health centerscold and flu center

What Is the Best Medicine for Sinus Congestion?

Disease and Condition: Common Cold
What Is the Best Medicine for Sinus Congestion
Here are the best medicines for sinus congestion and when to see a doctor if your symptoms are severe

Sinus congestion can be relieved with both over-the-counter (OTC) medications and home remedies. Learn about the best medicines for sinus congestion and when to see a doctor if your symptoms are severe.

5 medicines that help relieve sinus congestion

  1. Decongestants: Decongestants help reduce swelling in the nasal passages and ease sinus congestion and pain. Do not take decongestants for more than 3-5 days. Avoid giving them to children without consulting a pediatrician. Examples of decongestants are include:
    1. Privine (naphazoline)
    2. Afrin, Dristan, Nostrilla, and Vicks Sinus Nasal Spray (oxymetazoline)
    3. Neo-Synephrine, Sinex, and Rhinall (phenylephrine)
    4. Sudafed PE (phenylephrine)
    5. Sudafed (pseudoephedrine)
  2. Antihistamines: Antihistamines are allergy medications that can help relieve nasal congestion and pressure caused by allergies.
  3. Steroid nasal sprays: Steroid nasal sprays can help with allergy stuffiness and relieve inflammation in your nasal passages.
  4. Pain relievers: Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen can ease the pain and pressure caused by sinus congestion.
  5. Medicated ointments: These contain menthol, which can help you breathe better by opening up your airways.

Brand names of some of the best OTC medications for sinus congestion include:

  • Benadryl Ultratabs (tablets for congestion allergies)
  • Advil (tablet for sinus congestion and headache)
  • Afrin No-Drip (nasal spray for severe congestion)
  • Sudafed PE (day/night duo sinus pressure tablets)
  • Cabinet (nasal decongestant tablets)
  • Mucinex Nightshift (a pain reliever and a cough suppressant)
  • Little Remedies (decongestant nasal drops for kids)

What home remedies can help relieve sinus congestion?

When your nose is stuffy and congested, you can keep your nasal passages and sinuses moist by:

  • Using a humidifier or vaporizer
  • Inhaling steam from a hot shower or pot of hot water
  • Drinking plenty of fluids to thin out the mucus
  • Using a saline nasal spray to keep your nasal passages from drying out
  • Applying a warm, wet towel to your face to help open up your sinuses
  • Avoiding chlorinated pools
  • Trying a neti pot or nasal irrigator to flush out the sinuses (done under medical supervision)
  • Keeping your head elevated when lying down
  • Avoiding blowing your nose too forcefully, which can force the mucus into your ears or other parts of the sinuses
  • Applying eucalyptus oil to a tissue paper and sleeping next to it or adding it to hot water and inhaling the steam

What causes sinus congestion?

Sinus congestion has many causes, with the most common cause being a virus. In some cases, it can be caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. 

Other causes of sinus congestion include:

What are the symptoms of sinus congestion?

Sinus pain most commonly occurs above the eyebrow, behind the eye, and under the cheekbone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sinus congestion may cause symptoms such as:

  • Blocked, stuffy, or runny nose
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Tiredness
  • Coughing
  • Clear nasal discharge followed by a white or yellow discharge
  • Fullness in the ears or earache
  • Fever (occasionally)
  • Loss of smell
  • Mouth breathing
  • Bad breath
  • Postnasal drip (mucus that drips down the back of the throat)

When to see a doctor for sinus congestion

Sinus congestion usually resolves with over-the-counter medications and home remedies within a week. The CDC recommends consulting a medical professional if you notice the following:

  • Temperature higher than 100.4 F
  • Fever that lasts more than 3 days
  • Worsening symptoms
  • Symptoms that persist even after 10 days
  • Frequent sinus issues
  • Swelling or redness of the skin
  • Severe breathing difficulties

QUESTION

Which illness is known as a viral upper respiratory tract infection? See Answer
References
Image Source: iStock Image

Morgan Griffin. How to Treat Nasal Congestion and Sinus Pressure. WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/allergies/sinus-congestion

Sinus Infection. American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology: https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/sinus-infection/

