How to get rid of nasal congestion at home

Few people do not know what a stuffy nose is from my own experience. Nasal congestion is the body’s reaction to external pathogens, such as an allergen, bacterium or virus. When a foreign microorganism enters the respiratory organ, the body tries to defend itself and produces mucus, which is why it “flows” from the nose.

Subsequently, the inflamed mucosa swells, blocking the passage of air 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 very focus of the disease. If a runny nose occurs against a background of a minor cold, you can get rid of nasal congestion at home on your own.

How to get rid of nasal congestion medically

When the nose is so blocked that it prevents us from living, we first 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 acts on the blood vessels, which narrow and relieve swelling. However, it should be remembered that vasoconstrictor drugs can not be used for more than 5 days, otherwise they can be addictive. You must also remember that this type of medication is not therapeutic. With their help, you can relieve discomfort and make your life easier, but they will not help to recover. So, here is a list of the most common vasoconstrictor drops and nasal sprays.

• Vibrocil
• Naphthyzine
• Nazol
• Ximelin
• Otrivin
• Sanorin
• Rinozolin

The list can be very long, since there are a lot of vasoconstrictor drugs. Each of them differs in the duration of action (from 3 to 10 hours) and the active substance.

If congestion is allergic, medications of a different exposure principle should be used. Allergic rhinitis drugs not only reduce swelling, but also form a protective film on the mucosa, which prevents new allergens from entering the bloodstream. Among nasal sprays for allergies, you can use Benorin, Nazonex, Flixonase. Together with sprays and drops, antihistamines should be taken (Zodak, Suprastin, Ketotifen, Diazolin).

Nasal congestion

Another way to rid your nose of mucus and nasal congestion is flushing. This is an excellent procedure that promotes leaching of viruses and allergens from the mucosa. In addition, if you use salt water when washing, it draws the mucus out, which greatly improves the patient's condition.

Washing is very simple. To do this, prepare a little salty warm water (about a teaspoon of salt per liter of water). Pour the prepared solution into a small kettle. Lean over a bathtub or basin and carefully pour a thin stream of water into one nostril. 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 stuffiness is so strong that it does not allow you to rinse your nose, you can simply direct 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 great 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 infants.

Inhalation against nasal congestion

If the nose refuses to breathe at all, you can try to do inhalation.To do this, pour boiling water into the basin, cover with a towel and breathe in pairs. Be careful - do not bring your face too close so as not to burn yourself. To make the procedure more effective, you can use infusions of herbs instead of plain water. It can be chamomile - it gently soothes the mucous membrane. If you add a few leaves of mint or eucalyptus to the decoction, this will help you clear your breath with the first breath. It is very good to add a piece of asterisk the size of a match head into the water for inhalation.

Folk remedies for relieving nasal congestion

There are many popular recipes to help you breathe through your nose to the full extent.

1. Aloe. This is the most popular home doctor who grows in almost every apartment. A few leaves of aloe need to be cut and put in the freezer. When they freeze, they can be thawed. Freezing is needed to make the plant easier to give its healing juice. After defrosting, the leaves must be crushed and squeezed juice with gauze. Pipette 2-3 drops into each nostril with a pipette. Repeat the procedure 3-4 times a day and after a couple of days there will be no trace of congestion.
2. Tea tree oil. It can be found in any pharmacy. In oil, moisten cotton swabs and apply the product to the nasal mucosa. Such treatment will not only relieve congestion, but will also disinfect the mucosa from bacteria and viruses.
3. Garlic, onion. The composition of these spices is volatile, which destroy pathogens. Grind garlic or onion, squeeze the juice. Dilute the juice in half with water so as not to burn the mucous membrane. Drop the prepared composition into each nostril a few drops.

General recommendations

To cope with a runny nose, you need a set of measures that will help you reduce the risk of nasal congestion.

1. 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 the winter, when radiators warm the apartment, completely depriving it of moisture. Dry air contributes to the drying of the mucous membrane, and instead of usually breathing, a person has "wheezing." Subsequently, this leads to nasal congestion. Therefore, moisten and ventilate the room, throw wet towels on the batteries, and often ventilate the room. And best of all, get a humidifier. With it, you can control the humidity in the room without your own participation.
2. Drink plenty. A large amount of hot drink not only accelerates the release of the virus from the body. It also helps cleanse the nasal passages and relieve swelling. Drink more fluids with vitamin C - tea with raspberries and currants, wild rose.
3. Essential oils. They can be laid out in open containers around the room or you can oil the area around the nose. If the skin under the nose is irritated by friction and constant blowing, you do not need to smear the oil - it can cause a burning sensation. Among the oils useful in the common cold, tea tree oil, fir, eucalyptus, peach, camphor and garlic oils can be noted. To get rid of the common cold, you need to put a little oil on the handkerchief and put this handkerchief in the breast pocket. The baby will constantly inhale healing vapors, which will help him get rid of congestion.
4. Physical activity. If your condition allows, go in for sports. The fact is that the human body adapts to external conditions. When you exercise, you need more oxygen and the mucous membrane expands, giving air access. No need to do strength exercises - a simple jog will be enough.
5. Do not blow your nose! Often people suffering from a runny nose just exhaust themselves 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 greater swelling.This should be done carefully and no more than once every few hours.
6. Hot tub. This is a great way to help you get rid of not only a runny nose, but also a cold that starts. Type hot water into the bath. The temperature should be the maximum that you can endure. Add the Asterisk balm to the water. Take a bath for 10 minutes. Add hot water whenever possible. Balsam vapors will cleanse and disinfect your airways. 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 don’t even remember that in the evening something bothered you.

Often, a runny nose is associated with a mild form of malaise. Despite this, nasal congestion interferes with normal living, talking, eating, working. The easiest way to deal with a runny nose at the very beginning. Do not let the disease defeat you and take care of your health!

Video: sinus massage to relieve nasal congestion