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Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night with a pain in your head that seems to come from the top of your nose? Or had those horrible aches in your face where it seems like there shouldn’t be anything to ache? If you have, these are two situations where you could have sinus issues.
Sinus health issues can sneak up for all sorts of reasons. A lot of the time, the problem is related to a bug such as a cold or sometimes like allergies. Whatever the case, there are quite a few ways that essential oils can help with those sinus health problems. Want to learn more?
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What causes sinus health problems?
Sinuses are the hollow air spaces inside the bones behind your cheeks, between your eyes and in the forehead. They have one main job – to make mucus which keeps the inside of the nose moist. This is important because it fights off things like allergens, dust or pollutants.
But what happens when things go wrong and the sinuses act up?
There are a few main reasons that you can get sinus health problems. Leading problems include:
- Blocked sinuses – there’s a little spot known as the ostium where the sinuses drain and if this gets blocked, you can have a problem
- Extra sinuses – you’d never know it to look at you but around one in ten people have an extra sinus which can cut down the space and cause a problem similar to blocked sinuses
- Narrow sinuses – likewise, you can’t tell but sometimes your sinuses may be narrower than ideal and there’s not as much movement room
- Deviated nasal septum – this is where the thin bone wall in the nose moves from where it should be (deviates) due to injury or just the way you are made and causes sinus issues and often snoring
Can essential oils help?
Figuring out any problem always starts with the right medical advice. But if you find that you get to the point where sinus problems are a part of life and there’s nothing wrong with a little aromatherapy help (check with your doctor first!) then essential oils can help.
That’s because they can help to combat some of the common symptoms of sinus health issues or to help offset the pain or discomfort these problems can cause. The key is to get the right oils for the job.
What are the best essential oils for sinus health?
So what are the best essential oils for sinus health and helping with those sinus problems? The aim of essential oils in this situation is a bit like dealing with sleep issues – to help naturally boost your system in ways that ease the sinus problem.
Chamomile
Best known for its place in tea, chamomile is available in essential oil form and has great credentials for its anti-allergy and antiseptic properties. It also has a mildly sedative-like effect which is why people often drink the tea before bed. The same can work with the oil when used in things like a diffuser or even in the bath.
Clove
Cloves are brilliant to help with respiratory problems which include sinus infections. They do this by soothing the nasal passages with a nice cooling sensation and this allows the mucus to start moving again.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is my favourite essential oil and I regularly use it and products with it in to help me sleep better (and not snore!). For sinus health, it is helpful to reduce inflammation as well as pain reduction. It is also a cough suppressant so if you have a cold-causing the sinus problems, it can help to ease this some.
Lavender
Lavender is a top essential oil just because it smells so gorgeous but it comes with solid benefits. It is a great way to get relief from congestion when those sinuses are filled with mucus and you just can’t shift it.
Lavender oil also helps to reduce inflammation so if you have something like an allergy response, it can ease this.
Oregano
Often seen adorning a tasty pizza, this herb makes a great essential oil to be used for steam treatment and can help to soothe nasal passages.
Peppermint
Peppermint is fresh and invigorating to smell but also has uses. For starters, it is anti-inflammatory and also has antibacterial properties so if you think the problem is some kind of mild infection, it could help.
It also has anti-viral properties so can help your body cope with things like a cold virus.
Sweet basil
Another well-known herb, basil comes in several varieties including sweet basil and is another one to help with sinus infections. It is also useful if you are prone to headaches as well.
Tea tree
Tea tree is famous for its place in a ton of different blends, although it isn’t the most pleasant oil to use on its own. It is antiseptic as well as anti-bacterial for those sinus infections and helps to ease inflammation.
How to use them
Once you know which essential oils you want to use to help with sinus problems, then the next thing to consider is how to use them. There are a few basic ways to use the oils to help with sinus problems:
- Direction inhalation – this is where you simply breathe in the oil. This might not be the best option with some of the stronger ones such as tea tree but is definitely the simplest
- Steam inhalation – this is where you add some drops of the oil to warm water and breathe it in. People often put a towel over their head to create a type of steam bath effect
- Diffuser – my favourite option for any type of oil is through a diffuser. Here you add the oil with water and the diffuser turns it into a steam that is pushed into the air and you inhale
- Add to the bath – a bit like steam inhalation, you can add oils to bath water and breathe them in while you relax. Always spot test first to make sure you don’t have a skin reaction to any oil
- Aromatherapy massage – add a few drops of the oil to a massage lotion you enjoy and massage it in. The oil will warm up with your skin and you will then inhale it (and smell nice while doing it!)
Problems with using essential oils
As always, I like to point out that there are some cautions to employ when using essential oils.
First, if you are adding them to something coming into contact with your skin, do a little patch test first. Leave it on your skin for a little time to make sure you don’t get a reaction – don’t just hop in a bath with oils you’ve never tested before.
Second, remember to dilute oils. While you can take short breaths of an oil directly, it is best for anything more than a few seconds to diffuse it or to mix it with water. Some, like tea trees, are almost too strong to use on their own in any situation.
And lastly, aromatherapy is here to help with things like sinus problems but is NEVER a replacement for medical advice. If a medical professional says to do or not to do something, always follow their instructions. And if in doubt, seek their advice before using anything.
Help with sinus health
Essential oils can help with sinus health, especially for things like allergies, inflammation or common colds. There’s lots of ways to use them and these eight oils in particular are known for their helpful properties – you can even try blending them to get a cluster of benefits in one go!
Check out this simple cheat sheet and see what oils to use for what to get more ideas for your sinus health diffuser blends.
