Nasal congestion is caused by cold, flue or allergy or even due to dry air and air pollution. Suffering will be due to swelling of nasal membrane and too much mucus production inside the nose creating obstacles for draining mucus produced in sinus cavities. Difficulties in breathing easily with a feeling of hitch to draw in air into lungs make one bound to inhale air through mouth. This congestion also causes tremendous headache that increases the suffering.
Nobody enjoys the sniffles and nasal congestion that is caused due to flu, cold, or allergies, though most of us suffer from it multiple times in our lives. Most of us think that nasal congestion is caused due to over-production of mucus, but the truth is that it is caused due to swelling of nasal membranes.
The mucus that drains from our sinus cavities does not find a passageway and hence, gets backed up till swelling subsides and allows the mucus to drain. All of us know that this process takes several days and can lead to various other problems. The good news is that a number of natural cures for nasal congestion are available that can help you get relief to a great extent.
Few natural remedies are centered on making environmental changes whereas others involve the use of pungent and spicy foods. There are even more remedies that require physical manipulation of nasal region to get relief, such as using moist and hot compresses.
What causes Nasal Congestion
The inflammation that happens to any part of the respiratory organ is most likely caused by the invasion of viruses and bacteria. This is also the case with this condition. Clogged nasal passages are caused by the population of viruses that causes common cold and flu. In some cases, it can also be caused by a certain allergic reaction and an infection in the sinus.
How serious is it?
For adults, this is mostly annoying. When adults have trouble breathing through their nose, they can breathe through their mouths. Babies and children, however, suffer a lot from this condition. For babies, this can even endanger life. They may have problems feeding because of this. In many cases, it can disappear only in a week. Many people even tend to ignore the symptoms. However, it is important to seek treatments that can provide immediate relief.
Natural remedies for Nasal Congestion
- Nasal Massage
One natural treatment that you can try on your own is a nasal massage. You can accomplish this by taking the tip of your finger and place it on the end of your nose, and then firmly slide your finger up the bridge of the nose all the way to your hair. This should be repeated anywhere from 5 to 10 times.
- Neti Pot
A neti pot is another popular natural method of relieving nasal congestion. The way that a neti pot works is that it helps to clean out your nasal passageway with a flow of warm water. This technique sounds a lot more painful than it actually is and many people find relief through the use of this method. It can take some getting used to and there are videos available online that can show you the proper technique so that you will know exactly what to expect.
- Steam
While this might seem so obvious it is not worth mentioning, it actually is one of the most beneficial ways of naturally treating congestion. A towel over the head while hovering over a sink of hot water, a long steamy hot shower with the door closed, even a vaporizer; all of these techniques end up with the same result… steam to the nasal passageway. This helps to break up the mucous causing the congestion.
Other natural remedies can include:
- Drinking hot liquids such as soups, tea, or coffee is quite effective in relieving nasal congestion, soothing inflamed membranes and preventing dehydration.
- For the treatment of nasal congestion, add two inches apple cider vinegar inside a pan and start heating it. Inhale the vapor when steam begins to rise.
- Put 1-2 teaspoons of cardamom seeds on hot charcoal and inhale the smoke that comes out of it. This is one of the best natural cures for nasal congestion.
- Add some salt to the boiling water and pour it into a sterilized container. After it is hot, put a few drops of this solution inside the nose with a dropper. Wait till you feel this water reach your throat, after which you should blow your nose.
- Perform nasal rise by adding few drops of grapeseed extracts in half cup of hot water and inhale it, at least 2-3 times a day, especially before going to bed and after getting up in morning.
- Make a mixture of ¼ teaspoon of baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt with 8 ounce of water and squirt it inside the nose using a nasal dropper. Repeat at least thrice before treating the other nostril.
- Black pepper and red pepper helps in dilating blood vessels present inside the nose and stimulates the secretion which promotes drainage of the sinuses.
- Place few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil on a handkerchief or cotton ball and hold near your nose, then breathe deeply to increase airflow inside the nose.
- Prepare a mixture by adding a cup of tomato juice, a teaspoon of fresh chopped garlic, ½ teaspoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon lime juice, and a little celery. Boil all ingredients together for some time and drink it hot. This works as one of the most wonderful natural cures for nasal congestion.
- A diet rich in too much carbohydrates leads to asthma and nasal congestion. Consume less carbohydrates and sugar, and instead go for vegetables, fish, and whole grains.
- Drink lots of fluids in the form of water, tea, carbonated drinks or fruit juices. Also, take lots of rest to recover as soon as possible.