Natural Nasal Congestion Remedies

Most often, nasal congestion is accompanied by flu, colds and allergies. It is usually brought about by swollen and irritated nasal passages.

Natural stuffy nose remedies are a safe alternative to drug treatments when you are looking for relief from nasal congestion. These remedies do not have the negative side effects that decongestant drugs could have such as insomnia, headache, excitability, nervousness and restlessness. In this post, I have listed few methods on how to get rid of a stuffy nose.

There are also some cases where drug treatments for blocked nose have caused serious complications such as seizures, irregular fast heartbeat, breathing problems and high pressure. The following are some of the natural nasal congestion remedies that you can do right at the comforts of your own home:

1.      Steam – inhaling steam provides relief from nasal congestion by opening the nasal passages. To fill the air with steam, you can close your bathroom door and turn on a hot shower, more effective though is to use a vaporizer or a bowl of steaming hot water. To trap the steam, hold your head over the bowl and cover your head with a towel. In about 10 to 15 minutes, you should feel some relief. You can also add a few drops of essential oils such as peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil or tea tree oil to the vaporizer or bowl of hot water to enhance the effects.  A quarter cup of white vinegar could also be added if you do not have these essential oils.

2.      Vitamins and Herbs – Vitamin C and zinc are particularly beneficial as for blocked nose remedies. Eat foods which are rich in vitamin C. This includes celery, spinach, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, papaya, kiwi, strawberries, grapefruit, oranges, limes and lemons. In addition, yogurt, mustard greens, collard, broccoli, sea vegetables, pumpkin seeds, beef, spinach and calf’s liver are some of the foods abundant in zinc.

Other home nasal congestion remedies include drinking plenty of water, eating some warm chicken broth or soup and keeping from foods and drinks which have caffeine. Keeping your head elevated when lying down could also help. To flush excess mucus and reduce swelling in the nasal passages, you can use a neti pot.