Simple Home Remedies For Nasal Congestion

Nasal congestion is defined as the feeling of being unable to breathe through your nose, simply because of something blocking off the nasal passages. A lot of times this is caused by an overabundance of mucus, which has been building up for some time within the sinuses and nasal passages. Often this can be removed by blowing your nose, but when this fails, other measures must be taken to clear the nasal passages and allow you to breathe easily once more. There are over-the-counter medications that you can take for this, or you can try some simple home remedies that have worked for generations instead. There are times when treating nasal congestion at home is far better for your overall health than by taking a lot of medicines for something that can be easily combated at home.

Hot Liquids

A traditional home remedy for nasal congestion, one that will work regardless if the congestion is being caused by the common cold or a sinus infection, is to drink hot liquids in order to loosen the built up mucus that is trapped within the nasal passages. This remedy has been used for generations with success, for much longer than the majority of nasal medicines have been available for purchase. Any hot liquid will do, with the exception of milk-based drinks, like cocoa or heated milk. Drinking dairy products can sometimes add to problem, instead of helping it, by creating mucus through the breakdown of acids within the milk. This can be especially helpful for easing the symptoms at night, simply by drinking the heated liquids a few minutes before bedtime.

Compresses

Another popular home remedy for nasal congestion is to create warm compresses to press upon your sinus passages. In the case of nasal congestion caused by a sinus infection, this method will be the most easily used, and will work the fastest of them all. By applying heat directly to the sinus passages you break up the mucus at its source, rather than waiting for it to move out of the sinuses and into the nasal passages and throat. All you need to make an effective compress is a towel or thick cloth that you can soak in warm or hot water, wring out, and press against your sinuses at least three times a day. This will ease the symptoms immediately, and make breathing easier.

Nasal Irrigation

A home remedy for nasal congestion that is recently gaining in popularity is irrigating the nasal passages and sinuses through the use of a neti pot. A neti pot is a small teapot-like container that is filled with water, heated and then gently poured a little at a time into the nose. A gentle salt water solution is usually used, at a much lower ratio than the commercial solutions, so that the nasal passages do not dry out.