Natural Decongestant Remedies for Your Nose and Sinuses

Natural home remedies and over-the-counter products like saline nasal spray may help relieve a congested nose.

It’s no secret that being congested can make you feel miserable. Having a stuffy nose and a chest filled with mucus can make it hard to go about your daily life as normal. Sometimes, it can even be hard to breathe.

Fortunately, there are ways to free up your airways. Besides over-the-counter (OTC) medications, there are also several natural remedies that may help ease your congestion.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of these natural decongestants and how to use them.

In most cases, these remedies can be used for both children and adults. If a particular remedy isn’t safe for children, we’ll point that out.

A humidifier is a device that adds moisture to the air.

Because cold, dry air may make you feel more congested and interfere with your sinuses draining as they should, a humidifier may help by pumping moisture into the air you breathe. This, in turn, can increase the humidity in your nose and make it easier to breathe.

You can run a humidifier during the day and also at night. Running a humidifier while you’re sleeping can help open up your nasal passages and make sleeping more comfortable. This may allow you to get better quality sleep.

Using a humidifier has few risks. Many people report that humidified air helps improve their cold symptoms.

Steam is a natural way to increases the humidity of the surrounding air. It may also help to thin out and drain the mucus in your nose more easily.

According to a 2008 study, drinking hot beverages can be an effective way to feel less congested. A hot shower can also be a good way to feel better.

Another easy way to use steam to feel less congested is to pour hot water into a large bowl, and then inhale the steam while leaning over the bowl with a towel over your head.

Research has found that steam therapy may increase the risk of severe burns, particularly in children, so be sure to use this method with extreme care.

A saline nasal spray may help thin out the mucus in your nasal passages. This type of spray is available over the counter.

Saline sprays, by definition, contain just salt and water. Other nasal sprays may contain decongestants. It’s important to note that prolonged use of decongestant sprays may cause a rebound effect, or worsen congestion symptoms.

To use a saline nasal spray, follow these steps:

1. Blow your nose to help clear out your nasal passages before using the spray.
2. Stand upright — there’s no need to tilt your head back.
3. Read the product instructions carefully and shake the spray bottle before using it.
4. Close one of your nostrils by pressing your finger against it. Then position the opening of the spray bottle under the nostril that’s open.
5. Squeeze the spray bottle gently and inhale the spray with your mouth closed.
6. Sniff hard a few times to make sure the spray gets all the way up your nasal passages.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nasal irrigation devices, some of which are commonly called neti pots, can be an effective way of dealing with decongestion when used and cleaned properly.

A neti pot looks like a small teapot with a long spout, and it uses saline to unclog stuffy nasal passages.

According to a 2015 study, nasal irrigation may help reduce congestion and cough, clear out mucus and germs, and improve breathing.

To use a neti pot, the FDA recommends these steps:

1. Read all instructions before using the neti pot to be sure you’re doing it safely. Use sterile or distilled bottled water or boiled and cooled tap water if you’re preparing your own saline solution.
2. Lean over a sink and tilt your head sideways. Try to keep your forehead and chin level so that the liquid doesn’t flow into your mouth.
3. Insert the spout of the saline-filled neti pot into the upper nostril so that the solution drains out of your lower nostril.
4. Repeat the procedure with your other nostril by tilting your head in the opposite direction.

The FDA doesn’t recommend nasal irrigation for children unless recommended by a pediatrician.

A warm compress may help unclog a stuffy nose by reducing inflammation and opening up the nasal passages from the outside.

To make a warm compress, soak a wash cloth or small towel in warm, not hot, water. Squeeze the excess water from the cloth, then fold it and place it over your upper nose and lower forehead.

The warmth may help relieve the inflammation in your nostrils and sinuses and make it easier to breathe.

Avoid keeping the warm compress on your face for too long to reduce the risk of burning your skin.

Eating spicy foods is a common way to help open up the nasal passages.

Foods such as peppers, ginger, and garlic can trigger a condition called gustatory rhinitis. Spicy foods cause the body to make more mucus and lead to a runny nose.

Also, some spices like turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties.

Consider adding chili pepper, grated ginger, powdered turmeric, and other spices to your meals.

Keeping your head elevated can prevent mucus from pooling in your sinuses at night. It can also relieve sinus pressure.

Lie on your back and use an extra pillow to ensure that your head is at a slightly higher angle than the rest of your body.

Although evidence is limited, it’s believed that some essential oils may help relieve congestion symptoms.

In a 2010 study, an essential oil spray containing peppermint, eucalyptus, oregano, and rosemary was applied to participants five times a day for 3 days.

At the end of the study, the researchers concluded that the essential oil spray was effective at improving upper respiratory symptoms immediately after use, but it did not lessen symptoms overall after 3 days of use.

