We’ve all basked in the glory of a warm, sunny spring day—chirping birds, long flowing grass, blossoming trees, and uncontrollable sneezing. You’ve seen the OTC drug commercials—it’s a repeating message. For the allergic, these idyllic natural landscapes can breed discomfort, infection, and chronic pain in our sinuses and lungs. In this article, I will give three natural strategies to help reduce or eliminate sinus congestion while calming your allergic response.

Why does our body become allergic?

In short, we don’t know precisely why we form allergies. Often, this occurs because the causes are varied and complex. Clinically, it’s common for patients with chronic allergies to also have chronic inflammation and a poor diet. However, this equates to allergy severity and not necessarily having an allergy in the first place.

Interestingly, research has discovered a strong correlation between living on a farm in childhood and the mysterious resolve of allergic sensitivities. If you are familiar with science, you know the golden rule: correlation does not equal causation. This means you cannot learn the exact cause from correlation alone. However, we do know that our external environment triggers the expression of genes, and there is something from a farm lifestyle that triggers the spontaneous remission of allergies. It’s also important to note that this is “living” on a farm and not just a casual trip to a farm occasionally.

1. How do we get rid of allergies for good?

The current theories for farm life and spontaneous allergy remission focus on the microbiome, colostrum/breast milk exposure, and frequent low-dose allergy exposure. Specifically, we see farm life seeding different probiotics that plausibly help the immune system desensitize to allergies. The nutrients in colostrum have an immune-regulating effect on the digestive system. Finally, chronic exposure to a low-dose of an allergen regularly reduces the severity of an allergic response. The natural low-dose allergy exposure is from local honey consumption.

These proposed mechanisms have exciting potential and possibly interact as a holistic environment to resolve allergies. Again, we are researching. Luckily, colostrum, probiotic-rich foods, and chronic low-dose exposure (consuming local honey) are all reasonably simple therapies with low risks and high potential rewards.

2. One natural solution for allergic sinus congestion is acupuncture

Acupuncture has a positive research history for the treatment of sinus congestion. You might be thinking, how does sticking needles into a person reduce mucus in their nose? Interestingly, acupuncture can help to reduce inflammation, and it has a regulating effect on blood flow. This helps the sinuses to process sinus inflammation and “release” mucus that can cause sinus discomfort and headaches. The needle stimulation itself wouldn’t reduce your allergic sensitivity but can help if you are in the midst of a severe allergic flare with painful, congested sinuses.

3. Herbal formulas for allergic sinus infections

Many available herbal formulas can reduce inflammation and congestion for chronic sinus inflammation. I’ve included one of my favorite formulas below. As a caveat, herbal formulas will dry the sinuses. In a humid environment, this typically isn’t a problem; in Colorado, this can lead to sinus dryness. There are Colorado-specific forms with moistening formulas. Another trick is to take the herbal formula when you need it. Using a drying formula as needed can kick in the sinus-clearing formulas without leaving the sinus dry throughout the rest of the day.

Supplement Recommendations for Sinus Congestion

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