Yoga for sinus problems: sinusitis, a blocked nose and sinus headaches, breathing practices and safe nasal rinsing

Most sinusitis gets better by itself

It usually follows a cold, is usually caused by a virus, and lasts 2 to 3 weeks; antibiotics are rarely needed. Sinusitis lasting 3 months or more is chronic, and about 1 in 10 adults in Europe has it.

Sources 1, 2, 3, 4

Yoga doesn't cure sinusitis

A 2026 review found 12 studies of yoga for sinusitis, mostly small and weakly designed. In the best, one trial of 60 people with chronic sinusitis, humming bee breath twice a day added a small benefit to usual treatment at 12 weeks, smaller than the difference the authors call important.

Sources 5, 6

Humming is interesting, not proven

Humming raised nitric oxide in the nose about 15-fold in 10 healthy people, which suggests it moves air in and out of the sinuses. Whether that helps sinusitis hasn't been tested.

Sources 7, 8

Salt-water rinsing has more evidence, and it needs safe water

Rinsing helped a little in chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, with weak evidence for colds. Use water that has been boiled and cooled, or distilled or sterile water: the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says tap water isn't safe for nasal rinsing, and people have died from rare infections after rinsing with it.

Sources 9, 10, 11, 1, 12, 13

Keep your head up

In small lab studies, lying down raised the resistance in the nose and lying face down felt more blocked, and head-down poses raise pressure in the head within a minute. No study shows inversions drain sinuses. Sit or stand, and prop yourself up to rest.

Sources 14, 15, 16, 17

"Sinus headache" is usually migraine

In 2,991 people with "sinus" headaches and no infection, 88% met the criteria for migraine. Our headaches guide covers yoga for migraine.

Sources 18, 19

What sinusitis is

The sinuses are "small, empty spaces behind your cheekbones and forehead that connect to the inside of the nose". In sinusitis their lining swells, which "stops mucus draining into your nose and throat properly, making you feel blocked up" (the NHS). Symptoms include pain and tenderness around your cheeks, eyes or forehead, a blocked or runny nose, a reduced sense of smell, green or yellow mucus, and sometimes a high temperature, toothache or a headache.

Sources 2, 20

Acute and chronic

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) gives the usual course of acute sinusitis as 2 to 3 weeks and advises against antibiotics in the first 10 days. Symptoms lasting 3 months or more are chronic sinusitis, linked to allergies, nasal polyps, smoking and a weakened immune system. In 57,128 adults across 12 European countries, 10.9% had chronic rhinosinusitis, more often in smokers.

Sources 1, 3, 4

"Sinus headache"

Most people who call their headaches sinus headaches have migraine: 88% of 2,991 people with no sign of infection met migraine criteria, and sinus pressure, sinus pain and a blocked nose were common migraine symptoms. ENT UK says "pain in the face may well be due to other causes such as tension headache, migraine, neuralgia and jaw dysfunction".

Sources 18, 21, 22, 23

Allergic rhinitis

A nose that is blocked or runny from allergies is treated with antihistamines, steroid sprays and salt-water rinses. Decongestant sprays "should not be used for longer than 5 days" (the NHS).

Source 24

Few, weak studies of yoga for sinusitisMixed evidence

A 2026 scoping review found 12 studies of yoga for sinusitis or related nose problems, from trials to single case reports, using nasal rinsing, forceful breathing, pranayama, poses and relaxation. Most reported better symptoms, but the designs were weak. We found no trial of jala neti itself and none testing inversions.

Sources 5, 25

Humming bee breath in chronic sinusitisEmerging evidence

In one trial, 60 adults with chronic sinusitis had usual treatment, with or without bhramari (humming bee breath) twice a day. Both groups improved. On a sinus symptom questionnaire (SNOT-22), scores fell from about 38 to 28 with usual treatment and from about 39 to 25 with humming added. The groups didn't differ at 1 or 4 weeks, and at 12 weeks the gap of about 3 points was smaller than the 9 points the authors call important. Practice wasn't checked, and usual treatment varied.

Source 6

Yoga in allergic rhinitisMixed evidence

In 27 people, 8 weeks of hatha yoga improved nasal airflow and symptoms within the yoga group, but the abstract reports only one immune measure as better than in controls. In 60 people, a nasal breathing exercise added to a steroid spray eased symptoms more than the spray alone over 3 months. A case series of 51 people reported lower nasal resistance, with no comparison group.

Sources 26, 27, 28

Salt-water rinsingEmerging evidence

In chronic sinusitis, one trial of 76 adults found daily large-volume rinses improved quality of life by about 6 points out of 100 at 3 months and 14 at 6 months (low and very low quality), with side effects such as nosebleeds in 23%. In allergic rhinitis, 14 studies found rinsing eased symptoms for up to 3 months (low quality). For colds, most small trials found no difference. NICE says some people may wish to try saline, "although there is not enough evidence to show that they help to relieve nasal congestion".

