Best Herbal Teas for nasal congestion and sinus relief
Take care of your nose, and your nose will take care of you!
If you have sinus pressure, nasal congestion, hay fever or dust allergies, I feel your pain.
I am going to tell you the herbs and herbal teas that I use regularly – especially in the spring — to keep sinus pain and nasal conditions on the run.
I want you to know that I am a reliable source of information about nasal-oriented conditions because I’ve been fighting such things for most of my life.
Unfortunately, when I began writing about my own, personal, nasal congestion, I suddenly developed the worst case of sinus pressure I’ve had in a long time.
And as I always say … Never claim to have any condition or illness because it can make you manifest the symptoms of that illness in a more obvious way.
When moving to a new state initiated “upper respiratory doom” –
So, I’m not going to tell you how, when I was in elementary school, my family moved from a bluebonnet state to a hay field state …
Not sure if it was the numerous happy cows, or the large amount of dust (among other things) blowin’ in the wind … but when I moved, I became sick … and this went on for several years.
And I’m not going to tell you that for those years, life was a constant stream of sinus infections, being sick most of the time.
Basically, the sinus pain was extreme … and sometimes I experienced excessive sneezing or having a stopped up nose, so that I couldn’t breathe … and back again.
And I’m not going to tell you that It honestly seemed like I was allergic to the environment – hay fields and whatnot — around our new home.
It was so bad that everyone seemed confused about how to treat the condition.
In an attempt to help, my parents took me to a local doctor who – although still practicing — had the look of one of those ancient whiskered prairie doctors, making house calls in a covered wagon.
The only treatment he offered me involved excessive amounts of antibiotics. I mean, he repeatedly prescribed for me every antibiotic known to humankind!
Sometimes it was better for a few weeks, then sick again in my new environment.
Call me crazy but as I got older and was living on my own, I quickly realized that over the counter sinus and cold remedies never managed to improve my upper respiratory woes.
I wondered if I was the only person who did not respond to OTC sinus medication, but as it turns out … I’m actually one of many who experience no response to common OTC sinus treatments.
I finally found and became committed to a small bunch of herbal remedies that help to reduce sinus trouble and soothe my swollen, irritated nasal passages.
So, let me tell you how I finally won the battle of my proboscis (that means nose.)
Most of my favorite treatment teas are composed of various helpful herbs, and I’m going to showcase herbal ingredients that stand out to me in these teas for sinus and nasal congestion.
I’d like to start by introducing Breath Deep Herbal Tea, by Yogi Teas –
What makes “Breathe Deep Tea” stand out is its focus on enhancing immunity, and Thyme is one of its strongest immunity-supporting ingredients.
Long prized for having antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, Thyme is considered to be very helpful for the sinuses, clearing out stuck mucus and reducing swelling in the area.
But Breathe Deep Tea also contains a bit of Ginger, which can also help to relieve inflamed sinuses … and as a mild diuretic, Ginger can also help you gently release water weight.
You may wish to increase your consumption of Ginger, and you can get Ground Ginger (in powder form) or Ginger as a snack: Ginger Chews.
Another well-known ingredient in Breather Deep Tea is Peppermint, which is also a popular herb for sinus trouble.
But I must add that … as I have learned from my own herbal education … heavy consumption of Peppermint is said to contribute to a condition known as “Yang rising,” which can cause some discomfort, emotionally and otherwise.
So, if you are interested in going all-in on Peppermint, it is advisable to get some Peppermint Oil — smelling it often as an aroma therapy — and sniff your way to a happier nose.
Quite honestly, I’ve used Breathe Deep Tea for a long time, eventually realizing that it works well for a condition I call “Fat Face Syndrome” (FFS,) or swollen face.
The swollen face condition often comes on people as they get older, and it can be very difficult to reduce facial swelling (it’s not Zoom-friendly either.)
But guess what … In my experience, Breathe Deep Tea has been known to reduce swelling in the face. I don’t know how it accomplishes this feat, but it may be due to its antifungal and antimicrobial ingredients.
Note: Stay tuned to this website to view my coming article about methods to reduce swelling in the face.
Next up is Throat Coat Tea –
For “Throat Coat Tea,” by Traditional Medicinals, the most prominent star in the herbal sky is definitely the herb, Slippery Elm.
Slippery Elm is a wonderful tonic for areas of the body that rely heavily on mucus to move toxins out, such as your nasal passages and large intestine.
And although I mentioned this previously in a blog post, I’m going to tell you my story about Throat Coat Tea, because it is a tale of how I found one of my favorite teas.
