What Is A Stuffy Nose?
Stuffy nose is a commonly used term for nasal congestion. Most often, this condition is a result of an underlying health issue – like the common cold. A stuffy nose is often associated with the following signs and symptoms.
Signs And Symptoms Of A Stuffy Nose
A runny nose Pain in the sinus Buildup of mucus Swelling of the nasal tissue
Many newborns may also have nasal congestion that may last for a month. The congestion may also be accompanied by sneezing and is completely normal. Infants may also have trouble feeding due to a stuffy nose.Nasal syringing is commonly used for infants, why not for adults! One of the main reasons for a stuffy nose is inflammation of your nostrils. The causes of a stuffy nose are listed right below.
What Causes A Stuffy Nose?
A stuffy nose can occur due to minor illnesses like:
Cold Flu Sinusitis
The symptoms due to such illnesses usually improve within a week. However, if you have been experiencing nasal congestion for a long time, or it hangs on after a cold, it could be because of the following conditions:
Allergies (dairy, gluten, sugar) Hay fever (pollen, grasses, dust) Nasal polyps (benign or non-cancerous growths in the nasal passage) Exposure to chemicals Environmental irritants Chronic sinusitis Deviation of the nasal septum Yeast overgrowth
If you have experienced nasal congestion, you know how difficult and bothersome it can be. It can cause you to lose your appetite and make breathing quite difficult. To help you clear your stuffy nose and restore your normal breathing, we have compiled a set of natural remedies. Try them out!
Home Remedies To Get Rid Of A Stuffy Nose
1. Warm Compress
A clean washcloth Hot water
Do this 2 to 3 times daily until you notice an improvement in your condition. The heat from the warm compress helps in reducing the swelling and inflammation in your inflamed nasal passages and sinus cavities. This decongests your nose and makes breathing a lot easier (1).
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar 1 glass of warm water
You must drink this 1 to 2 times daily. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid and potassium, both of which can help relieve symptoms of a stuffy nose. Potassium helps in thinning the mucus, and acetic acid fights microbial infections causing the congestion (2).
3. Peppermint Tea
8-10 peppermint leaves 1 cup of water
You can drink peppermint tea 1 to 2 times daily. Peppermint contains menthol that acts as a decongestant due to its anti-inflammatory properties and helps in relieving symptoms of a stuffy nose (3), (4).
4. Essential Oils
a. Eucalyptus Oil
6 drops of eucalyptus oil 1 bowl of hot water A towel
You must do this once daily. One of the major constituents of eucalyptus oil is eucalyptol. Eucalyptol exhibits anti-inflammatory activities that help in reducing the inflammation and swelling in your nasal passage, thereby relieving nasal congestion (5).
b. Thyme Oil
6-7 drops of thyme oil A bowl of hot water A towel or blanket
You must follow this procedure as and when required. Thyme oil contains thymol, a powerful antimicrobial agent that can help fight infections (6). It is also anti-inflammatory and helps with nasal inflammation (7).
c. Rosemary Oil
6-7 drops of rosemary oil A bowl of hot water A towel or blanket
Do this once daily until your symptoms subside. Rosemary contains constituents like camphor and cineole (eucalyptol) (8). These compounds help in relieving symptoms of cough and cold due to their anti-inflammatory activities (9).
5. Neti Pot
A neti pot Distilled saline water
Do this 3 to 4 times daily until you notice an improvement in your symptoms. Saline nasal irrigation using a neti pot helps in thinning the mucus and flushing out the nasal passages (10). Note: You may put one drop of tea tree oil in the neti pot to fight viral, bacterial, or fungal infection.
6. Salt And Water
1 cup of warm distilled water ½ teaspoon of salt
Follow this remedy as and when required. Nasal irrigation with saline water has shown to be effective in clearing stuffy noses. It can also help with nasal congestion associated with allergies, cold, and sinusitis (11).
7. Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon of cold pressed coconut oil You must do this 2 to 3 times daily. The topical application of coconut oil on your nose has decongesting effects. These effects could be due to the strong moisturizing, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory activities of coconut oil (12).
8. Garlic
3-5 crushed garlic cloves A bowl of water A towel
You must do this at least twice daily for faster relief. Garlic is a popular remedy used for clearing cough and congestion as it has expectorant and antimicrobial properties (13). Garlic also has anti-inflammatory properties that help in relieving swelling and inflammation in the nostrils (14).
9. Ginger
2-3 inches of sliced garlic A bowl of water A clean washcloth
Do this twice daily until you notice an improvement in your condition. Ginger has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, which make it your best bet for treating nasal congestion (15). Ginger helps in reducing nasal swelling and fighting the flu-causing microbes.
10. Pressure Points
Applying gentle pressure or massaging certain pressure points near your nose, like the bridge of your nose, both the sides of the nose right under your temple, the edge of your nostrils, or even the base of your skull, can help in treating as well as preventing nasal congestion.
11. Saline Spray
8 ounces of water ½ teaspoon of salt A dropper bottle
Follow this procedure 2 to 3 times daily for faster recovery. Using a saline spray is exactly like using a neti pot. It helps in nasal irrigation, flushing out excess mucus and relieving nasal congestion (16). All these remedies will definitely give you relief from nasal congestion and also prevent its recurrence to a large extent. You should also follow a few prevention tips to help these remedies work even better.
