Nasal Congestion Remedies

Nasal congestion or stuffy nose occurs when nasal tissues and blood vessels are swollen with excess fluid. Most often, can be caused by flu, colds, allergies to dust, pollen, pet dander or in response to irritants like tobacco smoke. Some people have a constantly stuffy nose for no apparent reason - the condition known as nonallergic rhinitis. When this happens you need some nasal congestion remedies fast because it's a very unpleasant situation.

Nasal congestion may or may not be accompanied by discharge. Although sometimes it is just a cause of discomfort in older children and adults, in infants, it can be quite serious, because that prevents normal breathing. Therefore, in this case medical assistance is needed.

Possible causes of nasal congestion

• Acute sinusitis;
• Bronchiolitis;
• Chickenpox;
• Chronic sinusitis;
• Churg-Strauss syndrome;
• Cold;
• Excessive use of nasal decongestants;
• Allergy to dust mites;
• Allergy to latex;
• Allergy to mold;
• Hormonal changes;
• Medication for hypertension;
• Inflammation of lymph nodes;
• Allergy to shellfish;

There are some nasal congestion remedies that work and there are a lot that don't. I can tell you from my own experience, and I have a lot, regarding this discomfort. Stuffy nose is usually just a matter of discomfort. However, it can also be a sign of more serious diseases and may be an important symptom in infants.

Consult your doctor if:

- symptoms last more than 10 days;
- you have high fever and especially if it lasts more than three days;
- green nasal secretions, accompanied by sinus pain or fever. It may be a sign of bacterial infection;
- have asthma or emphysema, or taking medications that suppress the immune system;
- you bleed when you blow your nose or it leaks after suffering a head injury.

Call your pediatrician if:

- Your child is less than 2 months and has fever
- child's stuffy nose does not allow correct breathing or breastfeeding makes breathing difficult.

Until you go to the doctor follow a few steps for improvement:

- clean your nose;
- if you have persistent and watery secretions, accompanied by sneezing, and itchy eyes that weep, the symptoms could be triggered by an allergy. In this case, an antihistamine can help. Make sure you follow the instructions of the medical package and you are not allergic to one of the excipients;
- vacuum with special tools the nasal secretions of infants and young children.

When excess mucus accumulates in the back of the neck, to relieve symptoms you can:

- Avoid irritants such as cigarette smoke, mold, etc..
- Avoid sudden temperature changes;
- Drink plenty of water;
- Use a humidifier;
- use saline nasal spray or wash thoroughly with a solution the nostrils.

For infants and young children
In infants and small children that can not blow their nose, you can apply the following methods:

- Buy spray salt water (or saline) for cleaning the nose. Or you can make your own solution by mixing 1 / 4 teaspoon salt in one cup of half warm water (do not use the solution from the previous day, make every day a new one);
- Place the baby on her back and put a rolled towel under the shoulders. Put two or three drops of saline in each nostril. Wait 30-60 seconds. Turn over the child to help to drain mucus. Wipe with a tissue the secretions. Do not try to insert some cotton or something in the child's nostrils;
- You can also use special tools for picking the mucus.

And these tips you might find useful if your baby has a stuffy nose:

- Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids: breast milk or formula. Older children can drink other kinds of liquids, but no sugar;
- Try using a vaporizer, but check the moisture level in the room. How often you clean the steam wand;
- Before bedtime, keep baby in the bathroom and turn on the shower with warm water. Breathing the warm steam helps diminish fluid secretion, and nasal congestion;
- Nasal sprays and cough and cold medicines to be used in children under two years, only on medical advice.

For older children and adults:

Drugs without a prescription you could use to help alleviate stuffy nose and breathing to make the process more comfortable.
- Decongestants - to contract the blood vessels of the nasal mucosa. These drugs relieve symptoms but not help if you have runny nose or other symptoms. Drops and nasal sprays decongestants should not be used more than three days as this may worsen congestion;
- Antihistamines can reduce mucus. Warning, some histamine can cause drowsiness;
These drugs do not treat nasal congestion caused by some certain disease. Many of the antiallergic drugs without prescription and those for colds, more medicinal. Therefore you should read the prospectus carefully and choose the correct product.

However, medication is not the only alternative to relieve a stuffy nose or abundant secretions. You can try various methods of flow of mucus, which help you breathe more easily and nasal secretions normalized:
- Use saline sprays gentle;
- Increase the humidity in the air with a humidifier or vaporizer;
- Drink plenty of fluids. Hot tea, soup (especially chicken) may be useful;
Congestion may worsen when lying in a lying position . Try to keep it, if possible, or at least upright, heads held high. This is very useful especially for babies.

Some herbal remedies to help your stuffy nose get better

Besides the traditional medicines that you can buy from the drugstore there are a few naturalremedies that work great for your stuffy nose.

• Oregano oil- has long been regarded as a natural remedy for sinus congestion or to treat pulmonary and extra help strengthen the immune system. Mix 2-3 drops of oregano oil with some citrus juice and drink this mixture daily. Improvements will be seen within 3 to 4.5 days;
• Tea Tree Oil - Tea tree has special properties that help the body to fight fungi, bacteria and viruses. To relieve nasal congestion add 3-4 drops of tea tree oil to one cup of boiling water. Inhale vapors for 5-10 minutes;
• Vitamin C- histamine in the body is a protein whose levels are often associated with nasal inflammation. If you take 1000mg of vitamin C three times daily, it will reduce the concentration of histamine, as well as nasal and sinus congestion;
• Eucalyptus oil - act on receptors in the nasal mucous membrane and reduce symptoms. You add 3-4 drops of eucalyptus oil to a cup of boiling water. Steam breathe about 5-10 minutes;
• Echinacea - is a herb that stimulates production of white blood cells, accelerates their maturation and accelerates the speed of the lymphatic tissue in the body to the area in which there is an infection. A recent study found that persons who have nasal congestion and drink daily three cups of echinacea for five days, see a rapid improvement of these symptoms than those who do not consume this tea.