What can I do to get rid of a sinus infection without taking medicine?
141762
You can wait and let it go away on its own. Or you can use a sterile nasal saline spray to wash, but that's more of a prevention method than anything else.
286755
Probably you need antibiotics, but if you refuse to do that try the following:\n\n(Your goal is to allow your body to wash out the infection naturally.)\n\n1. Drink lots of water.  If not water, herbal tea.  Camomille with a little honey and ginger.\n\n2. Chicken soup or other high sodium soup helps with water absorbtion.\n\n3. Consume something spicy (jalepenos) to loosen up your sinuses.\n\n4. Consume vitamin C either in tablet or natural form (fruit, not juice).\n\n5. Breathe intentionally, closing off one nostril, then the other (yoga technique).\n\n6. Use warm water (shower or bath or damp cloth) to loosen sinues.\n\n7. (Drastic measure?) mix warm salt water and snort it in and out (do not - yech - swallow it).\n\n8. Get plenty of bed rest, but make sure that - particularly if you have dust allergies like I do - your bedding is washed.\n\n9. Use antibiotic ointment in your nose in v. small quantities
41978
Keep your sinus clean and hydrated.\n\nThere are many nasal 'douching' techniques and gadgets out there. (I find that a small bowl with warm water and sea salt work the best.)  Mostly all that does is rinse things out and moisturizes the membranes.\n\nSounds odd but it sure works!
1034451
Yes, you are better off getting a prescription from your doctor or do what I do, if you have sinus problems, allergy problems  (I have had them forever) the best thing I have found is this:\n\nGROSSAN HYDRO PULSE/HYDROPULSE NASAL/SINUS IRRIGATION\n\nThis sounds gross, (maybe that is why it is named Grossan) but it has cleared up any sinus infections I get.  Email me if you have any questions.  You can do a search on EBay to see what it is.
669148
NEVER sniff! Only blow! That is the KEY. All you can do is lessen the symptoms, not eliminate them. Blowing stuff out gets rid of it for good. Sniffing it only tucks it back up there, each time gathering more bacteria, making your more congested, causing post nasal drip which can cause a secondary infection like a sore throat or a sinus infection, ONLY to return and be sniffed AGAIN. You will probably never get them if you blow instead of sniffing. Best tip a doctor ever gave me.
305323
You may want to try using an allergy medicine that contains sudafed (pseudophedrine), like Alavert D. sudafed is a decongestant, so it should help drain all the mucus from your nose and head. if this isn't working and you aren't finding anything else that will, you should see a doctor as you may have a sinus infection. but no worries, they can fix it :)
1104429
You should avoid dairy products like milk and ice cream because they produce a lot of phlegm (mucus). Also it's best to avoid real hot or cold drinks. Your best bet for a clear throat would entail drinking water or warm tea. Then again, you can try sucking on a cough drop with menthol which  will also open your sinus passages.
104466
well u might really think this is gross....but u can put a solution of salt water in your nose....it opens the sinus up no joke.......actually there is a little tea pot deal that is made to do such a thing...by doing that u clean out all the bacteria and junk thats in your head...also try a nice hot shower and try sucking warm water up in your nose and blow it back out...i know it sounds nasty but it works
171404
It depends on the cause.  Many sinus infections are viral, in which case the only cure is a tincture of time.  Bacterial infections should respond to antibiotic therapy and fungal infections to antifungal therapy.  Symptomatic treatment includes pain relievers and possibly decongestants like Sudafed (provided you don't have a contraindication like high blood pressure).  Finally, some people have anatomical conditions that predispose them to recurrent problems and may require surgical correction.\n\nHere is an old (but free) article on sinusitis from the American Academy of Family Physicians:\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9835855&itool=iconfft&query_hl=19&itool=pubmed_DocSum
556575
yes it can. the infection can spread to these areas,and you probably need a course of antibiotics.to get some relief from the sinus pain,get a bowl of boiling water and inhale the steam.it will help clear your sinus,s
936562
Your first task is to find out why you do this.  Your doctor is your best ally here.  Once you find out why, then you and your doc can start to work on a solution.\n\nYou owe it to yourself to see a doctor on this one.  There are many possibilities, ranging from the benign (dust or an allergy of some kind), to the serious (sinus problems, throat or lung cancer, etc.).
582432
try non-drowsy alleve sinus and cold 12hour tablets,otc at any drug store
629312
Dairy products increase mucus formation, so eliminate this from your diet except for low-fat soured products like yogurt and dairy cheese.  Reduce your intake of sugar and salt from your diet.  \n\nIncrease your intake of raw foods-- fruits and vegetables.  \n\nConsume plenty of hot liquids such as soups and herbal teas.  These help the mucus flow, relieving congestion and sinus pressure.  Adding cayenne pepper, garlic, ginger and horseradish to soups or teas may bring even faster relief.\n\nLastly, do not smoke and avoid secondhand smoke.  If you live in a smoggy area, consider getting an air purifier.
265578
The food you eat can be a great way to relieve sinus problems. Spices like pepper, cinnamon, and cloves are natural decongestants and help clear up the sinuses. It might also be a good idea to figure what causes your sinus problems and avoiding them.
890579
No need to buy special salines, and I wouldn't buy a nose spray because after using it once you've contaminated it with your infection anyway.  I do a nasal flush, several times a day when the infection is active, twice a day when I feel one coming on, and daily (before bed) in the winter or when prone to it.\n\nA nasal flush is 8 oz body-temp water with 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt.  Gently flush that through your nostrils using a neti pot or baby nasal aspirator, leaning over the sink.  Lots of goop should come out at first.  It gets the infection out and moisturizes the membranes at the same time.\n\nI used to be prone to sinus infections, and once spent almost the whole winter on antibiotics.  Screwed up my system badly, got a nasty systemic yeast infection that wouldn't go away, it was awful.  Now it's been 3-4 years since I've had one, but if I feel one coming on, I'm right back to my nasal flush, and no more problems.  Good luck!\n\nPS:  Sounds like you might have a bad infection and if it's gone on awhile it may be safest to take an antibiotic, so go do that.  Just flush also, it will clear it up faster, and then do it regularly so it doesn't come back.
592051
Go to a doctor you could have a really bad sinus infection. I thought I had a cold but It turned out I had a sinus infection for two freaking months.
50490
Three Actions for Sinus Relief — Water, Irrigation and Exercise\nThough he believes all the components of his program ultimately are necessary for healing sinuses, Dr. Ivker says sinus sufferers can start feeling better by doing just one thing on a regular basis, such as drinking eight glasses of water a day, irrigating the sinuses, or exercising.\n\nOther action steps that Dr. Ivker recommends as a starting point are: using an air cleaner; following a healthy diet — avoiding sugar, dairy products, caffeine, and alcohol; and taking a high-quality multivitamin.\n\nEach action plays a key part in restoring the health of the respiratory tract's mucus membrane, particularly the health of the cilia — "hairs" on the membrane that constantly sweep mucus and debris out of air pathways