Watery eyes, discomfort when looking at your mobile and computer screens or artificial light, blurry mind and vision, difficulty pronouncing words with M and N. You probably recognize those symptoms when you have a runny or blocked nose. And if you are in this situation right now, we feel you, and will give you some useful tips on how you can get better quickly.
Is it safe to use nasal spray?
Well, it depends!
The majority of people think that when having stuffy nose it’s the best to use decongestant or steroid nasal spray with strong, active ingredients, which to stop the production of mucus and unlock the nasal cavity. But what they don’t know is that those sprays can be highly irritating, addicting, and harmful to the overall health of your nose and sinus. [1]
In the instructions of most decongestant or steroid sprays, it is purposely mentioned that they shouldn’t be used for more than 5 days. That is because the active ingredients in those “medicaments” can excessively dry the nasal cavity, and may cause burning, allergic reaction, or even chronic sinusitis.
Here it is essential to mention that saline sprays (which contain only salt and sterilized water) are not considered “dangerous” medical products, as they are unlikely to cause any adverse effects. Such saline sprays can be very suitable for daily use as they kill the harmful microorganisms in your nasal cavity and may prevent congestion. [2]
But now, back to the topic.
How to get rid of runny nose naturally?
Below you can find 4 fast ways to get rid of a stuffy nose at naturally and at home.
Magical nasal spray
This first natural relief for stuffy nose is a homemade nasal spray. It contains only natural ingredients, and you can easily prepare it at home. The spray can instantly decongest the nose and stimulate the healing process of the nasal cavity. Its effect may last up to 2 hours, but you can reapply it without any worries because it’s highly unlikely to experience side effects. The ingredients that you need are:
- Saline nasal spray (that contains only sterilized water and sodium chloride/salt)
- Thyme essential oil (or another essential oil like lemongrass and tea tree)
- Take the saline spray and open it. If it is new (you haven’t used any of it) pour a small amount of the product out of the package.
- Carefully add 1 drop of the essential oil. Keep in mind that essential oils are very strong, and putting more than 2 drops in the container may trigger allergic reaction and burning. [3]
- Shake the spray well every time before using it to ensure that the oil is well mixed with the water. Otherwise, the oil will float above the water (physics!)
Keep in mind that when using the spray, you may feel a stingy sensation that will disappear in about 5 seconds. This sensation is caused by the essential oil that disinfects your nasal cavity.
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Warm compress
Most of the people back off when they hear “warm compress”. However, this home relief can not only make you feel better afterwards, but can make you enjoy the time with the compress on. This treatment gently warms the sinuses and the nasal cavity, naturally decongesting the nose and stimulating the quick regeneration of the mucosa.
Unfortunately, this treatment is only effective when the nose is congested, due to viruses, cold or flu, and is unlikely to help people who suffer from allergy.
- Soft towel
- Uncooked rice
OR
- Reusable bag for injuries (that you can put ice in)
- Water
- Essential oil of choice (optional)
If you use a towel, put one handful of rice in the microwave or the oven, until you feel it well warmed, but not burning. Put the rice at the center of the towel and tie its free ends with a hairtie or a scunchie. The towel should take the form of a ball, and you should be able to hold its ends.
If you use a bag for injuries, just boil some water in a pot or an electric kettle. Here you can add a few drops of essential oil, just to boost the relaxing properties of the compress. Pour the water into the bag and close the lid. Those bags are usually heat and cold resistant, so they are unlikely to melt.
Now when you have your hot compress prepared, you are ready to begin the treatment:
Put some relaxing music on, lay down, and close your eyes. Put the warm compress on your forehead in the area in between your brows. Gently press and massage. Keep the compress there for about 4-5 minutes. Another zone that you can put the compress on is the sinuses: on the sides of the nose, under the eyes’ inner corners. Press and massage the areas for 4-5 minutes each.
Ginger paste
This paste contains only 3 ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Combine the ingredients in a small container and take 2 tablespoons of the paste 4 times a day if you have strong nasal congestion (for less intense symptoms you can take less if you like).
The anti-inflammatory properties of the ginger, honey and lemon juice can kill the harmful bacteria, calm the nasal cavity, restore healthy mucosa production, and ease the draining process.
Besides, this paste can support your immune system and relieve inflammation.
Chamomile steam
The herb chamomile has anti-inflammatory, calming, and soothing properties. It is widely used in cosmetics and in non-traditional medicine because of its quick effect, and abundant availability on the market. [4]
One particular use of chamomile is to decongest stuffy nose and heal the nasal cavity. The best way to use the herb for this purpose is making a tea and inhaling its steam. This way, the healing properties of the herb can directly impact the nose and can instantly relieve the stuffy nose.
Camomile can kill the harmful bacteria, detox the nose by improving nasal draining, and can boost the healing process of the nasal tissue, as the steam reintroduces moisture and humidity in the nasal cavity.
How to do the treatment?
Boil some water in an electric kettle and put a fair amount of the herb inside. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes and remove the herbal pieces from the water. To inhale the chamomile steam, you can use the pot itself, or put the tea in a diffuser.
Stand with your head over the steaming tea, inhaling the vapor through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. 1 treatment should continue for about 10 minutes, as it is best to repeat it 2 times a day until the symptoms disappear.
Conclusion
Every individual’s body reacts differently to various types of treatment. Every one of the homemade reliefs for the stuffy nose will do its work. However, one treatment may be more effective for some people and less effective for others. Our advice is to find what works best for you: it may be the first, the second, or even the last thing you try. Or maybe a combination of two!
Use this list as a guide and share with us what works best for you!