Antibiotics are not the only way to treat a sinus infection, despite them being used so frequently. If anything, their overuse is something to be concerned about. They are leading to development of superbugs — antibiotic resistant bacteria, something that should scare us all. If we keep on the path we are going, using antibiotics for everything, we are going to end up without any viable antibiotics to help us when we have serious, life threatening infections. This is something that we should all be concerned about! Luckily, there are some great alternatives out there made by nature.

Back when I was pregnant with my third child, I got a nasty sinus infection, just weeks before she was due. The last thing my midwife wanted was for me to be on antibiotics at that point in my pregnancy and risk messing up my gut flora, and thus my baby’s. I was willing because I wanted what was best!

How to Treat a Sinus Infection Naturally:

• Sinus rinses with a neti pot. I used a saline solution plus 2-3 drops of tea tree oil twice a day. Be very careful with the tea tree oil! Too much will burn your poor mucous membranes. I suggest starting with 1-2 first. You can make your saline solution with either sea salt or a premade mix. (This is a great neti pot that also comes with packets to mix with your water.) You’ll want the water to be warmed up slightly so it feels as comfortable as possible. IMPORTANT: only use distilled water or previously boiled water in your neti pot to prevent the rare but often fatal risk of being infected by organisms in your water.
• Eucalyptus shower tablets. These were mainly helpful for relief. I showered a couple times a day just to take advantage of the steam and these letting me breathe temporarily!
• Vitamin C. I know this one seems over-recommended, but it really does good things!! The idea would be to get in therapeutic range with it, somewhere around 3000mg.
• Garlic! Garlic contains allicin, an amazing component that is antibacterial. It’s seriously the bomb. I’ve used it for various types of infections, and though I have yet to use it for a sinus infection personally, it’s a fantastic option to have on hand. My favorite is Allimed or Allimax.

I hope you don’t have to use any of these remedies anytime soon, but I hope if you do get a sinus infection, you don’t have to suffer long with their help!

P.S. Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, this isn’t medical advice, etc. etc.