Nasal congestion occurs when a cold or allergy causes the nasal passages to swell and mucus to produce, making it difficult to breathe. Nasal congestion can be more than bothersome; it can be completely debilitating. Fortunately, there are many ways to get rid of congestion and ease the discomfort when you get hit with a cold or allergy. This article describes quick remedies for relieving congestion, natural decongestant remedies, and medical solutions.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Quick Remedies
Step 1. Blow your nose
The easiest way to get rid of congestion is to push mucus out of the nose. Always carry a packet of tissues with you.
Step 2. Eat something spicy
Have you ever overdone wasabi and felt it coming straight into your nose? This is because spicy foods loosen mucus and reduce congestion, albeit temporarily. For intense congestion, try eating:
- Chili pepper
- Horseradish or wasabi
- Spicy ginger
- Fenugreek
- Onion and garlic
Step 3. Use menthol ointment
A vapor rub that contains menthol will temporarily release congestion and allow you to breathe easier for an hour or two. Rub some of the ointment on your upper lip under your nose and let the vapors take effect.
Step 4. Stay upright
Keeping yourself elevated at night with pillows, or resisting the urge to stay horizontal, can help relieve congestion and make breathing easier. It won't heal congestion, but it will help you breathe and feel less discomfort.
Step 5. Massage the sinuses
Relieve congestion with traditional methods - without medicines or stimulants, just with your fingers. It is easy and effective. Here are three massages you can do at home, at work, or in public.
- Place your index fingers on either side of the eye sockets, just above the nose and just below the eyebrow. Start massaging the breasts around the nose with your fingers in outward circular motions. Do this for 20-30 seconds.
- Place your index fingers just under your eyes. Again, using outward circular motions, massage the breasts around the eyes. Do this for 20-30 seconds.
- Finally, put your thumbs on your cheekbones. Massage the cheekbones in outward circular motions using your thumbs. Do this for 20-30 seconds. Repeat the massage again, or until you feel relief.
Step 6. Use a warm compress on your face
Soak a clean towel in warm water and wring it out until it's damp but not wet. Sit and put the towel on your face for a few minutes. The warm compress could help relieve discomfort and open the nasal passages.
If you don't want to use a wet towel, try placing a hot water bottle against your sinuses. Fill a bottle with warm, but not boiling, water. Wrap it in a towel and rest it against your nose, cheeks and forehead
Step 7. Take a hot shower
The hot vapor will pass into your lungs and sinuses, loosening mucus and relieving congestion.
Part 2 of 4: Natural Remedies
Step 1. Use a steam treatment to loosen the mucus
When you have time for more than a hot shower, use a steam treatment to relieve congestion. Steam treatment has been used by sick and congested people around the world for centuries.
- Bring three cups of water to a boil. When the water boils, remove the pot from the heat;
- Put a tea bag of chamomile in the water while it cools (optional);
- When the steam is cold enough for you to pass your hand over it without burning yourself, pour the water into a bowl;
- Taking care not to burn yourself, put your face over the bowl, cover your head with a towel and breathe deeply. If you can't breathe through your nose at first, use your mouth.
Step 2. Stay hydrated
Drink as much water or fruit juice as you can. For quick relief from congestion, drink 6-8 glasses of water. Helps strengthen the immune system and reduce swelling of the sinuses.
Step 3. Use a humidifier
Humidifiers are recommended as a treatment for congestion, because dry air irritates the membranes of the sinuses, making symptoms worse.
- If you don't have, or don't want to buy, a real humidifier, you can build a rudimentary one yourself using common items you can find around the house. Boil enough water to fill a large pan, remove it from the heat, and put it somewhere safe in the room. The steam coming from the water will humidify the room. Repeat as needed.
- When using a humidifier, short use is enough. Don't turn your room into a tropical jungle. A little moisture in the air will be all you need.
Step 4. Make a nasal saline solution
Salt water can act as a saline solution. Add a teaspoon of salt to a cup of water, and stir until dissolved. With a dropper, pour a few drops of saline into one nostril with the head tilted back. Blow the solution out of the nostril and repeat with the other.
If you don't want to make it yourself, you can buy a saline solution at the pharmacy
Step 5. Flush the nasal passages using a neti pot
For some, nasal irrigation can bring quick relief of sinus symptoms without the use of medication. Lota neti works by loosening mucus and removing it from the nasal passages.
- All neti pots have instructions that you should follow. Typically though, you will need to make an irrigation solution with 250ml of warm, sterile water and a tablespoon of salt. Fill the neti pot with the saline solution.
- Tilt your head at a 45 ° angle and bring the tip of the neti pot into the uppermost nostril. The saline solution will enter from that nostril, flow into your nasal passages, and exit from the other nostril. If the solution drips into your mouth, spit it out. Blow your nose and repeat the process on the other side.
- How often should you irrigate your nose? People suffering from severe nose problems or allergies can practice this technique even once a day. When your symptoms have improved, the recommended dose is three times a week.
