10 Effective Home Remedies For Nasal Congestion

The stuffy nose along with headaches and body pains is no fun. There are numerous triggers that can cause nasal congestion – an allergy, sinusitis, common cold etc. The cause notwithstanding, the symptoms can leave you breathless and even dehydrated at times. While there are countless over-the-counter medicines that claim to help you with a congested nose, there are certain things that you could pick from your home to ease the discomfort too. Right from traditional steam inhalation to sipping herbal teas and irrigating your clogged nasal passage, this article takes you through the top 10 nasal congestion home remedies. Check them out now!

Home Remedies For Nasal Congestion

1. Steam Inhalation:

Remember those days when our grandma used to cover our head with a blanket and force us to inhale steam from a pot of boiling water to de-clog our nasal passage? Thankfully, those pots have been replaced with electricity-powered inhalers. But steam is still the best home remedy for nasal congestion. To get best results, all you have to do is hold your head directly against the steam sprayed from the source. Gently and slowly inhale the steam. You can also add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to this water or apply a small quantity of your favorite vapour-rub on your forehead and chest. The vapour emanating from eucalyptus oil helps clear up the blocked nasal passage.

2. Taking a Hot Shower/Bath:

Your nose is clogged, you feel feverish and you have a body ache from hell. You know what you should do? Take a hot shower! No, I am serious! Stand under a steaming shower, and let the warm water do its magic. Not only will this help with de-congesting your nose, it will also soothe your aching body. But don’t overdo it! Just a few minutes will suffice. As soon as you finish your shower, dry your hair thoroughly so that your efforts are not wasted.

3. Consuming Hot Soup:

This has to be my favourite cold remedy! When you are down with a congested nose, nothing tastes good. Nothing but Chicken soup! This ever popular soup will definitely help you de-congest your nose. If you are a vegetarian, then you can try tomato soup. Along with being a good source of nutrient, the steam from the hot soup helps clear nasal passage. Drinking soup thrice a day also helps you cope with the dehydration and general weakness experienced during this situation. So give yourself some TLC and feel better with chicken soup!

4. Irrigating With Saline Sprays:

You can irrigate the dried up nasal passages with your own saline solution or an over-the-counter spray. Just prepare a concoction by dissolving ¼ tsp each of baking soda and salt in about 8 oz of warm water. Take a bulb syringe and fill it with the solution. Rest your head on a pillow and tilt a little. Slowly, squirt the solution into one of your nostrils, while closing the other. Allow it to drain. Repeat it twice before moving on to the next nostril. However, since there are chances of the nostrils getting extra dry, make sure that you repeat the process maximum four times a day.

5. Drink Herbal Teas:

If you like tea, you will surely love this next item on the list! Ginger, blackberry, peppermint and chamomile tea are guaranteed to give relief from a congested nose. Prepare a concoction by mixing 2-3 teaspoons of grated ginger and ½ a teaspoon of rosemary leaves for clearing your nose. Along with clearing your plugged nasal passages, these herbal teas also help in hydrating and soothing the membrane inflammations. You can add about one tablespoon of honey while preparing the tea for better results. Those who like alcohol can add about one ounce of bourbon or whiskey. However, don’t exceed the above mentioned amount of alcohol; else, you will be left with an inflamed nasal membrane.

6. Stay Hydrated:

Drink fluids, preferably hot. You can even opt for fresh juices, including lemon and oranges. Hot soups and teas help in thinning the stored-up mucus, which is then easily drained. They also soothe your sore and inflamed throat and nasal lining. Lemon juice, orange juice and other citrus juices are a good source of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant. The free radicals that trigger flu like symptoms can be scavenged off by consuming these juices. But make sure that you drink freshly squeezed juices and not the stored ones.

7. Use A Warm Compress:

So, the hot shower trick worked for you? A warm compress will work fine too! Warm compresses soothe flu like symptoms just like a hot water shower. The only difference is that these compresses function from outside to open the congested nostrils. Soak a slightly heavy

cotton cloth or towel in more-than-warm, but not-too-hot water. Squeeze out the excess water. Fold the towel and place it atop your forehead and nose. Along with decongesting, using a warm water compress at regular intervals can also aid in relieving inflammation and pain. You can repeat the compress every 3-4 hours, depending on the severity of your symptoms.

8. Munch on Garlic Cloves:

Good ol’ garlic, the tried and tested remedy for so many of our health issues! Garlic, in the form of cloves, as well as juice, has been used to ease nasal congestion since time immemorial. Along with reliving stuffy nose, garlic also aids in easing the discomfort associated with nasal congestion. If you are not very keen on munching the garlic cloves as such, dry roast about 3 cloves of this pungent vegetable and cook with half a cup of water along with ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder. Season it with salt and black pepper. Drink this concoction regularly to clear the congestion.

9. Inhale Black Pepper Steam:

Black pepper can be consumed along with soups, teas, and garlic solutions to obtain relief from congested nose. External application of black pepper, in the form of powder, is also known to help with the same task. Take coarsely ground black pepper and roast it for about 2 minutes. Inhale the fumes that arise while roasting but from a safe distance. Another awesome way to treat nasal congestion is to prepare a paste using ½ teaspoon of black pepper powder, ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder and a pinch of lime with little water. Heat this in a small iron-cast utensil. Apply it to your forehead and nose, externally. Allow the mixture to dry well and then wash off with warm water. However, make sure you apply only little of this mixture to avoid skin burn.

10. Aromatherapy:

Various essential oils can help provide relief from nasal congestion. You can heat a little eucalyptus oil and inhale its fumes. Inhale the fumes at regular intervals for assured results. You can also take the help of camphor. Add 3-4 pieces of camphor to about one tablespoon of coconut oil. Heat the mixture well so that the fumes come up. Inhaling these fumes is sure to clear a congested nose. You can even add two crushed garlic cloves to this mixture for better results.

All said and done, each home remedy is effective in its own way. And, the result varies from person to person. The only way to find the best remedy for you is trial and error. But you cannot go wrong with these tried and tested natural treatments. So, next time you are down with nasal congestion, give these options a try and breathe easy!

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