Blocked sinuses are no fun – especially during a pandemic when every single seasonal runny nose or sinus headache leads to a new round of “is it allergies or COVID?” Methods of treating sinus congestion often require taking a pill (or more), some of which have side effects that can be quite daunting.
But there is a clever acupressure trick that can solve your problem in just 20 seconds. It comes to us from one Oldie-but-goodie Reddit thread by the user Gymnastic fork:
Press your tongue against the corner of your mouth and place a finger between your eyebrows and apply pressure. Hold it for about 20 seconds and your sinuses will begin to empty.
When you press your tongue against the roof of your mouth, instead of aiming at a specific point, you push it flat upward. When you let go you should feel a small movement in your throat. It’s a very simple trick that does the job.
Other simple ways to relieve sinus pressure
If that doesn’t work for you, there are a few other methods you can try like suggested by SimplyHealth UK:
- The joint near the bridge of the nose and the eye socket is the area most affected by a blocked nose. Use your thumbs on the inner tip of each eyebrow, in line with the side of your nose. Press and release for 30 seconds, repeat until you feel pain relief.
- If the above isn’t enough, place both middle fingers next to each of your nostrils and your index fingers next to them. Press on both sides with your middle finger, hold for 30 seconds, then press your index finger for 30 seconds. Repeat this until you feel a free flow of air in your nostrils.
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If pressing on your face doesn’t work, SimplyHealth UK also notes that squeezing the tissue between your thumb and index fingers with your opposite hand for 30 seconds each can help relieve sinus pressure and tension headaches.
LPT: how to clear a stuffy nose | Reddit
This post was originally published in September 2012 and updated by Joel Cunningham on June 14, 2021 to provide more complete information and several additional workarounds, including revising the heading, adding a new header image, and bringing the content to reflect the current Lifehacker style.
