Home Remedies for treating Nasal Congestion

At home or in a restaurant when a yummy delicious food is served, do you feel that you are not able smell the food or do you have difficulty in eating food with mouth closed? Do you have any trouble while sleeping? Are you able to breathe properly through your nose? If your answer is NO, you need to know what is causing all this.

Blocked nose is called Nasal congestion. The symptoms mentioned above refer to Nasal Congestion. There are many reasons why a person gets Nasal congestion. The irritation or inflammation of blood vessels in the nasal cavity, bulge, too much of mucus formation, sinus, cold or infections like influenza can cause Nasal congestion.

Nasal congestion can be mild or it can also lead to frightening condition of health. The newborn babies generally breathe through their nose. Nasal congestion in a baby can make them stop on breastfeeding and can also lead to severe respiratory problems. The Nasal congestion in bigger kids and adults is often infuriation that can lead to other problems.

Nasal congestion causes not only stuffed nose, you can also have problem in hearing and speech progress. If the congestion is too much, you can have problems while sleeping. It causes snoring and sleeping disorders like sleep apnea in many people. Nasal congestion can also cause slight pain in head or face and an uneasy feeling.

There are many natural remedies to clear Nasal congestion.

• Neti pots have proved to be very effective in clearing Nasal congestion. Pour as much filtered water into neti pot till its full. Warm the water so that it is just little hot than room temperature. Add a pinch of neti salt into the warm water and allow the salt to dissolve completely. Pour this water to neti pot and place your head sidewise on a sink. Now place the neti pot on one of your nostrils. The idea is to flush out all mucus from one nostril to the other and then flow it out. If you are using it first time, you will have difficulty in doing this and during the process water can go to your throat. Spit out the water that comes to your throat. Once half the water in neti pot is used, start the same with other nostril till all mucus is cleared out. You can repeat this process every day till you get better relief.
• Homemade saline sprays help in making mucus thin. Prepare a nasal spray by mixing 2-3 teaspoons of non iodized salt in 1 pint sterilized water. With a bulb syringe try to slowly squirt keeping your head towards back. Blow your nose slowly .This also helps to wash out any allergy causing contents like pollen or bacteria from nasal cavity.
• Humidifiers or steamers are very effective to clear Nasal congestion. Try to breathe in steam from the humidifier or from a vessel with hot water.
• Drinking hot soups also helps to clear congestion.
• Peppermint tea is very effective as it helps to make mucous think and clear nasal cavity. Peppermint has content called menthol which helps in the relief from congestion.
• Pound 3 tomatoes and boil them in 1 glass water for at least 10-15 mins. Add 1 teaspoon butter, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic paste. Mix this well and take it thrice a day.
• Inhaling the fumes of black pepper powder is also very effective.
• Pound 2 tablespoon carom seeds and wrap it in a cloth. Inhale it by keeping it close to your nose, thrice a day.
• Blow your nose and try to push out mucous from your nasal cavity.
• Try to eat more spicy food as the spice helps to make the mucous thin.
• Dip a towel in hot water and try to cover your face with this warm towel. This will help in opening blocked nose and you will start feeling better.
• As mentioned earlier, you can inhale steam or go for a hot shower. The steam formed due to hot shower itself will provide you good relief.
• Essential oils like eucalyptus oil, rosemary oil, tea tree oil, etc. are very effective in clearing the blockage of nasal cavity. Pour 10 drops of any of these oils in warm water in a bath tub. Soak yourself into this water till you feel your nose is clear and you are able to breathe easily.

Stay warm by wearing sweaters or scarf’s or socks when you have a cold or Nasal congestion. Try to prepare any soups and keep yourself hydrated. Follow any of the simple home remedies mentioned above and you will get good relief from congestion. If the remedies don’t provide you relief then the congestion might be severe and it will require proper examination from a doctor.