I had been suffering from a cold that was hanging on … and I had a nagging cough.
I remember it well because at the time, I worked with elderly residents who lived in a big, fancy facility … it looked like an elegant manor house!
These residents, although friendly and likable, would talk about you behind your back when you wiped your nose or had any kind of a cough.
As many people who work in healthcare will tell you, it’s a catch 22 situation. You are expected to work, but you are also getting nagged at by patients who don’t want to catch your cold or cough (No blame there.)
One time when battling a persistent, obvious, nasal condition, I was wandering down the cat food and ice cream aisle at the local grocery store.
When passing by the colorful dog toys, I came upon these basket-like shelves that contained a hodge-podge of stuff rejected from other aisles in the store.
It was so jumbled that it reminded me of the Island of misfit toys!
Smiling at me from behind the denture powder and the odd hairbrush was a box of tea with a bright red mark-down sticker and an extremely happy giraffe on the front (a child’s version of the tea.)
This giraffe tea was called Throat Coat Tea and surprisingly, I had never heard of it before. Desperate to get better, I took the tea home with me, tried it, and experienced such amazing upper respiratory relief that I have kept a box in the cabinet ever since.
Other approved teas –
Also, there is a tea made by Yogi teas called “Throat Comfort Tea” that has a pleasant taste and is reported to relieve dry and sore throats.
Also containing Slippery Elm and Ginger, this tea also adds a bit of Cloves and Black Pepper, both considered by some to have anti-inflammatory properties.
In fact, some herbalists see Cloves as a power herb for preventative health, due to its strongly antioxidant and antimicrobial characteristics.
Another pepper that is used medicinally to treat nasal congestion is Cayenne Pepper. You can add it to your favorite tea or coffee, as well as to hot Oatmeal. And Oatmeal itself is a natural remedy for health and healing of the upper respiratory system, in general.
And if you are one of those folks who don’t like the taste of Cayenne, you should know that you can introduce it slowly by adding small pinches of it to coffee or tea, eventually building up to a larger dose.
Sometimes I use a tea called “Breathe Easy Tea,” by Traditional Medicinals, and I like the Eucalyptus Mint version.
You can also get this tea in the simple Eucalyptus variety, and this is great because Eucalyptus may reduce inflammation and helps to relieve respiratory discomfort.
I find Breathe Easy Tea to be quite effective for nasal congestion, and I also like that it includes Ginger as well as Fennel, and Fennel is thought to have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
As a side note, I recently found out that the Chamomile (in “Chamomile tea”) is a cousin of the Dandelion, and I tend to be allergic to Dandelion.
For this reason, I tested out my reaction to Chamomile tea, and I found that I am okay if I just use one bag of Chamomile and brew it twice.
And if taste is a problem for you, I recommend the Traditional Medicinals version of Licorice Tea.
Besides being anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial — both of which are helpful for nasal congestion — this particular version of Licorice tea has a pleasant, sweet, flavor. (Not all versions of Licorice tea are sweet.)
Can herbal tea relieve nasal and respiratory conditions? –
Yes! In fact, I get so much relief from the sinus and nasal congestion teas mentioned above that I generally buy them in the four or six pack options.
And my nasal as well as upper respiratory health have definitely improved by using herbal treatments preventatively, also.
But remember, herbal tea treatments can have expectorant qualities and therefore they may cause an exit of fluids out of the body.
In fact, when you feel bad in general and then decide to start an affordable, effective, herbal treatment plan, it is possible to face a few days of mild symptoms, which is sometimes called a “symptomatic flu.”
But if you will simply continue the treatment, this discomfort passes and it’s smooth sailing ahead!
(Also, don’t forget to take Quercetin and Liposomal Vitamin C )
Take care of your nose, and your nose will take care of you!
This article was written by Vanna Silverwood, medical writer and outspoken advocate for natural medicine. See more at simplynaturalmedicine.com. Encouraging stability, helping you clarify your health goals … we are always “Natural by Nature.”
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Click here to access Breathe Deep tea on Amazon!
Click here to access Throat Coat tea on Amazon!
Click here to access Breathe Easy tea on Amazon!
Click here to access a sweet Licorice tea on Amazon!
Click here to access my preferred Chamomile tea on Amazon!
Click here to access Ginger Chews on Amazon!
Click here to access Micronized Quercetin + Bromelain on Amazon!
Click here to access Liposomal Vitamin C on Amazon!
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