestion. Sleeping on your side can also help keep your airways open, so you can breathe more easily. If acid reflux is causing your blocked nose, sleeping on your left side is best.