Essential oils can be combined with a carrier oil, like coconut or jojoba oil, and applied to the skin. Or they can be added to a diffuser and used as aromatherapy.

Keep essential oils away from children and pets. They can be toxic if ingested.

Drinking fluids helps to loosen thick mucus that can block your nasal passages.

When you’re congested, try to aim for a minimum daily fluid intake of about 11.5 cups (for women) to 15.5 cups (for men).

Congestion can make it difficult to breathe, sleep, and even eat. If you’re having trouble functioning even after trying natural remedies, you’ll want to pay a visit to your doctor. It’s also important to see a doctor if you notice other symptoms, such as:

• congestion that lasts longer than a week
• trouble breathing
• chest pain
• high fever

Congestion is a symptom of colds, flu, allergies, and sinus infections that cause inflamed nasal passages and mucus-filled airways.

Although OTC medications can help to temporarily clear up congestion, there are some natural remedies that can provide relief too. While many natural decongestants are safe for everyone, some do come with risks for both adults and children.

If your congestion doesn’t improve with natural remedies, or if it gets worse, be sure to schedule a visit with your doctor.

Natural Decongestant Remedies for Your Nose and Sinuses

Natural home remedies and over-the-counter products like saline nasal spray may help relieve a congested nose.

It’s no secret that being congested can make you feel miserable. Having a stuffy nose and a chest filled with mucus can make it hard to go about your daily life as normal. Sometimes, it can even be hard to breathe.

Fortunately, there are ways to free up your airways. Besides over-the-counter (OTC) medications, there are also several natural remedies that may help ease your congestion.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of these natural decongestants and how to use them.

In most cases, these remedies can be used for both children and adults. If a particular remedy isn’t safe for children, we’ll point that out.

A humidifier is a device that adds moisture to the air.

Because cold, dry air may make you feel more congested and interfere with your sinuses draining as they should, a humidifier may help by pumping moisture into the air you breathe. This, in turn, can increase the humidity in your nose and make it easier to breathe.

You can run a humidifier during the day and also at night. Running a humidifier while you’re sleeping can help open up your nasal passages and make sleeping more comfortable. This may allow you to get better quality sleep.

Using a humidifier has few risks. Many people report that humidified air helps improve their cold symptoms.

Steam is a natural way to increases the humidity of the surrounding air. It may also help to thin out and drain the mucus in your nose more easily.

According to a 2008 study, drinking hot beverages can be an effective way to feel less congested. A hot shower can also be a good way to feel better.

Another easy way to use steam to feel less congested is to pour hot water into a large bowl, and then inhale the steam while leaning over the bowl with a towel over your head.

Research has found that steam therapy may increase the risk of severe burns, particularly in children, so be sure to use this method with extreme care.

A saline nasal spray may help thin out the mucus in your nasal passages. This type of spray is available over the counter.

Saline sprays, by definition, contain just salt and water. Other nasal sprays may contain decongestants. It’s important to note that prolonged use of decongestant sprays may cause a rebound effect, or worsen congestion symptoms.

To use a saline nasal spray, follow these steps:

1. Blow your nose to help clear out your nasal passages before using the spray.
2. Stand upright — there’s no need to tilt your head back.
3. Read the product instructions carefully and shake the spray bottle before using it.
4. Close one of your nostrils by pressing your finger against it. Then position the opening of the spray bottle under the nostril that’s open.
5. Squeeze the spray bottle gently and inhale the spray with your mouth closed.
6. Sniff hard a few times to make sure the spray gets all the way up your nasal passages.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nasal irrigation devices, some of which are commonly called neti pots, can be an effective way of dealing with decongestion when used and cleaned properly.

A neti pot looks like a small teapot with a long spout, and it uses saline to unclog stuffy nasal passages.

According to a 2015 study, nasal irrigation may help reduce congestion and cough, clear out mucus and germs, and improve breathing.

To use a neti pot, the FDA recommends these steps:

1. Read all instructions before using the neti pot to be sure you’re doing it safely. Use sterile or distilled bottled water or boiled and cooled tap water if you’re preparing your own saline solution.
2. Lean over a sink and tilt your head sideways. Try to keep your forehead and chin level so that the liquid doesn’t flow into your mouth.
3. Insert the spout of the saline-filled neti pot into the upper nostril so that the solution drains out of your lower nostril.
4. Repeat the procedure with your other nostril by tilting your head in the opposite direction.

The FDA doesn’t recommend nasal irrigation for children unless recommended by a pediatrician.

A warm compress may help unclog a stuffy nose by reducing inflammation and opening up the nasal passages from the outside.

