Usually harmless

In a study of chronic and recurrent rhinosinusitis, daily rinsing with 150 ml of 2 per cent saline solution also improved the symptoms. However, nasal rinsing also harbours risks: If the mucous membrane is very swollen, the water from the facial cavities may no longer be able to drain away completely. This »water congestion« can make the situation worse. Rinsing should also be avoided in the case of severely inflamed and festered sinuses. There is no recommendation for inhaling with hot water vapour. Although it is an extremely popular household remedy for colds, no positive effect has been proven in studies to date. However, there are also no known negative effects.

If the nose is blocked and nasal breathing is difficult or even impossible, decongestant nasal sprays or drops are the treatment of choice. They contain a beta-sympathomimetic such as xylometazoline or oxymetazoline as the active ingredient. The effect lasts for five to eight hours. The newly updated EPOS (European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps) no longer recommends the use of nasal sprays containing glucocorticoids. A small positive effect could only be shown for post-viral rhinosinusitis. 

There is a clear recommendation in the EPOS position paper for the use of herbal medicines. This can also be found in the AWMF guideline »Rhinosinusitis«, which is currently being revised. Combination preparations of cowslip, gentian, dock, elder and verbena (as in Sinupret®) have a secretolytic effect and allow nasal symptoms such as a runny nose and postnasal drip as well as headaches and facial pain to subside more quickly. Cineol and Andrographis paniculata alleviate the intensity of the symptoms. According to EPOS, zinc supplements can also reduce the duration of the illness if they are taken within 24 hours of the onset of the first symptoms at a dose of at least 75 mg per day.