Sources 9, 10, 11, 1

Humming and nitric oxideEmerging evidence

Humming raised nasal nitric oxide about 15-fold in 10 healthy people; the rise faded with repeated hums and returned after about 3 minutes of quiet breathing. People with allergic rhinitis whose nitric oxide didn't rise often had blocked sinus openings. It hasn't been tested as a treatment, it didn't change thinking or mood in a 2024 study, and humming breath raised blood pressure a little during practice in healthy adults.

Sources 7, 8, 29, 30, 31

Moving opens the nose for a whileEmerging evidence

In small lab studies, exercise lowered nasal resistance, by up to 46% after hard effort, with the effect fading over 5 to 15 minutes. Applying this to yoga is our extrapolation.

Sources 32, 33, 34

Lying down and lying face downEmerging evidence

Across 9 small studies (291 people), lying down raised nasal resistance. In 30 adults, lying face down felt more blocked than lying on your back, and lying on one side narrows the lower nostril and opens the upper one. These are small lab studies; applying them to yoga poses is our extrapolation.

Sources 14, 15, 16

Most "sinus headaches" are migraineStrong evidence

Clinic studies and reviews agree that most headaches people put down to their sinuses, without signs of infection, are migraine or tension-type headache.

Sources 18, 19, 21, 22

Slow breathing

The NHS breathing exercise: breathe in gently for a count of up to 5 and out for up to 5, for at least 5 minutes. Breathe through your nose if it's clear, and through your mouth if it isn't.

Source 35

Humming bee breath (bhramari): written steps

Our steps, as on our yoga for tinnitus guide. The sinusitis trial asked people to practise twice a day; it also had them close their ears and eyes with their fingers, which isn't needed.

• Sit tall on a chair or cushion, shoulders relaxed, eyes closed or soft.
• Breathe in slowly, through your nose if you can or your mouth if it's blocked.
• Breathe out slowly through your nose with your lips closed, making a gentle, low hum, like a bee. Feel the buzz in your face.
• Let the hum last as long as is comfortable without straining, then breathe in normally.
• Do 5 to 10 breaths, then rest for a few breaths.
• Stop if you feel light-headed, and skip it if humming feels uncomfortable. Humming breath raised blood pressure a little during practice in healthy adults, so with high blood pressure that isn't controlled, keep to slow breathing.

Sources 6, 8, 31

Alternate nostril breathing

Only when both nostrils are clear. Its move page: "Never force air through a blocked nostril; skip it with a heavy cold and just breathe slowly instead."

Leave out forceful breathing and breath holds

Kapalabhati (breath of fire) and bellows breath raised blood pressure during practice, and one case report links kapalabhati with a collapsed lung. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) advises beginners to avoid forceful breathing. Skip breath holds while you have symptoms (our lungs guide).

Sources 31, 36, 37

The NHS method

The NHS's homemade salt water rinse, word for word, below. ENT UK adds that it may sting the first few times, and to rinse before using any nasal spray or drops.

• Boil around 570ml (1 pint) of water, then leave it to cool.
• Mix 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda into the water.
• Wash your hands.
• Stand over a sink, cup the palm of 1 hand and pour a small amount of the solution into it.
• Sniff the water into 1 nostril at a time. Breathe through your mouth and allow the water to pour back into the sink. Try not to let the water go down the back of your throat.
• Repeat the first 5 steps up to 3 times a day (making a new solution each time) until your nose feels more comfortable.

Sources 2, 38

Safe water

The FDA: "rinse only with distilled, sterile or previously boiled water", because "Tap water isn't safe for use as a nasal rinse because it's not adequately filtered or treated". The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says to bring tap water "to a rolling boil for 1 minute" and let it cool. Clean and dry your bottle or neti pot after each use, and if your immune system isn't working properly, ask your doctor first.

Sources 12, 13

Why it matters

"Although rare, people have died from rinsing their sinuses with tap or faucet water containing the germs Naegleria fowleri and Acanthamoeba" (the CDC). In the US, two deaths were linked to neti pots filled with tap water.

Sources 13, 39

Jala neti is the same idea

Jala neti is yoga's salt-water rinse with a neti pot; the CDC notes that ritual nasal rinsing is common in yoga and ayurveda, and in some religious practices. We found no controlled trial of jala neti itself; the evidence above is for saline rinsing in general.

Sources 13, 25

Leave out sutra neti

Sutra neti threads a string or catheter through the nose. In one case report, vigorous sutra neti scarred and closed off the back of a man's nose, needing surgery.

