5 unusual sinus pain relief treatments you never thought of – Gelpacks

Author: Steve Stretton
March 5, 2022
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Sinusitis is an extremely prevalent problem worldwide. In the US, some 29 million adults were diagnosed with it in 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This figure doesn’t include the majority who prefer to treat their symptoms at home.   

Like any other type of discomfort, sinusitis pain can be disabling, causing disruption in our daily activities, affecting work and school productivity as well as raking up $11 billion in treatment costs in the US alone.  

If you’re part of this statistic, it’s time to stop the misery and understand what causes sinusitis. In this article, we will consider the following unconventional self-care tips that may be more effective than your usual sinus pain remedies.   

What are the sinuses?

Sinuses are cavities in the bones around your face and above your eyes. There are four sets of sinuses located in your forehead cheekbones and on each side of your nose bridge.

The 4 sets of sinuses

The largest sinuses, which span about an inch across your cheekbones, are called the maxillary sinuses. On the lower part of your forehead, close to the brow line, are your frontal sinuses. Your ethmoid sinuses are located between your eyes, and the sphenoid sinuses are situated in the bones behind your nose.  

Inside our nose are ridges called turbinates. These are our body’s natural air filters and humidifiers. Most of the sinuses drain into the nose through a drainage channel called the middle meatus. 

A soft tissue called mucosa lines the sinuses, which should contain no more than a thin layer of mucus. 

What could go wrong with our sinuses?

More than improving voice resonance, our sinuses have several important functions in our body. Its most essential purpose is to produce mucus to hydrate the insides of our nose and to filter the air that passes through them, getting rid of dust, dirt and other pollutants and irritants. 

When our sinuses are blocked, it cannot function properly, leading to headaches, clogged noses, sinus or facial pain, sneezing, congestion and a host of other symptoms. 

What is sinusitis?

Cilia, the tiny hairs in the nasal passages, are constantly on the move to maintain mucus level in the sinuses. When sinusitis develops following the swelling or inflammation of the nasal and sinus pathways, the cilia stop moving and the mucus get stuck. The resulting mucus buildup mixes with air, causing sinusitis pain and, later, infection. 

This infection may be caused by bacteria, virus or, in rare instances, fungi. Virus remains the main perpetrator for most rhinosinusitis cases. 

What’s the difference between acute and chronic sinusitis?

Sinusitis, which is also called rhinosinusitis, can bug some people for a few weeks, but some suffer for months. Both conditions have similar symptoms, so it’s hard to pinpoint which one you have.

The glaring difference is the time frame for each attack. Acute sinusitis lasts a maximum of four weeks, while chronic sinusitis persists for more than three months despite treatment. There’s also subacute sinusitis that lasts for over a month but not more than three months. 

You will have several bouts of acute sinusitis before being diagnosed with chronic sinusitis. 

While acute sinusitis is commonly triggered by colds, chronic sinusitis has more serious underlying causes, among them nasal polyps and structural problems in the nasal cavity. Chronic sinusitis is defined as a persistent inflammation rather than a long-term infection. 

What are the symptoms of sinusitis?

Most sinusitis sufferers experience a few or most of the following:

• Increased mucus production that ironically causes nasal congestion 
• Cheek discomfort 
• Headache 
• Facial pain (especially on the forehead or around the eyes and nose) that worsens when you bend over 
• Ear pressure 
• Fatigue
• Dental pain

Conditions associated with sinusitis and their symptoms

Nasal polyps – These pinkish, small, soft and benign growths in the nasal passages or sinuses develop for various reasons, and they start as an inflammation due to chronic sinus infections, nasal allergies, specific immune disorders and asthma.  

Symptoms: Breathing problems, post nasal drip, facial pain, headache, snoring, frequent nosebleeds, persistent clogged nose and decreased smelling sensitivity.

Hay fever or allergic rhinitis – This condition develops when the body’s immune system overreacts and mistakenly identifies something in the environment as an irritant. Allergens can be anything from dust mites, pet dander and pollen. 

Allergic rhinitis can be very limiting to some people as they cannot stay in the outdoors for a long time, nor will they be able to stop and “smell the roses”.  

Symptoms: Nasal congestion, excessive sneezing bouts, itchy nose, eyes, mouth and fatigue, likely due to sleep deprivation.

Deviated septum – When the thin wall between your nasal passages is too far or displaced to one side, it can obstruct the air flowing in and out of the nostrils.  

Symptoms: Noisy breathing or breathing difficulties, nose bleeds and facial pain.  

What are the risk factors for sinusitis?

These can increase your chances of developing sinusitis:

• Smoking
• Colds
• Prolonged use of nasal sprays
• Allergies
• Specific health conditions such as cystic fibrosis, HIV infection, diabetes
• Air pollution
• Structural problems with the nasal passages
• Pressure changes (scuba diving, travelling to high altitudes)

5 unusual treatments for sinusitis pain 

Congestion, facial pain and pressure are the hallmark symptoms of sinusitis. These disrupting symptoms last for a fews days to a few months, as in the case of chronic rhinosinusitis. 

