How to get rid of nasal congestion at home
Few people do not know what nasal congestion is from their own experience. Nasal congestion is the body's reaction to external pathogens, such as an allergen, bacteria, or virus. When a foreign microorganism enters the respiratory organ, the body tries to defend itself and produces mucus, so it “flows” from the nose.
Subsequently, the inflamed mucosa swells, closing the air passage and it becomes impossible to breathe through the nose. In case of serious diseases accompanied by a runny nose, you should consult a doctor to eliminate the source of the disease itself. If a runny nose occurs against the background of a minor cold, you can get rid of nasal congestion at home on your own.
How to get rid of nasal congestion with medication
When the nose is stuffed up so much that it prevents us from living, we first of all go to the pharmacy to buy vasoconstrictor drugs. Indeed, they have a wonderful effect - nasal breathing is restored almost immediately. The principle of their action is simple - the medicine affects the blood vessels, which narrow and relieve swelling. However, it should be remembered that vasoconstrictor drugs should not be used for more than 5 days, otherwise they can be addictive. It must also be remembered that this type of medicine is not curative. With the help of them, you can relieve discomfort and make your life easier, but they will not help to cure. So, here is a list of the most common vasoconstrictor nasal drops and sprays.
- Vibrocil
- Naphthyzin
- Nazol
- Xymelin
- Otrivin
- Sanorin
- Rinozolin
The list can be very long, since there are a lot of vasoconstrictor drugs. Each of them differs in the time of action (from 3 to 10 hours) and the active substance.
If congestion is allergic, you need to use drugs of a different principle of exposure. Drugs for allergic rhinitis not only reduce swelling, but also form a protective film on the mucous membrane, which prevents new allergens from entering the bloodstream. Among nasal sprays for allergies, you can use Benorin, Nasonex, Flixonase. Together with sprays and drops, antihistamines should be taken (Zodak, Suprastin, Ketotifen, Diazolin).
Another way to rid the nose of mucus and congestion is to rinse. This is an excellent procedure that helps flush out viruses and allergens from the mucosa. In addition, if you use salt water when washing, it draws the mucus out, which significantly improves the patient's condition.
It is very easy to do a wash. To do this, prepare slightly salty warm water (about a teaspoon of salt per liter of water). Pour the prepared solution into a small kettle. Lean over a tub or basin and gently pour water into one nostril in a thin stream. The throat should be kept closed. It is very important to relax here so that the water finds its way and flows out through the second nostril.
If the congestion is so strong that it does not allow you to rinse your nose, you can simply send a stream of salt water from a syringe without a needle into each nostril. To achieve a real result, you need to rinse your nose every two hours. This is a wonderful and safe way to get rid of nasal congestion, which can be used by children and pregnant women. A pipette is used to wash the nose of babies.
Inhalations for nasal congestion
If the nose refuses to breathe at all, you can try inhalation. To do this, pour boiling water into the basin, cover with a towel and breathe in the vapors. Be careful not to bring your face too close, so as not to burn yourself. To make the procedure more effective, you can use herbal infusions instead of plain water. It can be chamomile - it gently soothes the mucous membrane. If you add a few mint or eucalyptus leaves to the decoction, it will help you clear your breath already at the first breath. It is very good to add a piece of Asterisk balm the size of a match head to the water for inhalation.
Folk remedies for relieving nasal congestion
There are many folk recipes that will help you breathe deeply through your nose.
- Aloe. This is the most popular home healer that grows in almost every apartment. A few leaves of aloe need to be cut and put in the freezer. When they are frozen, they can be thawed. Freezing is needed so that the plant can more easily release its healing juice. After defrosting, the leaves must be crushed and squeezed with gauze. Drop it with a pipette into each nostril, 2-3 drops. Repeat the procedure 3-4 times a day and after a couple of days there will be no trace of congestion.
- Tea tree oil. It can be found in any pharmacy. Soak cotton swabs in oil and apply the product on the nasal mucosa. Such treatment will not only relieve congestion, but also disinfect the mucous membrane from bacteria and viruses.
- Garlic, onion. These spices contain phytoncides that destroy pathogens. Chop the garlic or onion, squeeze out the juice. Dilute the juice in half with water so as not to burn the mucous membrane. Put a few drops of the prepared composition into each nostril.
To cope with a runny nose, you need a set of measures that will help you reduce the risk of nasal congestion.
- Air humidity. This is one of the main indicators that affects the condition of the mucosa. Especially in children. Most often, the problem occurs in winter, when radiators warm up the apartment, completely depriving it of moisture. Dry air contributes to the drying of the mucosa, and instead of breathing normally, a person has a “wheezing”. Subsequently, this leads to nasal congestion. Therefore, humidify and ventilate the room, throw wet towels on the batteries, and ventilate the room more often. Better yet, get a humidifier. With it, you can control the humidity in the room without your own participation.
- Plentiful drink. A large amount of hot drink not only accelerates the release of the virus from the body. It also helps to clear the nasal passages and relieve swelling. Drink more liquids with vitamin C - tea with raspberries and currants, rose hips.
- Essential oils. They can be laid out in open containers around the room, or you can lubricate the area around the nose with oil. If the skin under the nose is irritated from friction and constant blowing of the nose, you do not need to smear the oil - it can cause a burning sensation. Among the oils that are useful for a runny nose, tea tree oil, fir, eucalyptus, peach, camphor and garlic oils can be noted. To get rid of a runny nose in a child, you need to put a little oil on a handkerchief and place this handkerchief in your breast pocket. The baby will constantly inhale the healing vapors, which will help him get rid of congestion.
- Physical activity. If your condition allows, go in for sports. The fact is that the human body adapts to external conditions. During physical activity, you need more oxygen and the mucous membrane expands, allowing air to enter. You don’t need to do strength exercises - a simple jog will be enough.
- Don't blow your nose! Often people who suffer from a runny nose simply wear themselves out by constantly blowing their nose in the hope that they can clear their nasal passages. Constant irritation of the mucosa, on the contrary, leads to even more swelling. This should be done carefully and no more than once every few hours.
- Hot bath. This is a great way to help you get rid of not only a runny nose, but also a starting cold. Fill the tub with hot water. The temperature should be as high as you can tolerate. Add asterisk balm to the water. Take a bath for 10 minutes. Add hot water if possible. Balm vapors will clean and disinfect your respiratory tract. After taking a bath, you need to lie under the covers, drink tea with honey and lemon, put on warm socks and fall asleep. In the morning you will not even remember that something has bothered you since the evening.
Often a runny nose is associated with a mild form of malaise. Despite this, nasal congestion interferes with normal living, speaking, eating, and working. The easiest way to deal with a runny nose is at the very beginning. Do not let the disease overcome you and take care of your health!