Source 40

Upside-down and head-down poses

Downward dog, deep forward folds, dolphin, headstand, shoulder stand, plough and legs up the wall: no study shows they drain the sinuses, and head-down positions raise pressure in the head. Skip them while your face is sore, and come up from any pose that makes it throb. A headache made worse by bending down needs an urgent GP appointment or NHS 111.

Sources 25, 17, 14, 41

Face-down poses

Crocodile breathing, sphinx, cobra and locust: lying face down made the nose feel more blocked. Do your breathing sitting up instead.

Source 15

Child's pose and fish pose

Rest your forehead on a block or stacked fists in child's pose so your head stays nearly level, or skip it. Skip fish pose with migraine (its move page).

Forceful breathing, breath holds and sutra neti

Leave out kapalabhati, bellows breath and breath of fire, skip breath holds while you have symptoms, and leave out sutra neti.

Sources 31, 36, 40

Hot yoga with a fever

"If you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home" (the NHS). No study has tested hot yoga for sinuses, and NICE found no evidence for steam inhalation.

Sources 2, 1

Call 999 or go to A&E

With sinus symptoms or a headache, call 999 or go to A&E for any of these. Don't drive yourself to A&E.

• Swelling or redness around your eye, an eye that looks pushed forward or won't move normally, double vision, or eyesight that has got worse.
• Loss of vision, or blurred or double vision.
• A severe headache, swelling over your forehead, or a very high temperature with a stiff neck or bright light hurting your eyes, or a rash that doesn't fade when a glass is rolled over it.
• Feeling drowsy or confused, or a seizure (fit).
• Not being able to move, or weakness or numbness in an arm or leg on one side of your body, or one side of your face.
• A headache that came on suddenly and is extremely painful.
• Feeling very unwell, with a high temperature and a fast heartbeat or breathing.

Sources 1, 41

After nasal rinsing

"Seek medical attention right away if you or a loved one develops a headache, fever, confusion, or vomiting after rinsing your sinuses or nasal passages" (the CDC). If symptoms don't settle or get worse, especially with fever, nosebleeds or headaches while rinsing, go back to your doctor (the FDA).

Sources 13, 12

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111

With sinusitis symptoms and you are very unwell, painkillers don't help or symptoms get worse, or you have a weakened immune system, for example because you're having chemotherapy (the NHS).

A headache that is triggered or made worse by coughing, sneezing, bending down or exercising, or a headache with vision or eye problems.

Sources 2, 41

See a GP or pharmacist

A pharmacist can treat sinusitis. See a GP if you don't get better after 7 days of treatment from a pharmacy or GP, or after 3 weeks of treating symptoms yourself, or you keep getting sinusitis. A GP may refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist if it lasts 3 months despite treatment, keeps coming back, or is only on one side of your face.

Sources 2, 1

Rest instead of exercising

"If you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better" (the NHS). With symptoms only above the neck and no fever, light exercise is usually fine if you feel up to it (our exercising when ill guide).

Source 2

Chest pain or fainting while exercising: call 999

Call 999 if:

• You get sudden pain or discomfort in your chest that doesn't go away; it can feel like squeezing or pressure, burning or indigestion.
• The pain spreads to your left or right arm, or your neck, jaw, stomach or back.
• You have chest pain and feel sweaty, sick, light-headed or short of breath.
• Someone faints while exercising, can't be woken within 1 minute, or has chest pain or a pounding, fluttering or irregular heartbeat.

Sources 42, 43

"Yoga can cure sinusitis"Strong evidence

Most acute sinusitis clears by itself in 2 to 3 weeks. The yoga studies are few and weak, and the best one added a small benefit to usual treatment at 12 weeks, below what the authors call important.

Sources 1, 5, 6

"Upside-down poses drain your sinuses"Mixed evidence

No study shows it. In small lab studies, lying down made the nose more blocked, and head-down positions raise pressure in the head within a minute.

Sources 25, 14, 17

"Kapalabhati clears blocked sinuses"Mixed evidence

No trial shows it, it raises blood pressure during practice, and one case report links it with a collapsed lung.

Sources 5, 31, 36

"Humming kills sinus germs with nitric oxide"Mixed evidence

Humming raises nasal nitric oxide, but no study has shown it clears infection; the one humming trial measured symptoms.

Sources 7, 6

"Tap water is fine for a neti pot because it's safe to drink"Strong evidence

Germs that stomach acid kills can survive in the nose. Use water that has been boiled and cooled, or distilled or sterile water.

Sources 12, 13

"Face pain and a headache mean sinusitis"Strong evidence

Most "sinus headaches" without signs of infection are migraine, and facial pain can come from tension headache, nerves or the jaw.

Sources 18, 23