Sinus congestion due to an upper respiratory infection or allergies is quite irritating, but it can also impair sleep quality and affect productivity in the workplace. If it is prolonged, the congestion can develop into an infection. This disorder causes several symptoms, such as a stuffy nose, thick, green or purulent nasal discharge, facial pain, constricting headache, cough, and some fever. If you have nasal congestion, there are several ways to drain your sinuses.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Home Remedies
Step 1. Breathe in the steam
This is one of the best ways to clear the nasal passages. To produce enough steam, go to the bathroom, turn on the hot water in the shower and close the door to keep it inside. Stay in the room running the hot water for 3 to 5 minutes. At this point the nasal secretions should begin to dissolve and exit the nostrils. You can also put your head over a large bowl of boiling water and cover your head with a towel. Breathe like this for 10 minutes or until you start to feel the congestion improve.
- If you feel dizzy during the procedures, get out in the fresh air, sit down and breathe normally; the feeling of dizziness will pass quickly, it is nothing to worry about and will resolve in a few minutes.
- When you are in the bathroom you can also use essential oils such as lavender, eucalyptus or mint; it has been found to have decongestant properties and offer some benefits. Eucalyptus oil is a natural decongestant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory that has been proven to clear the sinuses and prevent sinusitis (sinus infection). To use it, pour 5 or 10 drops of oil into the tub or bowl with water.
- Keep essential oils out of the reach of children, as they can cause serious and fatal problems if ingested or used improperly.
Step 2. Purchase a humidifier
Sometimes the nasal passages are very dry, aggravating congestion. The humidifier offers similar benefits to steam. Keep it on when you are at home or when you sleep, to increase the level of humidity in the nostrils and better dissolve the nasal secretions.
You can add 5 drops of eucalyptus or peppermint essential oil to the humidifier water to relieve congestion even more. Eucalyptus, in particular, has antimicrobial, decongestant, and anti-inflammatory properties that can help you manage this discomfort
Step 3. Use warm compresses
Heat is another element that helps relieve congestion and clear the sinuses. Take a damp towel and place it in the microwave for two to three minutes. Make sure it's hot, but not hot. Place the cloth over your nose and leave it in place until it comes to room temperature. Repeat the procedure if necessary; this should allow you to dissolve the secretions and clear your nose by blowing it.
Be careful not to burn yourself when you remove the towel from the microwave. Each appliance is different from the others and yours could heat the cloth excessively
Step 4. Make a saline solution
This is an excellent remedy for relieving nasal congestion. If you want to make your own, mix 240ml of water with a teaspoon of salt in a bowl. To insert it into your nose, buy a bulb syringe at a drugstore. Dip the tip of the syringe into the solution and squeeze the bulb to let the air out, then release the pressure so the syringe fills by suction. Then insert the nozzle into a nostril and press the bulb to dilute the secretions present; this will make it much easier to blow your nose and free it.
You can also buy saline spray (non-medicated) and nasal drops at the pharmacy. You can apply them after a few hours, as they do not contain active ingredients and are not dangerous. Nasal drops are very safe and effective even for newborns
Step 5. Use a neti pot
It is an accessory that looks like a small teapot and that allows you to clean the nasal passages by running hot water through one nostril and then letting it go down the other. To use it, fill it with lukewarm water at around 50 ° C. Tilt your head to the left side, a little back and insert the spout of the neti pot inside the right nostril. Lift the "teapot" and pour the water into the nose, it should come out through the left nostril.
Make sure the water is clean and sterile. First boil it to heat it and eliminate all impurities, if you are unsure of the quality and safety of the water from the aqueduct
Step 6. Drink something very hot and eat spicy food
There are some foods or drinks that can help you manage your nasal congestion. You can drink boiling tea, which performs a steam-like function. The heat from the drink warms the nasal passages and helps drain them. Any type of tea is fine, although mint and lavender offer more benefits for your problem.
- The way you eat also changes. Try a hot sauce, chili, or any other food you like that is particularly spicy. These foods increase the temperature of the body and consequently also that of the sinuses, helping you to expel secretions.