To make a warm compress, soak a wash cloth or small towel in warm, not hot, water. Squeeze the excess water from the cloth, then fold it and place it over your upper nose and lower forehead.

The warmth may help relieve the inflammation in your nostrils and sinuses and make it easier to breathe.

Avoid keeping the warm compress on your face for too long to reduce the risk of burning your skin.

Eating spicy foods is a common way to help open up the nasal passages.

Foods such as peppers, ginger, and garlic can trigger a condition called gustatory rhinitis. Spicy foods cause the body to make more mucus and lead to a runny nose.

Also, some spices like turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties.

Consider adding chili pepper, grated ginger, powdered turmeric, and other spices to your meals.

Keeping your head elevated can prevent mucus from pooling in your sinuses at night. It can also relieve sinus pressure.

Lie on your back and use an extra pillow to ensure that your head is at a slightly higher angle than the rest of your body.

Although evidence is limited, it’s believed that some essential oils may help relieve congestion symptoms.

In a 2010 study, an essential oil spray containing peppermint, eucalyptus, oregano, and rosemary was applied to participants five times a day for 3 days.

At the end of the study, the researchers concluded that the essential oil spray was effective at improving upper respiratory symptoms immediately after use, but it did not lessen symptoms overall after 3 days of use.

Essential oils can be combined with a carrier oil, like coconut or jojoba oil, and applied to the skin. Or they can be added to a diffuser and used as aromatherapy.

Keep essential oils away from children and pets. They can be toxic if ingested.

Drinking fluids helps to loosen thick mucus that can block your nasal passages.

When you’re congested, try to aim for a minimum daily fluid intake of about 11.5 cups (for women) to 15.5 cups (for men).

Congestion can make it difficult to breathe, sleep, and even eat. If you’re having trouble functioning even after trying natural remedies, you’ll want to pay a visit to your doctor. It’s also important to see a doctor if you notice other symptoms, such as:

• congestion that lasts longer than a week
• trouble breathing
• chest pain
• high fever

Congestion is a symptom of colds, flu, allergies, and sinus infections that cause inflamed nasal passages and mucus-filled airways.

Although OTC medications can help to temporarily clear up congestion, there are some natural remedies that can provide relief too. While many natural decongestants are safe for everyone, some do come with risks for both adults and children.

If your congestion doesn’t improve with natural remedies, or if it gets worse, be sure to schedule a visit with your doctor.

Folk remedies for edema

At the end of the day, many feel heaviness in the legs. Yes, and it’s difficult to put on your favorite shoes – the ankles and lower legs swell. What to do if the legs swell? Folk remedies can help relieve discomfort without causing harm to health. Many of them are milder than pharmaceuticals and give a good effect. It remains only to choose which traditional recipes suit you.

Why do my legs swell?

The causes of edema can be very different: from somatic diseases (for example, kidney or heart disease) to hormonal disorders or malnutrition. However, if we talk about the most common causes, then, of course, they include varicose veins.

With varicose veins, the work of venous valves is disrupted, and therefore blood stagnates in the veins. As a result, the walls of the vein stretch and become thinner. Blood stasis leads to an increase in fluid pressure on the vessel from the inside. To reduce it, the liquid exits through the thinned wall into the tissues surrounding the vessel. This is what causes swelling.

The main features of “varicose” edema:

• appearance mainly in the evening
• increased edema in static position, improved well-being when walking
• swelling accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the legs or pain
• with “varicose” edema, there is usually no shortness of breath, which is accompanied by cardiac edema

So, now we understand the common causes of leg edema. How to treat folk remedies?

The use of natural diuretics this is limiting salt intake and enriching the diet with products that can gently remove excess water from the body.

So, if your legs are swollen in the ankles, then the best folk remedies here are parsley, celery, asparagus, garlic, strawberries, black currants and others. Increasing the consumption of these foods will help get rid of excess fluid.The most effective natural diuretics are cranberries and lingonberries: you can use both the berries themselves and a decoction of the leaves.0003

We recommend that you exclude smoked products, strong tea and coffee, and sweets from your diet. Eat more vegetables, fruits, and lean poultry and dairy products. Instead of tea, you can drink a rosehip decoction, as well as take an infusion of cumin seeds or nettle roots. Such a diet will help not only improve the situation with edema, but also normalize weight, which is important if you suffer from varicose veins.

The healing power of water

It is impossible not to remember such a folk remedy for swelling of the legs as baths. Contrast baths or baths with the addition of salts and decoctions can significantly improve the condition of the legs and your well-being.