12. Drink Plenty Of Water
Your nasal passages may be clogged because your mucus is too thick. Simple hydration can help thin your mucus. Water Guidelines: Drink half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water. If you weigh 150 lbs, you will drink 75 ounces. Add ¼ tsp of sea salt or Himalayan salt to every quart of drinking water.
13. Avoid Mucus-Building Foods Like Sugar, Gluten, And Dairy
Do an experiment of one week to 10 days avoiding these foods and see how you feel. After the trial, eat one food at a time in large quantities and see if your nasal congestion returns.
14. Consume Foods like Turmeric, Cayenne Pepper, And Carom Seeds
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps in reducing inflammation inside the sinuses and nasal tract and helps drain nasal secretions. The capsaicin found in cayenne pepper can help in drying up the mucus in the nasal passages, making it easier to breathe by reducing nasal stuffiness. Carom seeds can also help in reducing nasal stuffiness. All you need to do is place a handful of carom seeds on a cotton cloth and tie it into a bundle. Warm this pack on a heated pan and place it on the head and nasal areas for a few minutes.
Prevention Tips
Use a humidifier in your room to keep the air around you moist and decongest your stuffy nose. Take a warm shower. Drink lots of fluids and keep yourself well hydrated. Keep your head elevated as it makes breathing easier. Avoid using chlorinated water as it may further irritate your nasal passages. Practice exercises and yoga poses that involve deep breathing. Use non-iodiized salt or sea salt in your neti pot or for nasal flushing.
The next time you experience a stuffy nose, you know what to do. Any of the above remedies will give you almost immediate relief from the symptoms of nasal congestion. But, if your condition keeps deteriorating, it is best to seek medical attention, especially if your nasal mucus is green in color indicating a bacterial infection. Affected toddlers must also get medical attention as early as possible to prevent problems in feeding and breathing.
When should I see a doctor for nasal congestion? It is better to see a doctor for nasal congestion if: • your congestion lasts longer than 10 days • you have fever for three or more days • there is a green discharge from your nose, accompanied by sinus pain • you have been experiencing asthma attacks How long does nasal congestion last? Nasal congestion usually clears in about a week if it is due to some minor infection. However, if it lasts longer, consult a doctor immediately. Is it normal for one nostril to be blocked? Half of your nose could be blocked due to many reasons. Inflammation due to allergies can cause one of your nasal passages to be more swollen than the other. A deviated nasal septum is another cause for this development. Most of the times, it is completely normal for one of your nostrils to be blocked. In fact, your body also orders your nostrils to work one after the other. How should you sleep with a stuffy nose? If you have a stuffy nose, you need to sleep by popping a couple of pillows below your head. This helps in keeping your head elevated throughout the night, making breathing much easier. What is the best medicine for a stuffy nose? Medical treatment for a stuffy nose may include taking medications like oral antihistamines, antibiotics, or decongestants. You can also use nasal sprays and nasal steroids. However, be aware that you can get “addicted” to nasal steroid sprays. If you are looking for natural alternatives to relieve the condition, any of the above home remedies will do the trick. Does blowing your nose make congestion worse? Possibly. According to anecdotal evidence, blowing a stuffy nose may lead to a pressure build-up that causes the mucus to clog your sinuses. Why is a blocked nose worse at night? Your sleeping position, the shift in the blood flow, or extended exposure to potential allergens during sleep may make it difficult for your sinuses to drain naturally. Does applying Vicks on feet work for a stuffy nose? Possibly not. There is a lack of evidence supporting this claim. However, applying it around the nose area and to your chest may help.
Sources
- “Antibiotic Prescribing and Use in Doctor’s Office” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2. “Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression” Scientific Reports, US National Library of Medicine 3. “The effects of peppermint on exercise performance” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, US National Library of Medicine 4. “The anti-inflammatory activity of L-menthol compared to mint oil in human monocytes in vitro: a novel perspective for its therapeutic use in inflammatory diseases” European Journal of Medical Research, US National Library of Medicine 5. “Anti-inflammatory activity of 1.8-cineol (eucalyptol) in bronchial asthma: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial” Respiratory Medicine, US National Library of Medicine 6. “Antibacterial and antifungal activities of thymol: A brief review of the literature” Food Chemistry, US National Library of Medicine 7. “Anti-inflammatory activity of thymol: inhibitory effect on the release of human neutrophil elastase” Pharmacology, US National Library of Medicine 8. “Method for attaining rosemary essential oil with differential composition from dried or fresh material” Journal of Oleo Science , US National Library of Medicine 9. “Identification of 1,8-cineole, borneol, camphor, and thujone as anti-inflammatory compounds in a Salvia officinalis L. infusion using human gingival fibroblasts” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, US National Library of Medicine 10. “Saline Nasal Irrigation for Upper Respiratory Conditions” American Family Physician, US National Library of Medicine 11. “Nasal Irrigation: An Imprecisely Defined Medical Procedure” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, US National Library of Medicine 12. “Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities of virgin coconut oil” Pharmaceutical Biology, US National Library of Medicine 13. “Extracts from the history and medical properties of garlic” Pharmacognosy Reviews, US National Library of Medicine 14. “Immunomodulation and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Garlic Compounds” Journal of Immunology Research, US National Library of Medicine 15. “Anti-Oxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ginger in Health and Physical Activity: Review of Current Evidence” International Journal of Preventive Medicine, US National Library of Medicine 16. “Saline irrigation spells relief for sinusitis sufferers” Journal of Family Practice, US National Library of Medicine
