As colder weather arrives, many people find themselves dealing with sinus congestion or infections. While painkillers and nasal sprays can relieve symptoms, sometimes they may not be fully effective. A massage therapist based in Texas has demonstrated a simple method that can be done at home in just a few minutes, with no extra equipment or expertise required.
Simple steps to drain sinuses
Lauren Turner, a massage therapist in Texas, posted a video on TikTok explaining the technique. She noted that it can also be performed on children. In the video, she said: "Do you know how to drain your sinuses? Let me teach you, because we don't want to be getting sinus infections and ear infections. This is also something that you can do on your kids."
Turner began by instructing viewers to place their thumbs in the indent above the tear ducts on either side of the nose. She emphasized using light pressure, saying: "This is not a lot of pressure guys, our sinuses are very gentle." After holding for a count of five, she advised moving the thumbs across the eyebrow and into the temple, again with light pressure, then releasing.
The next step involves using the ring fingers, which Turner explained "don't hold as much pressure as our other ones." She demonstrated placing the fingertips in the crest of the nose, then dragging them across the cheekbones to the ears and down to the bottom of the jaw. Following this, she suggested placing the palms on either side of the head next to the ears, above the jawbone, and pressing gently for a count of five.
Final steps and how it works
Turner's method continues with pinching the ear between thumb and forefinger and pulling "out and down" for a count of five. The fifth step involves pushing the bottom jaw out "like a bulldog." Then, viewers are instructed to place ring fingers behind the earlobes where the ears meet the jaws, drawing them down to the bottom of the neck. She also advised pressing the pads of the hands on the neck below the earlobes for a count of five.
She concluded with light pressure under the jaw, following from the chin back around the jaw and down the throat, then tracing thumbs from behind the ears to the bottom of the neck. "And then you're just going to lightly brush your neck all over," she said. "What we're doing, guys, is, we're activating our lymphatic system. We're telling it, 'hey, we're not feeling so hot and we need everything to start moving'."
Turner noted that if breathing is not relatively clear after the routine, repeating it a few more times can help, as "the more you do it, the better it's gonna become." She added: "Again, not a lot of pressure guys, our sinuses are very gentle creatures, we don't want to them. But I hope this helps you."
Why sinus problems increase in cold weather
It is common to experience sinus congestion, headaches, and infections at this time of year, as cold weather can dry out the air and irritate the sinuses. According to the NHS, sinus infections, or sinusitis, usually clear up within four weeks. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, and tenderness around the cheeks, eyes, or forehead; a blocked or runny nose; a reduced sense of smell; green or yellow mucus from the nose; a high temperature; headache; toothache; bad breath; a cough; a feeling of pressure in the ears; and snoring at night.
Treatment for sinus infections can involve getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of fluids, taking painkillers, avoiding triggers for allergies, avoiding smoking, and cleaning the nose with a salt water solution.
