How to get rid of nasal congestion at home

Few people do not know what a stuffy nose is. Nasal congestion is the body's response to external pathogens, such as an allergen, bacterium, or virus. When a foreign microorganism gets into the respiratory organ, the body tries to protect itself and produces mucus, therefore it “flows” from the nose.

Subsequently, the inflamed mucosa swells, closing the passage of air and nose breathing becomes impossible. In case of serious diseases accompanied by rhinitis, one should consult a doctor to eliminate the very source of the disease. If a runny nose occurs on the background of a minor cold, you can get rid of nasal congestion at home on their own.

How to get rid of nasal congestion medication

When the nose is stuffed so 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 that constrict and relieve swelling. However, it should be remembered that vasoconstrictor drugs should not be used for more than 5 days, otherwise they may be addictive. It should also be remembered that this type of medication is not curative. With the help of them, you can remove the discomfort and make your life easier, however, they will not help to recover. So, here is a list of the most common vasoconstrictor drops and nasal sprays.

• Vibrocil
• Naphthyzinum
• Nazol
• Xymelin
• Otrivin
• Sanorin
• Rinozolin

The list can be very large, since there are a lot of vasoconstrictor drugs. Each of them is different time of action (from 3 to 10 hours) and the affecting substance.

If the congestion is allergic in nature, you need to use drugs of another principle of exposure. Drugs for allergic rhinitis not only reduce swelling, but also form a protective film on the mucous membrane, which prevents new allergens from entering the blood.Among the nasal sprays for allergies you can use Benorin, Nasonex, Fliksonaze. Antihistamines should be taken along with sprays and drops (Zodak, Suprastin, Ketotifen, Diazolin).

Flushing of nasal congestion

Another way to rid the nose of mucus and congestion is flushing. This is an excellent procedure to help wash out viruses and allergens from the mucous membrane. In addition, if you use salt water when washing, it pulls the mucus out, which greatly improves the patient's condition.

Washing is very easy to do. To do this, cook a little salty warm water (about a teaspoon of salt per liter of water). Pour the prepared solution into a small kettle. Bend over the bath or basin and gently 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 congestion is so severe that it does not allow the nose to be flushed, you can simply send a stream of salt water from a syringe without a needle into each nostril.To achieve a real result, you need to flush your nose every two hours. This is a great and safe way to get rid of nasal congestion that can be used by children and pregnant women. For flushing the nose babies use a pipette.

Inhalation vs nasal congestion

If the nose refuses to breathe completely, you can try to make inhalation. To do this, pour boiling water into the basin, cover with a towel and breathe in pairs. Be careful not to hold your face too close to getting burned. To make the procedure more effective, you can use herbal extracts instead of simple water. It may be chamomile - it gently soothes the mucous membrane. If you add some leaves of mint or eucalyptus to the decoction, it will help you to clear your breath at the very first breath. It is very good to add a piece of balsam "Asterisk" the size of a match head to the water for inhalation.

Folk remedies for relieving nasal congestion

There are many popular recipes that will help you breathe through your nose with a full breast.

1. Aloe. This is the most popular home healer, which grows in almost every apartment.Some leaves of aloe need to cut and put in the freezer. When they freeze, they can be defrosted. Frost is needed to make the plant easier to give its healing juice. After defrosting, the leaves must be crushed and squeezed out with gauze. Pipette it in each nostril with 2-3 drops. Repeat the procedure 3-4 times a day and after a couple of days from the congestion will not remain a trace.
2. Tea tree oil. It can be found in any pharmacy. In oil, moisten cotton buds and apply the product to the nasal mucosa. Such treatment will not only relieve the congestion, but also disinfect the mucosa from bacteria and viruses.
3. Garlic, onions. In the composition of these spices there are phytoncides that destroy pathogens. Chop the garlic or onion, squeeze the juice. Dilute the juice in half with water so as not to burn the mucous. Drip a few drops of the prepared composition into each nostril.

General recommendations

To cope with the cold, 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 mucous membranes. Especially in children. Most often the problem arises in the winter, when the radiators warm up the apartment, completely depriving it of moisture. Dry air contributes to the drying of the mucous, and instead of usually breathing a person appears “wheeze”. Subsequently, this leads to nasal congestion. Therefore, moisten and ventilate the room, throw wet towels on the batteries, and ventilate the room more often. And best of all, get a humidifier. With it, you can control the humidity in the room without your own participation.
2. Drink plenty of water. A large amount of hot drink not only accelerates the release of the virus from the body. It also helps to cleanse the nasal passages and relieve swelling. Drink more liquid with vitamin C - tea with raspberries and currants, rosehip.
3. Essential oils. They can be decomposed into open containers around the room or oiled area around the nose. If the skin under the nose is irritated by friction and constant blowing of the nose, oil is not needed - 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 mentioned.To get rid of the child's cold, you need to put a little oil on the handkerchief and put this scarf in the breast pocket. The baby will constantly inhale healing vapors, which will help him get rid of the 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 expands, giving access to air. No need to do strength exercises - a simple run will be enough.
5. Do not blow your nose! Often, people suffering from a runny nose simply exhaust themselves with constant blowing their nose in the hope that they will be able to clear the nasal passages. Constant irritation of the mucous membrane, on the contrary, leads to even greater edema. This should be done carefully and not more often than once every few hours.
6. Hot bath This is a great way to help you get rid of not only the common cold, but also from the incipient cold. Type in a hot water bath. The temperature should be the maximum that you can tolerate. Add the star aster balsam to the water. Take a bath for 10 minutes. If possible, pour hot water.Balsam vapors will clean and decontaminate your airways. After taking a bath, you should lie under a blanket, drink tea with honey and lemon, put on warm socks and fall asleep. In the morning you don’t remember that in the evening something bothered you.

Often a runny nose is associated with mild ailment. Despite this, nasal obstruction interferes with normal life, talking, eating, working. The easiest way to cope with a cold at the very beginning. Do not let the disease overwhelm you and protect your health!

Video: sinus massage to eliminate nasal congestion