Contrast baths, when the legs are alternately immersed in either cold or warm water, strengthen the walls of blood vessels and restore their tone. Prepare two small containers, for example, two basins. One should have cold water (10-12 degrees), the second should have warm water (but not hot, the temperature is about 40 degrees). Lower your legs first into one pelvis, then into the other. The time you keep your feet in cold water should be less. If you are just starting to do contrast baths, then you can make the temperature difference not so big.

In addition to contrast baths, foot baths with the addition of:

• sea salt and soda have a good decongestant effect
• decoction of mint, chamomile and birch leaves
• sage decoction (prepared in the proportion of 0.5 cups of herbs per 1 liter of water)

Let’s not forget about compresses

Sometimes compresses can improve swelling. In particular, the healing properties of the cabbage leaf are well known. It can be slightly kneaded with a rolling pin and put on an edematous leg. A good folk remedy for swelling of the legs is an infusion of birch leaves: pour 200 grams of leaves with one liter of boiling water and add a spoonful of salt. When the infusion is ready, you need to moisten the bandages in it and make compresses with them.

Charging!

And of course, if you want to get rid of “varicose” edema, do not forget about physical activity. Just don’t let it be exercises associated with lifting weights – they can adversely affect the condition of the veins. Walking, “scissors” and “bike” exercises, squats, and, of course, swimming, which is absolutely indispensable for varicose veins, will help you relieve swelling and feel better.

And one more important recommendation: approach the treatment of leg edema with folk remedies with caution. In order not to aggravate puffiness and really reduce the severity of the problem, consult a doctor and make sure that you know exactly the cause of your condition. After all, it will depend on which folk remedy for swelling of the legs can be used. Our today’s recommendations concerned those who faced the problem of varicose veins. Take care of yourself and stay healthy!

Treatment of swelling of the legs with folk remedies. Help or waste of time?

Contents

• Introduction
• The essence of the problem
• What folk remedies will help relieve swelling
• Using natural remedies to remove excess fluid from the body
• Trays
• Compresses
• Physical activity
• Conclusion

Folk remedies for swelling of the legs

Leg swelling is a common problem. Almost every adult meets with her during a long stay on his feet, especially in the heat. But most of all it is relevant for people of more advanced age.

The essence of the problem

At its core, edema is the accumulation of fluid in tissues. He worries most often in the late afternoon. It is characterized by an increase in the size of the limb, looseness of the skin – when pressed on it, peculiar dents are formed that are not prone to rapid disappearance. Most often, the feet and ankles swell, swelling can spread from the fingers to the knee, sometimes higher.

If edema bothers you infrequently, as a rule, in the heat or when you are on your feet for a long time, you can alleviate the condition with folk remedies. Regular swelling clearly indicates the presence of a certain disease, so it is important to establish its cause in order to start treatment on time. It can be varicose veins, cardiac and many others.

What folk remedies will help relieve swelling

Removal of puffiness at home is possible in several ways, the most accessible of which are:

1. Using natural remedies to remove excess fluid from the body.

To prevent excess fluid, you should limit the use of salt, as well as smoked meats, sweets, strong tea and coffee. To remove water, you need to introduce parsley, asparagus, as well as black currants, strawberries or garlic into your diet. Cranberries and cranberries are considered excellent diuretics. Moreover, for this purpose, you can use both the berries of these plants and a decoction of their leaves. An infusion or decoction of cumin seeds is effective in this regard. Ordinary tea can be replaced with rose hip tea. You can also use a complex collection that has a diuretic effect, which is sold at any pharmacy.

2. Trays.

The easiest way is to make a bath with sea salt (1 tbsp baking soda and 2-3 tbsp salt / 3 l water). Relief in the legs can be felt after taking a bath with a decoction of chamomile, birch leaves, sage, mint, etc. But contrast baths are especially effective, which will improve not only the sensations in the legs, but also general well-being. The alternation of immersion of the legs in cold and warm (about 40 ° C) water helps to increase the tone of blood vessels and strengthen their walls.

A bath with the addition of essential oil (a few drops of mint or a drop of lemon and eucalyptus) will help relieve fatigue after a hard day’s work.

3. Compresses.

The simplest, but at the same time quite effective compress is from a cabbage leaf. First you need to knead it (you can use a rolling pin for this purpose), attach it to the place of swelling and fix it. Other popular options include:

• Infusion of birch leaves (soak bandages in the infusion and apply).
• Infusion of chamomile, parsley and dill.
• Burdock (apply to the leg with the wrong side).
• Lean (preferably linseed) oil.

4. Physical activity.

The best activity for swelling is swimming. For those whose lifestyle is predominantly sedentary, walking, squats, and other types of exercises are recommended, with the exception of lifting weights.

These methods will help relieve swelling if it is caused by simple fatigue or the initial stage of varicose veins.