At home, you can try the following remedies: 

1. Alternate hot and cold compresses 

Most websites advise you to apply warm packs, citing that heat is a natural nasal decongestant. However, we’re talking about easing pain and inflammation here, and cold therapy works better.  

Actually, alternating hot and cold therapies may be best to relieve facial pain and pressure. The cold pack relieves pain while the warm pack relieves nasal congestion.  

How to do it: Start with a warm pack for three to five minutes. Then, place a cold pack on your sinuses and let it stay there for about 30 seconds. Repeat this cycle for at least four times throughout the day. Place a thin cloth between your skin and the pack to avoid an ice burn.   

This form-fitting facial ice pack offers a convenient yet potent hot or cold therapy that heals all types of facial pain and inflammation caused by sinusitis, migraine and other symptoms. 

More than alleviating pain, this facial ice pack is also effective in relieving tired eyes and in giving you a glowing skin. No wonder beauty bloggers voted it as the top skin improvement product.

2. Spice up your plate to ease sinus pressure

Chillies are rich in capsaicin, the compound responsible for making them spicy and hot.  Capsaicin is believed to be effective in managing pain. In fact, many over-the-counter pain relief creams list capsaicin as a main ingredient.

3. Rattle and hum for sinus pain relief 

Now you have a good excuse to annoy your housemates: Go out and hum your favourite song for an hour to ease sinus pain. We’re not even kidding. Researchers in Sweden discovered that humming increases nasal ventilation, meaning it could help clear your clogged sinuses and ameliorate discomfort. 

The same study indicated that humming enhances the production of nitric oxide, a compound known to increase blood flow and lower blood pressure. 

4. Manage pain with your mind 

Yoga, meditation and other relaxation exercises can be effective in easing most forms of body pain. They work by tapping mental power to reduce pain perception and sensitivity. Practicing these may be extremely helpful especially to persons suffering from acute or chronic sinus pain. 

5. Reduce alcohol consumption 

We hope we didn’t need to tell you this, but you shouldn’t chug alcohol while nursing a sinus infection. Alcohol aggravates sinusitis symptoms because it dehydrates the body, causing your nasal cavities to swell and worsening mucus congestion.  

How to prevent sinusitis 

There’s no guaranteed way to prevent rhinosinusitis, but you can reduce your chances of a sinusitis attack, or prevent it from getting worse, by following these tips:

• Drink lots of water to lubricate your throat
• Irrigate and clear your nose by using nasal sprays or washes
• Elevate your head when sleeping to avoid mucus from pooling 
• Use a humidifier if the air is dry to keep your nasal passages from drying out
• Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke
• Avoid sinus pressure from getting worse by keeping your head upright or leaning it a bit backward 
• Stay away from allergens

Conclusion

When it comes to exploring natural remedies for sinus pain and pressure, leave no stone unturned and explore as many options as you can. Each person responds differently to specific treatments, and unconventional does not mean ineffective. 

How about you? Have you tried any of these five unusual sinus pain relief tips? Share your experience with us here, and don’t forget to check out our cool products.

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Which is Better for Migraine Pain Relief: Heat or Ice?

Heat and cold are inexpensive DIY treatments you can use to reduce migraine pain. They are convenient and easy to use, plus heat and cold treatment pair well with other natural remedies or acute medications without causing an adverse reaction.

Cryotherapy is the technical term for cold therapy. Thermotherapy is the term used for heat. Both heat and cold cause changes in your blood vessels that can relieve migraine pain, but how do you know which to use?

The Effects of Heat and Cold

Heat causes blood vessels to dilate or become larger, which is a migraine trigger for many. So far, no clinical research studies show heat as a beneficial pain reducer in migraine. It can, however, help tense muscles relax. Tense muscles can also trigger migraines. 

Cold causes blood vessels to contract or become narrower. As the blood flow slows, inflammation may decrease. Your metabolic activity slows, too. Cold can reduce or eliminate nerve conduction, inhibiting pain signal transmission.

The short answer about which is better for migraine pain is: it depends. Warm compresses can relieve pain, while cold ones reduce inflammation.

Since cold therapy tends to be more beneficial, let’s talk about that first.

The History of Cold Therapy

Cold therapy has broad scientific support and has been used for over 150 years (that we know of). The first documented use occurred in 1849. 

According to a 2013 Hawai’i Journal of Medicine article, “cold therapy has long been the number one self-care treatment employed for migraine without aura and the second most common for migraine with aura.”

In a 2006 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine study, migraine patients who wore cold gel caps for two migraine attacks reported pain relief along with other benefits.

