Home Remedies to Ease Fast Stuffy nose in Few Simple Steps

Stuffy nose is a condition that is characterized by the obstruction to airflow in and out of the nose. Stuffy nose is a very common thing, which most of us have had, at some point in life.

Stuffy nose condition is known by many names like – nasal congestion, nasal blockage, nasal obstruction, blocked nose, or plugged nose. This article is focused on how to get rid of a stuffy nose faster with or without medicines.

Apart from the irritation and annoyance caused by a blocked nose in adults, it can sometimes also be fatal for newborns.

Newborns prefer to breathe though nose and hence are often known as “obligate nasal breathers”‌, but when their nose gets blocked they face severe difficulties in breathing and it can also be life threatening.

The very basic cause of a clogged nose is that the membranes lining the nose area swell because of inflamed blood vessels. This inflammation in blood vessels can be caused due to a number of reasons like: common cold, flu, sinusitis, allergies etc.

Now, before moving ahead let’s have a look at the causes of a blocked nose.

Causes of a Stuffy Nose

Many people think that the sole cause of a blocked nose is thick mucus, but this is not the case.

The irritation or inflammation of nasal tissue causes the body’s immune system to send more blood to the area. This extra blood makes the blood vessels swell and they block the nasal airway, thereby making it difficult to breathe.

Common Causes of a Stuffy Nose Include:

Common Cold

Flu: Flu is an infection in which nose, throat and lungs are involved. It is caused by influenza virus.

Sinusitis: Sinusitis is the inflammation of sinuses which causes nasal stuffiness. Sinusitis is caused due to an infection from bacteria, virus or fungi

Allergies: Allergies can be defined as the hypersensitive disorder of human immune system. Allergies can cause irritation in nasal tissues there by giving rise to nasal blockage.

Deviated Septum: Nasal septum is the thin wall that divides the nasal chamber into two parts. Sometimes the nasal septum can be deviated to one side thus making one nasal passage smaller than the other. In severe cases, deviated septum can completely block one side of the nasal passage.

Hay fever: Hay Fever is a condition similar to common cold but unlike common cold it is caused by allergens like pollen, dust etc.

Nasal Polyps: Nasal Polyps are the soft, painless, noncancerous growths on the lining of nasal passage. Nasal Polyps are caused by chronic asthma or allergic reactions. Nasal Polyps obstruct the air passage in the nose hence causing nasal blockage.

Symptoms

1. A blocked nose

2. Difficulty in breathing

3. Sneezing

4. Sinus pain

5. Build up of mucus in the nasal passage

6.Swelling of nasal tissues, and even eyes

Home Remedies for Stuffy Nose

Here are some natural remedies for nose, which you can easily try at home to treat stuffy nose.

Use a Humidifier

Breathing in moist air can help soothe irritated tissue and swollen blood vessels in your nose and sinuses. A humidifier machine can increase the humidity in your room easily. The machine converts water to moisture that slowly fills the air. Humidifiers also thin the mucus in your sinuses, which can help empty the fluids in your nose and return your breathing to normal. When you breathe in the humid air, you’ll help relieve the inflammation and irritation that cause your congestion.

Take a Shower

Ever had a stuffy nose and found that you could breathe so much better after a steamy shower? There’s a good reason for that. Like the humidifier, the steam from a shower helps to thin out the mucus in your nose and sinuses and reduce inflammation. As a result, your breathing should return to normal, at least for a short period.

You can get the same effect by breathing in steam from hot water in a sink. Turn on the hot water. Once the temperature is right, place a towel over your head and the sink. Allow the steam to build, and take in deep breaths. Be careful not to burn your face on the hot water or steam.

Stay Hydrated

Keep the fluids flowing when your nose is stuffed up. Almost all liquids””water, sports drinks, tea, soup, even juice””can help keep you hydrated when you’re sick. They help thin the mucus in your nasal passages, which decreases the pressure in your sinuses and pushes the fluids out of your nose. Less pressure means less inflammation and irritation.

If your stuffy nose is accompanied by a sore throat, warm tea and soup will help ease the pain and discomfort from that, too.

Use a Warm Compress

The same way warm steam from a shower helps open your nasal passages from the inside, a warm compress may help open them from the outside. Soak a towel in warm water. Squeeze the water out of the towel, then fold it and place it over your face, especially at your nose and forehead. The heat can provide comfort from any pain, and the warmth may help relieve some of the inflammation in the nasal passages. Repeat this as often as necessary.

Saline Solution

Try Antihistamines or Allergy Medicine

If your stuffy nose is the result of an allergy, you may want to take an antihistamine or allergy medicine. Both medicines can help reduce the swelling and inflammation in your nasal passages, which can ease your clogged up nose. Combination medicines with both an antihistamine and a decongestant can relieve the sinus pressure and swelling caused by allergic reactions. Follow the instructions for these medicines carefully. If you don’t, you may make your condition worse, not better.

Antihistamines may make you drowsy. If you do not know how an antihistamine will affect you, do not take the medicine when you need to be active or productive.

Garlic

Eat fresh garlic cloves to get a quick relieve in stuffy nose. It is one of the best effective remedies to cure a stuffy nose. You can also prepare a garlic soup by crushing 2-3 garlic cloves and adding them in a cup of boiling water. Have this soup.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Drink a solution of apple cider vinegar and water to stop a stuffy nose. Add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and a tbsp of honey to 1 cup of warm water. Drink it. It is a good way to treat a blocked nose.

Basil

Chew 3-4 basil leaves before having breakfast and before going to bed at night. You can also make tea of basil leaves. It will work wonders to cure a stuffy nose.

Ginger

Consume ginger tea in order to get relief from a stuffy nose. For better results, add honey and lemon to your ginger tea, grate fresh ginger. Have it with a glass of lukewarm water. This is an effective remedy to fix a stuffy nose.

Honey

Lemon

Mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and آ¼ teaspoon of black pepper powder with a little bit of salt. Apply this mixture to get an effective relief from stuffy nose.

Tomato Juice

Drink a glass of hot tomato juice in order to get rid of a stuffy nose. Add a tablespoon of chopped garlic, a tablespoon of hot sauce, a tablespoon of lime juice with a pinch of celery salt to a cup of boiling tomato juice. Sip on it at least 2 times a day.

Herbal Tea

Herbs, like chamomile, thyme, peppermint, rosemary leaves or blackberry are great remedies for treating a stuffy nose. You can make tea of these herbs and drink it on a regular basis till you get relief from blocked nose.

Hot Soups

Hot chicken soup is a best remedy for stuffy nose as it effectively heals the cold symptoms while giving relief from nasal congestion. You can also drink vegetable soups to get healed up quickly.

Vinegar

Boil some vinegar and inhale its steam. This really helps a stuffy nose. You will get an instant relief and notice a difference in no time from the problem of a blocked nose.

Pepper

Pepper is a great remedy to cure a stuffy nose. Put a teaspoon of black pepper along with a tablespoon of honey in a cup. Fill it with boiling water and let it steep for about 15 minutes. Now, stir it well. Drink this mixture to relieve from a stuffy nose.

Onion

Peel off and cut an onion. Smell it for 4-5 minutes. It will clear your nose, giving you relief from nasal congestion.

Sources:

getridofastuffynoseguide.com

healthline.com

homeremedyshop.com

Other links:

Understanding the Common Cold -- the Basics

How To Get Rid Of Nose Bleeds?

Sinus Headaches