Nasal congestion is another name for a stuffy nose. Common cold and sinus infection is the main cause of nasal congestion. If you are suffering from cold, flu or some sort of allergy then you can have nasal congestion. Nasal congestion causes nose drips and runs. Reason of nasal congestion is the inflamed blood vessels in the sinuses. It can lead to a chronic one if not cured at an early stage. Children suffer more from nasal congestion more because of weak immune system. In this article we will tell you about the ways to clear nasal congestion.
Causes of Nasal Congestion:
- Flu
- Cold
- Allergies
- Hay Fever
- Weak Immunity
- Environmental Irritants
- Chemical Exposures
Symptoms of Nasal Congestion:
- Pain in Nose
- Pain in Forehead
- Pain and Irritation in Eyes
Best Ways to Clear Nasal Congestion:
Best Ways to Clear Nasal Congestion:Contents
1.) Honey, Lemon Tea to Clear Nasal Congestion
Tea will keep the body hydrated and the hot sip will clear the nasal congestion in a fast manner. Take a cup of hot water. Add a teaspoon of honey and some lemon juice in it. Mix it well to form a solution and drink it like a tea. Repeat this 2 to 3 times a day, for a few days to feel relaxed. The honey present in it will soothe the irritation in the nose caused by the bacteria. The vitamin C found in lemon helps to clear the infection and flush out the mucus.
2.) Steam to Clear Nasal Congestion
Warm breath caused by steam will clear the passage of wind pipe and clear nasal congestion. You can add a few drops of mint oil to clear nasal congestion in a better and faster manner. Take a hot steamy water in a tub or a container. Cover your face with a towel and put your face parallel to the tub, so that you breathe steam. Add a few drops of mint oil in the hot water. Repeat this for a few times. The mint oil is a rich source of menthol that helps to remove the mucus and lowers the swelling of the wind pipe. Do not steam for a long period of time as it can burn your face.
3.) Spicy Food to Clear a Nasal Congestion
Red chilly powder, black peppers, cinnamon powder and ginger can clear the nasal congestion. When you stop feeling the taste of spiciness of these food items, the congestion will come up at the same level as it was before. Take ginger in your mouth and keep sucking it as ginger is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory in properties. Spices not only helps to clear the nasal congestion but also helps to detox the body. They help you to sweat a lot resulting into the removal of harmful toxins from the body.
4.) Avoid Milk Products to Clear Nasal Congestion
Milk products like curd, yoghurt, cheese, ice creams causes cold and congestion of the nose. These products should be avoided as they can lead nasal congestion to chronic one. The reason for it is milk products has chemical compounds that bind the mucus into solid form and inflate the wind pipe. If you want to drink milk than drink hot milk as it will melt the mucus. Avoiding these milk products with all other remedies in this article will help to clear nasal congestion.
5.) Hot Bath to Clear Nasal Congestion
Hot water bath or shower will help to clear a nasal congestion and also soothe your pain. Take hot bath as long as you can treat your nasal congestion and inhale steam of hot water. Take warm breath in your lungs this will help to eradicate the infection and remove mucus. Hot water bath helps to lower the irritation of the nasal and ease the pain of neck. Do not take hot water shower for a long time as it can burn your skin.
6.) Vapour Rub to Clear Nasal Congestion
Vapour rub provides heat to the nasal congestion, help to clear it by removing mucus. Apply vapour rub to your forehead, chest and near the nose. The warmth provided by the vapour rub helps to remove mucus. The pain and inflammation caused by nasal congestion will also get lowered down by the vapour rub. It is a popular method to treat nasal congestion. For small kids this method is quite useful as they will not follow the other remedies properly. It not only cures the nasal congestion, but also the symptoms of flu.
7.) Avoid Dust and Smoke Areas to Clear Nasal Congestion
Dust particles and Smoke will make nasal congestion incurable and lead to chronic one. Dust and smoke when inhaled inside will mix with the cough and mucus to form a stiff congestion causing more damage. These dust particles cause inflammation of the mucous membrane. If the dust particles are in larger quantity, they can harm the lungs in a great extent. Use a cloth to cover your face or a mask to avoid dust particles and smoke.
8.) Consult a Doctor to Clear Nasal Congestion
If you are not feeling well and your nasal congestion is becoming worse than consult a doctor. The reason is that your mucus is getting old and it becomes chronic leading to other respiratory problems. Nasal congestion can lead to bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis. So consulting a doctor at earlier stages will be more beneficial to cure nasal congestion. The doctor will prescribe the best medicines and treatment to clear the nasal congestion.
9.) Sneeze Regularly to Clear Nasal Congestion
If you are avoiding sneezing than you are welcoming other respiratory problems. Sneeze when you feel to do so as this will help to clear the nasal congestion and remove mucus. It is one of the best and cheapest way to treat nasal congestion. Sneezing is a natural process that should not be stopped deliberately. Sneezing is the natural process to remove the irritants out of the nose. If these irritants stays in the nose for a long period of time , they can cause nasal congestion.
10.) Honey and Ginger Paste to Clear Nasal Congestion
Honey is a natural product which is known for centuries for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Honey helps to coat the wind pipe from inside so that breathing does not affect. Ginger is also known for the same properties as honey contains. Ginger helps to trigger the nose muscles to remove the free radical particles. Mix a teaspoon of natural honey not the processed one with a ½ spoon of ginger paste into a fine paste. Suck this paste 3 times a day to clear the nasal congestion for a few days.
11.) Hot Compress to Clear Nasal Congestion
Applying warm, wet towel on your face will help to clear nasal congestion. The warmness of the cloth will lower down the inflammation and soothe your nasal tissues. It also helps to melt the mucus and flush it out of the body in the stool form. Take a bowl of warm water and soak the towel in it for a few minutes. Shrink towel to remove excess water and rest it on your face for a few minutes.
12.) Salt Water Gargles to Clear Nasal Congestion
Salt water reduces the inflammation in the throat caused by nasal congestion and the same has been proved in the studies also. Don’t use salt in excess quantity; otherwise it will cause more damage than good. It also makes sure that the muscles of the throat are relaxed, helping to destroy out irritants or bacteria. Doctors generally recommend dissolving a teaspoon of salt in half a litre water. If the salty taste is not comfortable to you, try adding a small amount of honey to sweeten the mixture slightly. Salt is best for natural care as it is easily available.
