Sinus problems, including sinus pain, afflict some 30 million Americans annually. In fact, it is one of the most prevalent health issues for which patients seek medical care.

For many, the symptoms of a sinus problem include pain (facial and head), fever, weakness, fatigue, cough, and congestion. There may also be mucus drainage in the back of the throat, called postnasal drip.

Can homeopathy help?

Yes. What follows are a few homeopathic remedies to consider when you have an acute flare-up.

Homeopathy is governed by a law of nature – “like cures like.” As a result, remember - the key to choosing the correct/helpful remedy is ALWAYS the same. One must match the “characteristic symptoms” (ie, unusual or peculiar) of the person you are caring for (not the common ones like headache, sore throat, cough, fever, etc.) to a remedy capable of producing similar characteristic symptoms to have success. If you choose a remedy with characteristics most similar to the characteristic symptoms of your family member, you should have a happy outcome every time. If you don't - you or they will either feel no effect or one that is mildly positive at best, but there is never a bad effect from choosing the “wrong” remedy.

Hepar sulphuris: A person needing this homeopathic remedy often experiences a copious mucus discharge from the nose with an almost constant need to blow the nose. The mucus discharged may be thick yellow or green, and maybe even offensive smelling. There can also be heat and burning in the nose with the interior of the nose sensitive to the passage of air (particularly cold air) and touch. The nose is frequently stuffed up in the morning and there may be itching in the nose that causes sneezing. There can also be head pain felt as an aching in the forehead or a boring pain at the root of the nose. You may feel worse when blowing the nose; from cold in general (you will find yourself hypersensitive to cold, pain and touch); in cold air; and in cold and dry weather.

Kali bichromium: One should think of this remedy when discharges from the nose (and throat) are tough, stringy, adherent mucus – mucus which can be drawn out into long strings. The nose may be stuffed up, especially the upper part, and there may be difficulty detaching thick mucus –even if there is a lot of post-nasal drip. If there is head pain, it is often felt over one or both eyes and can at times be of a throbbing nature and very painful. One may also experience pain from the back of the head to the forehead if the nasal discharge ceases. This, too, is a remedy where there is a lot of mucus!

Mercurius solubilis: A person needing this homeopathic remedy often experiences much sneezing with a fluent and often acrid discharge from the nose. Some portion of the mucus may trickle down post-nasally into the throat causing hawking, hoarseness and a dry, rough cough from continual tickling in the throat. The acrid discharge from the nose (which may at times take on a greenish hue) can smell like old cheese. There are often pressing and/or tearing pains in the forehead, cheeks, upper teeth, and ears. If there is a headache, there is also much congestion to the head with the head feeling as if it would burst or as if it is in a vise. The patient is thirsty even though the mouth is quite moist. The breath will often be very offensive during the illness. Typically someone needing this remedy feels worse in damp weather, at night and from either cold or warm air. They may also feel a bit restless during the ailment.

Phosphorus: Someone needing this homeopathic remedy often complains of having a stuffed nose one moment and fluent nasal discharges the next. These symptoms often come with a feeling of dullness in the head and a sore throat. Hoarseness often follows. The mucus from the nose is typically profuse, greenish, yellow and blood-streaked. In fact, there is frequently blood in the mucus on blowing the nose. Your patient may complain that their smell and taste are gone. There will frequently be a dull pain in the forehead to the root of the nose and to the upper eyelids, with a feeling of pressure extending into eyes or a pressive headache above the eyes. Someone needing Phosphorus is always thirsty for cold drinks during their illness.

Pulsatilla: Someone needing this homeopathic remedy often complains of nasal congestion that is stopped up at night and flows more easily in the morning. The discharge from the nose in the morning is typically yellow or yellow-green and can be offensive smelling.Your loved one may complain of feeling much worse and much more congested in a warm room and far better and less congested in the cool, open air. Head pain is usually frontal with what can be described as tearing pains in the sinuses beneath the eyes. The head pains can feel heavy, with bursting and throbbing pain and may be relieved by wrapping the head tightly. Pulsatilla patients are typically thirstless, even with dryness of the mouth. They may also complain of a bad taste in the mouth with the dryness. Mentally – they may be a bit weepy and needy.

If you or someone you know is experiencing sinus pain and their symptoms match those of one of the remedies in this article, dose with that remedy using either a 30C or 200C potency to start - placing one pellet under the tongue or one pellet in water, stirring vigorously and taking teaspoon doses as needed. Always cease dosing when relief begins and only re-dose if symptoms again worsen. As with any medical condition, consult with your physician if you have any concerns about the severity of your problem as it may first require medical diagnosis and/or intervention and monitoring.

About Dr. Lisa Samet

Dr. Lisa Samet N.D. provides Washington Homeopathic Products with a weekly column on using homeopathy for the family. She's a naturopathic physician who specializes in homeopathic medicine and she's a partner with Dr. Andre Saine N.D. Dr. Samet graduated from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1998 and has been practicing in Montreal since then. She was born and raised in New York.

Dr. Samet has chosen to focus on homeopathy because in her experience it is the deepest healing modality available in that it does not just soothe or palliate symptoms but can actually stimulate the body to start to heal itself. Dr. Samet sees patients in her Montreal office as well as long distance using Skype. Learn more here: Dr. Lisa Samet. You can follow her on Facebook as well.

Photo credit: brendan.wood via Foter.com / CC BY-SA