• About 50% reported increased comfort after wearing the caps for 25 minutes
• Around 8% to 11% reported complete relief
• 40% to 50% required pain medication because cold alone didn’t provide enough relief
• 77% of those who responded well during the first trial also experienced relief in the second

Unfortunately, 60% of those reporting no relief with cold therapy during the first trial had none in the second, suggesting cold therapy is only helpful for some migraine patients.

Types of Cold Therapy

Gel caps are an easy way to get cold therapy. Gel caps that cover the head are placed in the refrigerator or freezer and then placed on the head. You can make an adjustable neck wrap to hold ice packs against your carotid arteries running up the sides of your neck. Some patients have had success with nasal cooling.

Here are some DIY cold packs:

• Combine 2 cups water with 1 cup of 70% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. Pour into a quart or gallon-sized zip-top bag and remove all air before sealing. Place it inside another bag to protect against leakage and freeze for at least one hour. Wrap it in a towel before placing it on your skin to avoid frostbite.
• Place liquid dish soap in a zip-top freezer bag and remove all the air. Place inside another bag to avoid leakage and freeze for one hour. Wrap in a towel before placing it on your skin. You can refreeze it as needed.
• Frozen bags of peas, a refillable ice bag, and a cold canned beverage from the refrigerator also work well.

Whether you decide to buy an ice pack or make your own, try cold therapy during your next migraine attack to see if it helps reduce pain.

Heat Therapy Options

You can use a couple of different methods of delivering heat to your body. One is a microwavable rice-filled pack.

Simply place uncooked rice in a sock and tie or sew the end closed. Heat it in the microwave for 90 to 120 seconds, testing to ensure it doesn’t become too hot. Place it on your sore neck or back muscles for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

A hot towel can serve the same purpose. Wet a towel or dishcloth and place it in a microwave-safe zip closure bag, leaving the zipper open. Microwave for two minutes — CAUTION: it will be hot. 

Remove the bagged towel from the microwave and wrap it in another towel, placing it on the sore spots for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Hot towels are an excellent solution for migraines and sore muscles when you travel, but you can always do it old-school with a hot water bottle.  

How to Use Cold and Heat Therapy for Your Migraine

Experiment with heat and cold to determine which works best for you. When using cold therapy, don’t leave the pack on for more than 20 minutes to reduce the risk of frostbite. If you’re using single-use instant cold packs, don’t try to refreeze them as it is unsafe and chemically impossible. 

Apply a cold or warm moist cloth to your temples, forehead, neck, or base of the head (nape of the neck) to quickly see if the therapy helps. Alternatively, you can use ice packs or a heating pad. If heat works, try a warm shower or bath.

For heat and cold therapy, ensure the temperature isn’t too extreme, and keep a towel between your skin and the cold or heat source. Keep an eye out for burns, numbness, blistering, or redness that signals potential burn or frostbite damage.

Never apply cold or heat to an open wound or irritated skin, and don’t apply it for more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

Create a chart or take notes to find a pattern of what works best for you.

When considering heat therapy, check with your doctor first if you have:

• Heat disease
• Circulatory problems
• Diabetes 
• Skin conditions 
• Open wounds
• Bleeding disorders
• Deceased sensation in the skin

If you experience severe numbness after heat or cold therapy, call your doctor.

In Summary

So, is heat or cold better for migraine relief? It really depends on the person. Many patients find cold or heat therapy beneficial for reducing migraine pain, and some find relief from both. Cold seems to be better at pain relief, while warmth relaxes tight muscles that could be causing your migraine. 

You can use several everyday household products to make your own heat and cold packs. Avoid extreme temperatures to avoid burns and frostbite, and keep notes to help determine what works best.  

If you have questions, contact the Migraine Relief Center.

Cardiologist’s advice on how not to treat high blood pressure and how to survive weather fluctuations

1. Articles
2. Cardiology and cardiac surgery
3. Cardiologist

our body often reacts to changing weather.

October 7, 2021

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Cardiology advice for hypertensive patients Photo from open sources

• How do hypertensive and hypotensive patients react to weather changes?
• How not (and should) treat hypertension?
• How long should I keep a blood pressure diary?
• Why do some people get cold and others don’t?
• How to eat with pressure drops and how to keep warm in the cold

The autumn-winter period becomes a real test for many, because blood vessels are very dependent on weather conditions (and, accordingly, pressure). Therefore, each person should know what to do when the weather changes in order to avoid sudden pressure surges.

Our body is actually very smart and has strong adaptive capabilities – it adapts itself to changes in atmospheric pressure. But we must help him so that there are no problems.

“When the weather worsens, blood pressure decreases so that our vessels do not tear apart. If a front with increased pressure comes, ours rises. In healthy people, without cardiovascular diseases, such fluctuations go unnoticed. And patients with cardiovascular diseases have a hard time enduring such jumps, ”explains a cardiologist Anna Soloshchenko.

1. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a serious pathology that should not be ignored. Such people are very sensitive to any weather fluctuations. As soon as temperature drops occur, hypertensive patients have increased pressure (often to a hypertensive crisis, when urgent medical care is needed). Moreover, the hypertensive crisis in each person occurs individually, that is, there are no specific figures for blood pressure for him – it all depends on the specific case.
2. Hypotension (low blood pressure) is not a pathological condition in which the pressure, on the contrary, is low. Hypotension does not pose a health hazard, but gives a person a lot of discomfort. Low blood pressure is not treated with drugs, it needs an integrated approach to lifestyle changes. If a person has low blood pressure, it decreases even more, when atmospheric pressure drops, the state of health worsens.

Both hypertensive and hypotensive patients need to measure their blood pressure regularly, especially if they feel unwell due to weather changes.

In case of problems, you should definitely visit a cardiologist, keep a diary of pressure and pulse (this way you can understand if a person has constant problems with pressure or only when the weather changes).

What medicines should a hypertensive patient have at home?

The most important thing for a hypertensive patient is the daily preventive intake of drugs that reduce blood pressure. Then on “dangerous” days in the blood there will be the necessary concentration of the active substance, which will not allow the body to feel the crisis.

Symptomatic use of blood pressure medication is unacceptable (for example, when the weather causes a headache, nausea or general weakness). Pressure pills as emergency help will not help – you will have to drink high doses of potent drugs.

If a hypertensive patient has a hypertensive crisis, you need to take under the tongue any drug that will quickly reduce pressure (Anaprilin, Captopres).

How long should I keep a blood pressure diary?

The cardiologist says that the pressure diary should be kept for about 7-10 days. In the warm period, the pressure in hypertensive patients rises 5-7 days before a sharp cold snap. Pills prescribed by a doctor for pressure have a cumulative effect – in order for the substance to begin to work fully, a month of taking the pills is needed. Only then will any temperature fluctuations and weather whims not affect the pressure of a person with hypertension.

My head hurts because of the weather: what to do

Why do some people get cold and others don’t?

This problem comes from childhood. Parents often dress their child too warmly, focusing on their own temperature sensations (and the baby cannot tell if he is hot or cold). Mothers try to wrap their child warmer for reinsurance. If you do this, your child will be cold in the future. Therefore, if you are cold, this does not mean at all that the child needs an extra jacket. Let the baby’s thermoregulation form correctly – then he will have strong immunity, he will not be afraid of drafts and air conditioners in the future.

People with hypertension do not tolerate heat well, but this is not treated with pills, but with a proper lifestyle (healthy diet, hardening, physical activity).

How to understand that you have hypertension

The best way to warm up on the street is physical activity Photo from open sources fast carbohydrates (fast food, pastries), an abundance of fried and meat. The diet must include plant foods (vegetables and fruits), fish and dairy products.

People over 25-35 years of age should have the correct ratio of plant food and animal products: 1:3, that is, 100 g of meat and 300 g of salad.

Tea alone is not enough to keep you warm in cold weather. Yes, a hot drink will expand the blood vessels and for a short time it will help to warm up, but not in the very cold on the street, but already at home, after a walk. If you need to warm up in the fresh air, the ideal way is to move: the working muscles generate heat.

So take into account all the doctor’s recommendations to get ready for temperature drops right now!

CardiologistHypertensionHypotensionMeteorological dependenceMeteorological sensitivityPressure dropsHypertensive crisisAtmospheric pressurePressure surgesMeteorological dependence prevention

The better a person can control their blood pressure with antihypertensive drugs, the easier it will be for drops in blood pressure to be tolerated. Your goal is below 130/80 mmHg. Art. If the pressure “jumps” above these numbers, a correction of the treatment is needed. If you do not tolerate new pressure figures at first, it is better to reduce it gradually, in stages – so that the vessels get used to it.

Cardiologist Pressure surges Pressure Low pressure High pressure Hypertension Cardiologist’s advice Anna Soloshchenko Pills for pressure Atmospheric pressure Blood pressure

How to choose the right pills for pressure

Pills for pressure are prescribed not for a certain time of admission, but on an ongoing basis. That is, they must be taken throughout life. Hypertension, like diabetes, is a chronic disease, most often hereditary. Hypertension cannot be cured, it can only be controlled with drugs that protect blood vessels and organs, maintaining pressure at a normal level.

High blood pressure Hypertension High blood pressure Cardiologist Anna Soloshchenko Pressure pills Heart attack Stroke Reduce blood pressure Selection of blood pressure pills Cardiologist’s recommendations Normalization of pressure Cardiovascular system Heart and vascular diseases

5 questions to ask a cardiologist

To minimize the risk of cardiovascular diseases, you need to visit a cardiologist and ask him the 5 most important questions.