Treating Sinusitis at Home

Key Information

• Blocked Pipes: It helps to think of your sinuses as "blocked pipes." The pressure you feel is due to inflammation and congestion.
• Nasal Rinsing: Rinsing the inside of your nose with a saltwater solution (available from pharmacies or made at home) is one of the most effective ways to wash out mucus and clear the blockage.
• Pain Management: Simple painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen can effectively reduce the pain and lower a high temperature.
• Rest & Recovery: Your body needs energy to heal. Get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated.
• Timeline: Patience is important. While sinusitis usually clears up on its own, it is normal for symptoms to last for 2 to 3 weeks.

What Happens Next?

For the vast majority of people, these home remedies are sufficient to clear the infection. Please continue with these steps and allow your body time to recover.

When to Contact Us

While home treatment is usually successful, contact us to discuss if:

• No Improvement: Your symptoms are not getting better after 3 weeks.
• Severity: Your symptoms are severe or getting worse despite taking painkillers.
• Fever: You have a high temperature that does not go down.
• Recurring Issues: You keep getting sinusitis repeatedly.

Further Information

To learn more about sinusitis, please see our sinusitis series:

Last reviewed: 22 December 2025
Next review due: 22 December 2028