Jayne Garrison. 6 Steps to Fight Sinus Problems. WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/allergies/sinus-tips

Acute sinusitis: Do over-the-counter treatments help? Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/acute-sinusitis/expert-answers/acute-sinusitis/faq-20058562

Top What Is the Best Medicine for Sinus Congestion Related Articles

  • Nasal Decongestants
    Nasal decongestants are used to treat nasal congestion and discomfort from allergies and colds. There are two types of nasal decongestants; 1) short acting, for example, levmetamfetamine or...
  • Antihistamines (Oral)
    Oral antihistamines are medications used to treat symptoms of congestion, runny nose, the common cold, sneezing, itchy throat, skin rashes, hives, itching, and watery or itchy eyes. Some...
  • Can Congestion Be the Only Symptom of COVID-19?
    Congestion can be the only symptom of COVID-19 in some cases.
  • Cold and Flu: Finding Fast Cough Relief
    Remedies for coughing to relieve symptoms, thin mucus, and clear phlegm include cough syrup and honey in hot water. Use suppressants to treat a dry cough. See a doctor when home remedies are not...
  • Common Cold
    The common cold (viral upper respiratory tract infection) is a contagious illness that may be caused by various viruses. Symptoms include a stuffy nose, headache, cough, sore throat, and sometimes a...
  • decongestant drops - nasal
  • decongestant spray - nasal
  • How Do You Decongest a Baby?
    Nose and chest congestion are a common occurrence in babies. You can decongest your baby with rest, positioning, hydration, a warm bath, and other home remedies. Most cases of nasal congestion are...
  • ipratropium
    Ipratropium is a medication used to relieve runny nose and nasal inflammation (rhinitis) caused by colds and allergies, and as a bronchodilator to relieve bronchospasm and ease breathing in chronic...
  • naphazoline
    Naphazoline is a nasal spray used for the temporary relief of nasal congestion caused by the common cold, hay fever, and upper respiratory allergies. Common side effects of naphazoline include...
  • Nasal Irrigation
    Clogged sinuses and congestion bothering you? Nasal irrigation can relieve sinus symptoms associated with colds and allergies. Learn how to do nasal irrigation with this visual guide from WebMD.
  • Natural Sinus Remedies
    Sinus pressure and pain are common in people who suffer from allergies, the common cold, and chemical exposure. Humidified air, hydration, avoiding allergens, and nasal irrigation can help relieve...
  • oxymetazoline intranasal
    Oxymetazoline intranasal is a nasal spray medication used for the temporary relief of nasal congestion caused by the common cold, hay fever, upper respiratory allergies, and sinus congestion and...
  • phenylephrine nasal
    Phenylephrine nasal is a nasal decongesting agent used to temporarily relieve nasal congestion caused by colds, allergies and hay fever, and sinus congestion and pressure. Common side effects of...
  • Allergies: Myths and Facts About Seasonal Allergies
    Seasonal allergy symptoms are hard. Do deserts prevent allergies? What can allergies do to your body? What is an allergen? Adult allergies can pop up unexpectedly, and sometimes childhood allergies...
  • How to Differentiate Between the Signs and Symptoms of COVID-19, Allergies, Cold, and Flu?
    Coronavirus disease or COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Most people with COVID-19 will experience a mild to moderate respiratory illness...
  • Sinus Infection vs. Cold
    Viruses cause the common cold and most sinus infections. Bacterial and fungal infections may also cause a sinus infection. Signs and symptoms of colds and sinus infections include nasal irritation or...
  • Sinuses Picture
    The sinuses are an air-filled cavity in a dense portion of a skull bone. See a picture of the Sinuses and learn more about the health topic.
  • What Is the Fastest Way to Fix Seasonal Allergies?
    Seasonal allergies are common and tend to ramp up during the spring and summer. Learn about how to get rid of seasonal allergies fast with these 13 home remedies.
  • Zinc for Colds: Lozenges & Nasal Sprays
    Zinc is a natural mineral found in the cells of the body. Zinc is also found naturally in beef, red meats, nuts, seeds, beans, milk, cheese and shellfish. There has been wide controversy in regard to...