A stuffy (or stuffy) nose can be a real pain in the ass-it can prevent you from smelling roses from your boyfriend, tasting the delicious dinner your wife has prepared, or getting a good night's sleep. Fortunately, there are ways to get rid of a stuffy nose without having to resort to medication. Scroll to Step 1 to learn more about this.
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Method 1 of 4: Cure Congestion with Home Remedies
Step 1. Breathe in the hot steam to open your sinuses
Hot steam helps loosen mucus and debris in your nose while also cleaning up foreign materials (such as dust or pollen) that come into contact with your nasal passages. The easiest way to get the hot steam's properties is to boil hot water and pour it into a large bowl. You can add any essential oil, such as eucalyptus or peppermint, which can enhance the effect of the steam. Take a towel, crouch over the bowl, and place the towel over your head and the bowl, effectively forming a tent. Breathe in the steam for a minute or two.
- You can also take a hot bath and close your bathroom doors and windows to contain and increase the steam generated by your shower.
- Steam rooms and saunas have the same effect on your clogged sinuses.
Step 2. Use a neti teapot
A neti teapot is basically a teapot for your nose. You use a neti pitcher to pour salt water into one of your nostrils to clear both of your nostrils. You can buy a carafe of neti at your local pharmacy. To use the neti teapot:
- Clean your neti teapot. If this is your first time using a neti kettle or someone else has used it, you will need to clean your neti kettle first. Clean using hot water and soap to clean the remaining bacteria.
- Make your brine solution. Mix teaspoon of fine non-iodized salt with 237 ml of distilled water. You can make this solution right away in a neti teapot.
- Position the neti teapot against your nose. Stand in front of the sink and mirror in your bathroom, and tilt your head so that one ear is facing the sink. Insert the tip of the teapot into the nostril facing the ceiling. Breathe through your mouth.
- Pour the solution into your nose. Allow of the total solution to flow through the nostril you poured the solution into and out into the other nostril. Do the same for the other side. Once you are done with the other side, gently blow your nose with a tissue.
- Clean your neti teapot. Wash your neti jug with warm water and soap to clear the mucus from your nose that is stuck to the teapot.
Step 3. Place a humidifier in your room
Congestion/stuffy nose is sometimes caused by being in a dry environment. A dry environment triggers your body to produce more mucus. Using a humidifier increases the moisture in your room, making the environment less dry and lowering your body's need to produce more mucus.
Children with congestion/stuffy nose should use a cool mist humidifier to prevent injury
Step 4. Try a saline nasal spray
Saline is simply a mixture of salt and water. Saline spray can be purchased at your local pharmacy. Shake the bottle, then open the cap. You may need to squeeze the bottle a few times to make sure the solution comes out. To squirt the saline solution into your nose:
- Insert the tip of the spray into one nostril. Close the other nostril with your finger.
- Squeeze the bottle and inhale slowly through your nose. Repeat on the other nostril.
Method 2 of 4: Cure Congestion with Food and Drink
Step 1. Stay hydrated
Drinking enough water every day helps keep your nostrils moist and clear. If your nostrils are blocked, drinking enough water also helps build mucus which will expel the irritant that irritates your nose when you blow your nose. You should try to drink eight to ten glasses of water every day.
If plain water is boring to you, add mint, lemon, or juice flavorings to add flavor to your water
Step 2. Drink hot drinks
When you drink a hot drink or eat a hot soup, the steam generated from the hot liquid has the same effect as the hot steam-in fact, the hot liquid basically produces flavored steam. The heat from the liquid, as well as the hot steam it produces, helps loosen the mucus that is stuck in your nose.
- Drink tea, hot water with lemon, or hot milk.
- Eat soup or drink hot broth.
Step 3. Eat spicy food
Hot and spicy foods containing chili, wasabi, salsa, and other spicy ingredients act as natural decongestants and will help improve your breathing. The strong taste and aroma of these spices sends a signal to your body to temporarily stop mucus secretion and will expel the mucus that is already there.
Ingredients like red pepper, horseradish, and cayenne pepper can all help relieve your congestion
Step 4. Increase your garlic intake
Garlic is not only antifungal, but also antibacterial so it can fight many diseases, including nasal congestion caused by colds. There are several ways to benefit from garlic.
- Chew a clove or two of garlic daily.
- Use more garlic in your cooking, such as sautéing a clove or two of garlic with other vegetables.
- Boil 5 - 10 cloves of garlic and inhale the steam (as discussed in Step 1 of Method 1).
- Take garlic supplements. You can buy it at a pharmacy in your area.
Step 5. Boost your immune system with vitamin C
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) for years has been prescribed by doctors to boost the immune system. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps your immune system fight the virus that causes your nasal congestion.
- You can take up to 2,000 mg of vitamin C daily, if you are an adult.
- If your stuffy nose is caused by allergies, vitamin C won't help (but it will help your immune system fight off other ailments).
Method 3 of 4: Cure a Congested Nose by Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Cough frequently
While this advice may sound silly, coughing helps flush mucus out of your system. When you wake up in the morning, do a few hard coughs to get the mucus out. To start a cough routine:
- Sit up straight and hold a pillow to your chest. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, five times.
- Make sure the pillow covers your chest and stomach. Hold the pillow tightly as you inhale as much as you can. As your lungs fill, cough as deeply as you can.
- Repeat this process five times.
Step 2. Change your sleeping habits
Your stuffy nose is likely to get worse at night when you lie down to sleep. To help you sleep, add two pillows under your head so that your head is elevated. If you do this, the mucus will easily come out of your nose, rather than clogging the back of your nose and throat and making it difficult for you to breathe.
Step 3. Start using a hot or cold compress
Although not medically proven, hot and cold compresses have been known to help relieve nasal congestion in some people. Whether you use a hot or cold compress is up to you.
- For a cold compress: Wrap a bag of frozen vegetables or ice cubes in a washcloth and place it on your head and face.
- For a hot compress: Dip a washcloth in a bowl of hot water. Squeeze and place the washcloth along the bridge of your nose and the tip of your nose.
Method 4 of 4: Prevent Nasal Congestion
Step 1. Maintain personal hygiene
One of the quickest ways to get sick is to interact with people who are sick, or go out in public, without washing your hands before touching your face. There are germs everywhere, so it's very important to wash your hands with warm water and soap, and shower regularly.
Step 2. Keep your house and bedroom clean
Disinfect objects that are dirty or come in contact with germs that can cause congestion / stuffy nose. You can use wipes and a disinfectant spray to make this easier.
Air purifiers also clean the air of allergens and keep your home clean and smelling nice
Step 3. Wash your bed sheets regularly
Even if you're clean, you're bound to bring germs and allergens into your bed when you go to bed every night. Therefore, it is very important to wash your sheets regularly (usually means once every week).
Step 4. Avoid the things you are allergic to
Allergies can affect your nose. Therefore, if you want to avoid congestion/stuffy nose, you should stay away from things that can make you allergic. Flowers and dust are the two most common allergens.
Step 5. Quit smoking
Cigarette smoke irritates your respiratory tract, which triggers your body to produce more mucus to relieve the irritation. For this reason (as well as many others), it is very important to quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke.
Step 6. Don't take cough relievers
Although the productive cough (wet cough) that accompanies a stuffy nose can be very annoying, coughing is actually the body's attempt to expel the mucus that has accumulated in the body.