- In some parts of the world, water may be contaminated with Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba which, if inhaled through the nose, can cause a usually fatal brain infection. It is recommended to boil the water for at least one minute (three, at high altitudes) before using it with the neti pot, or perhaps buying sterile water from a store.
Step 6. Exercise
Even if it's the last thing on your mind, moving helps your body renew itself. An easy way to get rid of congestion quickly is to do about twenty push-ups, breathing only through your nose. The brain recognizes an increased need for air, helping you stop nasal swelling and decreasing mucus levels.
Step 7. Take a bath with essential oils
Certain essential oils help loosen mucus and clear the sinuses. Fill the tub with hot water and add ten drops of eucalyptus oil, rosemary oil, or tea tree oil. Rest in the tub until your nasal passages just clear and breathing just got easier.
Step 8. Sleep
While it may seem overrated, take a break from work or school to stay home and sleep all day; it will give your body time to heal and start fighting a cold. If you have trouble sleeping due to congestion, try medications, nasal patches, or try mouth breathing (put some cocoa butter if you breathe through your mouth, as your lips may dry out).
Step 9. Calm down
Stress slows down the functioning of the immune system. The more stressed you are, the longer it will take to clear the congestion.
Part 3 of 4: Medical Solutions
Step 1. Use an over-the-counter decongestant
You can buy decongestants at the pharmacy. There are several varieties:
- Decongestant sprays, such as naphazoline (Privine), oxymetazoline (Afrin, Dristan, Duramist), or phenylephrine (Neo-synephrine, Sinex, Rhinall);
- In pill form, such as phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine;
- Do not take decongestant sprays for more than three days, as they may make symptoms worse. Also, do not take oral decongestants for more than seven days without consulting a doctor. Follow all instructions on over-the-counter decongestants.
- Consult your doctor first if you have high blood pressure, glaucoma, prostate problems, diabetes, thyroid problems, heart problems, or if you are pregnant.
Step 2. Use an antihistamine
Antihistamines, along with other allergy medications, are helpful in relieving congestion. Choose antihistamines that also contain a decongestant to treat runny nose and sneezing as well as sinus pressure and mucus. Try these natural antihistamines:
- Nettle. Some doctors recommend taking a cold-dried preparation of nettle, which will reduce the amount of histamines produced by the body.
- Common toxilage. In Europe, the tradition of using this plant to treat skin problems has long been widespread. You can crush the leaves to make a paste or ingest its extract in pill form.
- Basil. Heat a few basil leaves with steam and breathe in the vapors. Basil can decrease the amount of histamines produced by the body.
- Consult your doctor first if you have high blood pressure, glaucoma, prostate problems, diabetes, thyroid problems, heart problems, or if you are pregnant.
Part 4 of 4: What to Expect from a Doctor
Step 1. Be prepared to answer many basic questions
Nasal congestion has many causes; if you don't answer all the questions honestly, you won't get the most appropriate treatment. Some of the possible questions include:
- How long has the congestion lasted. If this has been going on for more than a week, see your doctor immediately;
- The color of the mucus;
- Other symptoms, including pain, fever, cough, etc.
- Allergies;
- Whether or not you smoke.
Step 2. Expect antibiotics and prescription drugs to be the first line of defense
Nasal congestion is often a symptom of the flu or other infections. As a result, many doctors will begin prescribing drugs to fight the infection.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you take medications regularly
Step 3. Learn about the use of the somnoplasty procedure to treat some cases of chronic congestion
The function of this procedure is to surgically clear obstructions in the nose. Heat is used to open the sinuses and clear the passage. It is performed under local anesthesia and will probably be over in an hour.
- Although hot needles are introduced into both nostrils, many patients assure that nothing is felt;
- Congestion will be present for the first two weeks as you heal;
- If the procedure does not solve the problem, it will be possible to repeat it after a few weeks;
- This procedure is usually done by an ENT in his office, not in the hospital.
Step 4. Understand that the doctor recommends surgery only for extreme cases
If you have a severe infection, you may need endoscopic surgery. A camera is introduced through the nose, which serves to guide the surgeon in the process of removing the diseased part or opening natural cavities.
- Surgery is almost always outpatient; you would come home in the day;
- The pain is minimal and within a week at most you should already be fine;
- While reviews are occasionally needed, the success rate is very high.
Step 5. Learn about laser turbinate decongestion (LTS from Laser Turbinate Surgery)
Turbinates are the structures inside the nose that cause congestion. Through the use of laser or carbon dioxide, they are reduced in about twenty minutes. This is a fairly quick surgery and you can usually go home within the day.
- You may have light congestion for a week or so before you recover completely;
- A local anesthetic is usually employed, so no needle needed;
- The downside to this type of surgical procedure is cost and may not be available in all clinics.
Advice
- Don't eat dairy or chocolate; they can promote mucus production.
- Stay away from chlorine. Chlorine in swimming pools, for example, can irritate mucous membranes, making your congestion worse.
- If you have a headache from sinusitis, take pain relievers.