- A boiling soup or broth can also help relieve discomfort.
Step 7. Exercise
Even if you don't feel in great shape when you have nasal congestion, it is still useful to get some exercise to increase the release of mucus and thus loosen the secretions. Try doing some aerobic exercise for 15 to 20 minutes.
If you are allergic to pollen or other substances, you should exercise indoors, such as in the gym or at home, and avoid exposing yourself to irritants
Step 8. Get a manual massage
Sometimes it can be helpful to use your hands to facilitate the drainage of nasal fluids. Apply gentle pressure using your index and middle fingers and make circular motions on the forehead, bridge of the nose, near and under the eyes. Put an oil like rosemary on your forehead to open the nasal passages even more.
This manipulation physically dissolves secretions and "breaks" them while heating the area thanks to friction
Method 2 of 2: Medical Care
Step 1. Take medication
There are some over-the-counter and prescription medications that help relieve sinus sensation. For example, Floxinase is a steroid nasal spray that you can find at the drugstore and is sprayed into the nostrils twice a day. This product is especially indicated for allergies; alternatively you can take Zirtec, an antihistamine that doesn't cause drowsiness and can reduce congestion. Take 10 mg once a day. Another similar antihistamine is Clarityn, which can be even more effective. Again, the recommended dose is 10 mg once a day. Other useful drugs are oral decongestants, such as pseudoephedrine.
- If the dosages of the over-the-counter medications are not enough for your condition, talk to your doctor who may prescribe the more concentrated version or other types of medication. In your case, only prescription ones may be effective.
- To relieve pain associated with congestion, you can take other over-the-counter medicines such as tachipirina and ibuprofen.
- Nasal decongestants, such as Afrin, can quickly reduce congestion, but can only be used for up to three days; prolonged use can cause the rebound effect.
- Pregnant women or individuals with heart problems, diabetes, high blood pressure or thyroid dysfunction should not take this drug without first consulting their doctor. Also, it is important to consult with your pediatrician before giving it to children.
Step 2. Talk to your doctor about immunotherapy
If you have severe chronic allergies that cause sinus problems, you can consider this procedure to help ease the discomfort. Immunotherapy consists in administering, either by injection or under the tongue, small doses of allergen, such as pollen, mold or animal dandruff. The first thing to do is to undergo tests at an allergist who will explain exactly what you are allergic to. Once the allergens have been ascertained, your doctor will give you a small dose by injection or under the tongue. This method aims to adapt the body to the allergen, so that it no longer perceives it as an external agent to fight and does not trigger the immune response that leads to nasal congestion or rhinorrhea.
- The injection or sublingual treatment should be done once a week for the first 4 to 6 months. Thereafter, maintenance treatment every 2 to 4 weeks is sufficient. Gradually the times between one administration and the other of the drug dilate more and more, until a dose is needed only once a month. After a year, if you have responded positively to the therapy, you should no longer have symptoms, or they should have greatly reduced, and you can continue the treatment for three to five years, until you have become completely immune to the allergens.
- If the body does not respond, you will need to stop therapy.
- It is a very demanding treatment both from an economic point of view and for the time required, but many people choose it because it allows to eliminate nasal congestion and improve the quality of life.
Step 3. Seek immediate medical attention
In some situations it is necessary to address to the doctor. If you have had symptoms of sinusitis for more than two weeks, you should get examined to make sure there are no other health problems such as a bacterial infection. If you notice changes in your usual allergy-related nasal discharge, experience symptoms that last longer than a week, or get worse rather than better, then you should make an appointment with your doctor.
- Sometimes nasal congestion can turn into a bacterial infection; in this case the doctor will prescribe you antibiotics. Sinus surgery is a rather rare event, necessary for chronic congestions and infections.
- If you have a nosebleed, if congestion is associated with a severe headache, high fever, feel confused, experience neck stiffness, general weakness, or notice symptoms worsening after using home remedies, seek immediate treatment. to the doctor.
- Nasal congestion drainage can trigger some symptoms in people suffering from asthma or other lung problems. See your doctor if you have cough, wheezing, chest pain, or difficulty breathing associated with your condition.
