If you prefer to avoid medications to treat nasal congestion or cannot use certain medications because of other health conditions, it can be difficult to find nasal congestion relief. I’ve found that using alternative medicine therapies can be a great way to relieve nasal congestion naturally. Rather than suffering through the stuffiness, try one of these three natural nasal congestion remedies to clear your nose and breath easier.
Sinus Massage
A nasal congestion treatment you can do at any time is sinus massage. Place your finger on the tip of your nose where the bony part ends and the fleshy part begins. Slide your finger up the bridge of your nose all the way to your hairline while pressing firmly. Repeat five to ten times. This will lift your nasal passage and loosen the mucus and congestion that has built up.
For nasal congestion that extends into the sinus cavities behind your face, place two fingers on either side of the bridge of your nose. Pressing firmly and evenly, slide your fingers up the bridge of your nose and across the top of your eyebrows until you reach the hairline. Now place your fingers on either side of the bridge of your nose between your eyes. Pressing firmly and evenly, slide your fingers down the bridge of your nose and across your cheekbones to the hairline. Repeat five to ten times.
Hot and Cold Compresses
Alternating hot and cold compresses across your nose and upper cheeks is a wonderful way to naturally relieve severe nasal congestion. You will need two washcloths and two basins of water (one with ice cold water and one with hot tap water) for this natural nasal congestion treatment. You can add ice cubes to your cold water basin to make it very cold and make sure your hot water basin is very hot but not so hot that it will burn your skin. Test the water temperature on the inside of your wrist to make sure it is comfortable for you.
Place one washcloth in each water basin. Wring out the hot water washcloth so it is no longer dripping, and place it across your nose and under your eyes. Leave in place for one minute then return it to the hot water basin. Immediately wring out the cold water washcloth and place it in the same position. Leave in place for one minute then return it to the cold water basin. Immediately begin the process again with the hot water washcloth. Repeat until you’ve cycled through hot and cold a minimum of three times.
Nasal irrigation is a safe and effective way to get rid of nasal congestion. There are containers, called neti pots, specifically designed for nasal irrigation. You can manage just as well with a plastic bottle with a squeeze top which can be easily found in most pharmacies.
Two important points to remember for this natural nasal congestion remedy is to only use distilled water and salt which has not been iodized. Using tap water can cause a further infection and the iodine in iodized salt can irritate your nasal passages. You can distill your own water for this natural congestion remedy by boiling the water and letting it cool to room temperature.
Place 1/4 teaspoon of salt in your container and add distilled water to fill it. The water should be between room temperature and your body temperature. Water that is too hot or too cold may cause further irritation of your nasal cavity. Standing over a sink, turn your head to the side so your nostrils are vertically stacked. Place the tip of your container in the top nostril and very gently allow the water to flow out of the container and into your nose. The water will exit out of your bottom nostril. After you’ve used half of the bottle in one nostril, blow your nose to remove loosened mucus and debris, then repeat all steps with your other nostril.
Each of these natural nasal congestion remedies are safe as well as effective and will provide nasal congestion relief.
Sources:
National Jewish Health, Nasal Wash Treatment, http://www.nationaljewish.org/healthinfo/medications/lung-diseases/alternative/nasal-wash-treatment.aspx
